I want to attach kitchen worktops to a wall as a desk

[vemyr]

I'd like to use 2 kitchen worktops as a long desk attached to the wall with brackets.

Each worktop is laminate, 500mm deep and 1500mm long

I'm thinking of using 2 of these brackets for each worktop to attach to to an internal party wall: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Heavy-Duty-Bracket-White-495x330mm/p/530744

How do I make it very secure?
What size screws do you think I should use to attach them to the wall?
If it's a terrible idea, could you suggest an alternative?

Cheers!

 

[AlanE]

Terrible idea!! They would never hold the weight even with massive screws or bolts through the wall.

Would suggest wooden batten on wall and then supports at the front or a cupboard eat each end.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

What's the wall made of? Are they going in an alcove ?

As mentioned this is the normal (sensible) approach:

But with better legs, IKEA, amongst others, do cheap attractive legs.

 

[vemyr]

AlanE, I was originally considering that method but would have preferred no cabinets/supports. Oh well, cheers.

freddymercurystwin, it's going across an internal brick wall, one end will be up against the external brick wall.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

There's nothing wrong in principle with having no legs, provided you can get heavy duty enough brackets/supports and good enough fixing.

 

[vemyr]

I think I'll go with the batten method then, thanks both .

 

[gregers]

yonks back i helped fit a computer suite out,and they had very heavy duty (gallow)type brackets,bloody amazing things,infact ive got a couple doing the same thing fitted in my garage.

 

[Mastercracker]

Hi Guys,

Just found this thread on google as I'm looking at doing something similar. Basically I am looking at buying a 3m laminate worktop (https://www.worktop-express.co.uk/laminate-worktops/grey-slate-laminate-worktops-luna-nero) and using it as a desk. However, I am going to use Ikea Alex draws at each end as legs (https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products...ts/alex-drawer-unit-black-brown-art-40342285/), with a wooden batten at the back screwed into the studs behind as further support. The span between the draws will be 2280mm.

I am slightly worried about potential sagging. I 100% don't want another leg anywhere underneath. If required I was thinking about bracing the bottom of the worktop with 2 mild steel 3m flat bars.

Thoughts?

 

[Tigercubrider]

we used to make a lot of cheap studio furniture using worktops.
we used Speedframe for a lot of support stuff, very basic black 25mm square tube.
a length of that under the front edge 9 or a short way in) will brace it.
Also getting a matching upstand but gluing and screwing it under the round edge worktop gives the impression of a thicker top and stops bowing

 

[foxhole]

Flat bar won’t prevent sagging would need to be angle or a 3x2 screw to underside .

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The span between the draws will be 2280mm.

I am slightly worried about potential sagging. I 100% don't want another leg anywhere underneath. If required I was thinking about bracing the bottom of the worktop with 2 mild steel 3m flat bars.

Thoughts?

It will still sag. Worktop material is hardly the most rigid of stuff (it doesn't need to be, it's normally supported by cabinets and in kitchens you rarely have more than 600mm unsupported at the front) so it will need something like gallows brackets or legs or gframing for such a long unsupported span. Alternatively Tigercub's suggestion is another proven solution (we sometimes use 1in steel tube welded into frames to support back bars in restaurants) and is how I'm planning to support a kitchen worktop over a washer and drier in my next kitchen (although there will also be a 300mm wide pull-out larder at one end hence the need for additional strength). Neater and less obtrusive than 3 x 2 timber, especially when set back a few inches from the front and painted-out in black, and gets in the way less when sitting at it. Still think yo might need some sort of gallows bracket in the middle, though

 

[Mastercracker]

So would using something like this work? If I used two or even 3 to support the span?

https://www.cabinethardware.com/Workstation-Bracket-p/1194.htm

This would probably mean forgetting the wooden batton at the back though.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

So would using something like this work? If I used two or even 3 to support the span?

This would probably mean forgetting the wooden batton at the back though.

Why get rid of the batten? You could still have the batten, but notched around the brackets or in several pieces, but just sticking the worktop on three brackets alone is going to be a lot more risky (depending on the nature of the wall). I certainly wouldn't do that (joiner, belt and braces, risk averse, call-back averse, etc, etc)

Nice brackets, but American. Are they available in the UK?

 

[Mastercracker]

Looking at this speedframe stuff, it looks excellent.

I'm thinking wooden batton underneath across the back secured into the studs, worktop screwed into batton, 2x 3m lengths of speedframe tubing secured underneath the worktop (at appropriate spacing), rest whole thing down on 2x alex draws which I know are rock solid as a have 1 set already. I'll then assess whether I think it needs a further gallows type bracket or not.

There's loads of vids of similar on YouTube without any bracing to stop them sagging which isn't great. Google ikea desk hack or floating desk.