Wood for Breakfast Bar

Oct 14, 2014 7 Replies

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jumper 11 years ago

I'm looking to making a shelf/breakfast bar in the kitchen: 72" by 21"

- it will not be supporting any great weight - and in fact will not really be used as a breakfast bar: more of a surface for putting cookerbooks, a plant and bits and pieces on. It will be supported on a baton on the walls on one of the long edges and one of smaller edges: the "floating" corner will be supported by a pole to the floor. It will be tiled on top and along edges. The question is - what material? I am thinking 1/2" or 3/4" ply. Thoughts?

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JimK 11 years ago

Kitchen worktop inverted?

Jim K

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newshound 11 years ago

1/2 is on the thin side, particularly if it might get leaned on or stood on: likely to flex and crack the tiles. Presumably the tiling is to match the rest of the kitchen? I would be inclined to edge 18 mm plywood with wood or an extruded aluminium trim.

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Tim Watts 11 years ago

3/4" aka 18mmm ply min - 25 would be better. 12mm will be way to floppy under load.

You could use a decent ply (not shuttering ply). A hardwood or good quality softwood ply can be finished quite well. Be aware there may only be one "finish" face that is extra nice.

Or - what about a bit of kitchen worktop in the finish you like (wood or laminate)?

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Tim Watts 11 years ago

Sorry - did not see the bit where you said "tiled top".

Good softwood ply, 25mm then ideally. Or 18mm if you glue a bit of 2x2 along the front edge to stiffen it.

I recommend a "flexible" tile adhesive and grout which will be forgiving of some slight flexing.

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Davey 11 years ago

Looking at the title, I thought you were offering wood as part of a menu.

But there is such a bar in this house, and very useful it is, too. I have no idea how it was built, though, without looking in detail at it. It is an island, and the supports were made out of bricks from a wall that was removed. I would guess that the top is an inch thick, including the depth of the recessed tiles. Good luck with the project.

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spuorgelgoog 11 years ago

Anything less than an inch thick visually will probably look implausibly thin especially with tiled edges.

Owain

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meow2222 11 years ago

If you must be mean with the ply, at least put a ladder frame under it for support. Tiles & flexing really dont mix. And forget half inch. OSB3 is cheaper btw.

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