Worktop Support

[Mo]

Another question for you all :)

Here is a poor picture of one of our worktops. Just where it starts to go dark is empty space underneath. It is about 85cm to the floor.

I laid my vinyl in the kitchken, underneath was the diswahser and near the middle was a piece of wood that was about 1cm wide supporting it in place (the worktop is actually screwed on to the wall and can support its own weight. Currently the only thing holding it up is the screws screwed into the wall and sealant stuff - i took the support off to put vinyl in

This is a rough drawing of what it looked like before - Worktop at top. Dishwasher on left and the support is a piece of wood next to it that is attached to the wall and the underside of the worktop.

as I put vinyl on - the wood is slightly too tall to go back udnerneath - I can either get it down to size...or I can try to be clever and try something else.

What I wnat to do now is, instead of having a piece of wood, I want a nice metal bar holding it up (this is so i can get access easier to what is on the RIGHT hand side of where the wood was (the water supply mains tap)

So my plan was to buy a piece of metal tubing (note, if need to be i can put on 2 tubes - one at front and one at back - but i can NOT put one to the left of the dishwaser as it needs to be empty there for reasons i won't go into.)

So I went to B&Q and bought what turns out to be a piece of railing tube (annoyingly they have a chunky breakfast bar leg but it is slightly too long to fit underneath our worktop).

I also bought some of these.

my plan is - cut the tube to size, - stick it through one of those - connect that circle end thing to the underside of the work top and then have the tube basically holding up the work top.

Couple of issues.

1) Is there anything I can put on the other end of the tube - on the floor end? I need somethign flat and smooth so I can slide it in and also so its not digging into the floor - esseianlly I need something like in the picture above but has no hole in it and will nicely sit on the floor and act like a shoe to the tube. Even better woudl be to have them on either side so the tube it just being else in place by them

2) What is the best way to ensure I have the currect length cut tubing and to get it under the worktop? obviously it will have to be exatly length and there will be a lot of resistance in trying to get it in as I will have to squeeze it in.

Hope that all makes sense!!

[Roger Mills]

Use another end socket - like the one at the top - and screw it to the floor.

There's no substitute for accurate measurement and cutting! If it's exactly the right length, you should be able to lift the edge of the worktop very slightly to get it in. Either use an assistant to do the lifting (but don't use *too* much force) or get a piece of wood that's slightly too long, insert it at an angle, and gently tap it towards the vertical.

Alternatively, make the tube *slightly* short, and use some small discs of a thin hard material (formica, etc) - the same diameter as the tube - for packing beween the top of the tube and the underside of the worktop. They will be hidden when you slide the end socket to the top of the tube.

[The order in which you do this is important. Proceed as follows (assuming the 'exact length' approach):

1. Decide where the post will be on the underside of the worktop, and screw the top socket on
2. Drop a plumbline from the centre of the socket down to the floor and screw the bottom socket to the floor exactly vertically under the top one
3. Accurately measure the worktop to floor distance at the socket location and cut the tube to length - preferably with the sort of tube cutter used by plumbers
4. Temporarily remove both sockets and slide them over the tube
5. Raise the worktop slightly and manoeuvre the tube into position
6. Re-attach the sockets to worktop and floor
7. Remove the prop which is raising the worktop
8. Congratulate yourself on a good job done!]

[Lurch]

On Sun, 6 May 2007 22:02:01 +0100, "Roger Mills" mused:

I'd normally slide the end fixing ring things on the tube, slide the tube in whilst nudging the worktop up a few mm with a shoulder and then when it's somewhere near screw the top ring in place then stick the level on the pole and level it, possibly whilst gently nudging the worktop upwards with a shoulder again, then fix the bottom ring.

This assumes you can accurately measure the floor to under worktop distance accurately, otherwise you can just slide it in easily as you've cut it too short then wedge things under the end (penny washers, 2p coins etc...) to jack it up.

[Mo]

Thanks for the replies

the tube itself isn't that fat - 25mm diameter

so my only worry is if there is a lot of weight on the worktop and the tube is thin - it will really start digging into the vinyl itself - which is why i would prefer to have something on the bottom (i wonder if there is a chance of it buckling?) - ideally i'd like something to to slightly spread all the pressure away. (if that makes sense)

[Lurch]

On Sun, 6 May 2007 22:22:40 +0100, "Mo" mused:

If you measure it to the solid floor, then cut the vinyl floor out it won't sink. Even if you have something to spread the weight that was around 30-35m in diameter it would still sink into the vinyl a certain amount.

As for buckling, I've seen many of these fitted for 20-30 odd years + and they haven't buckled, moved or sunk when fitted properly.

[Mo]

so should I cut out the vinyl just around the actual tube or should i cut out the entire tube and the thingy surroudning it? I don't fancy my vinyl cutting skills with such a small circle, lol

[Lurch]

On Sun, 6 May 2007 22:49:06 +0100, "Mo" mused:

Well, the circle surround thing is essentially to stop sideways movement and bears no load from the worktop so you only need to cut out around the bottom of the pole, so 26mm should do it (or 26mmish).

[Bob Eager]

Cut a short piece of tube, place it correctly and use a mallet! Might not cut all the way but will mark it well.

[Mo]

As the pole is seperate is there anyway of attaching anything to bear the load?

Also, i hope they fit togetehr snugly - thy were sold from the same stand at BQ so I hole the pole doesn't rattle around (even tho it shouldn't once the weight is on)

So you are saying on you cut out vinyl for the pole - that is inetresting - so now i need to calcuate on length including the vinlyl!

Finally what is the best way to get a 100% straight cut?

I have a cheap electric jigsaw from Argos - any good techniques to use? (i dont have a workshop or any clamps sadly)

[Andy Hall]

A tubing cutter used for plumbing or a hacksaw

[Roger Mills]

Or you could cut it *to* the vinyl, then cut a hole in the vinyl and fill it with something solid, like a 2p piece. Personally I wouldn't bother. I'd cut the tube *slightly* long, knowing that it will dig into the vinyl a bit. It will still go in if you jack the worktop up a bit while fitting it.

As I said earlier, a plumbing pipe cutter is best. Otherwise use a hacksaw. If doing that, wind some sticky tape squarely round the tube so that one edge lines up with the required cut position, and use that as a guide. Rotate the tube as you cut so that you are always cutting against the tape. Smooth the cut edge with a file.

[Rob Horton]

Did you use an etch-a-sketch

for that drawing?