Help with bench support

[Jeff Monson]

I just finished the construction and install on these mudroom cabinets. We are putting a bench in between the 2 tall cabinets. My wife wants a live edge bench, so I purchased a piece of ash that will fit the bill. The material is 2" thick, 16" wide and is 66" long. Looking for some input on best way to mount it up? I'd like to keep the mounting clean so my thoughts are angle iron cleats on the wall and the cabinets? Anyone see an issue with this or have a better solution?

mudroom2.jpgmudroom.jpg

[John TenEyck]

That'll work, Jeff. Wooden cleats would work well, too. If you want a really clean look cut dados on the back and ends of the slab and slide the seat over the cleats; secure from underneath with a couple of screws. Completely invisible.

John

[Dan Hulbert]

I'd use 1x2 or 3 cleats and paint them to match the walls and cabinets. You could miter cut the front edges of the cleats on the cabinets to help the look.

[Jamie Buxton]

2” thick? It only needs support at the ends. No need for cleats on the wall.

[Richard Coers]

Plus one with Jamie. You could park a pickup truck on a 2" thick slab of ash. Wood cleats on the cabinets and drop it on.

[Jeff Monson]

That'll work, Jeff. Wooden cleats would work well, too. If you want a really clean look cut dados on the back and ends of the slab and slide the seat over the cleats; secure from underneath with a couple of screws. Completely invisible.

John

I like that plan John, wont be hard to do at all.

FWIW thanks again for the spray gun advice, that 6008 really lays out pigmented lacquer nicely!!

[Jim Becker]

While the 2" slab may be fine without support on the wall, I'd personally install and angle iron cleat anyway to help reduce the risk of sagging over time. It could easily be hidden by machining out some shallow recesses on the bottom and back edge of the slab, too.

[Richard Coers]

While the 2" slab may be fine without support on the wall, I'd personally install and angle iron cleat anyway to help reduce the risk of sagging over time. It could easily be hidden by machining out some shallow recesses on the bottom and back edge of the slab, too.

Does that mean all these slab tables and river tables will be sagging soon? Sorry, can't agree with the extra support.

[Brian Tymchak]

Think I might be inclined to find a pair of cast iron bench legs and put a traditional bench in that space.

[Jim Becker]

Does that mean all these slab tables and river tables will be sagging soon? Sorry, can't agree with the extra support.

Consider that a bench that people sit on is a little different than a table and all those slab tables and river tables have support under them commensurate with the intended use. I'm not saying that the bench will fail without that support along the length. I'm just suggesting that I personally would support it for extra piece of mind just because it's a bench that folks will sit in. There's no harm in doing it...it's just a little more time and material.

BTW, the same technique I mentioned for a hidden rear angle support could be used at the ends to eliminate the cleats that would otherwise be visible.

[Richard Coers]

Consider that a bench that people sit on is a little different than a table and all those slab tables and river tables have support under them commensurate with the intended use. I'm not saying that the bench will fail without that support along the length. I'm just suggesting that I personally would support it for extra piece of mind just because it's a bench that folks will sit in. There's no harm in doing it...it's just a little more time and material.

BTW, the same technique I mentioned for a hidden rear angle support could be used at the ends to eliminate the cleats that would otherwise be visible.

I've seen a ton of slab tables sitting on hair pin steel legs. Plus this bench in only 5'6" long. I checked Sagulator and a shelf like that loaded to 100 pounds per foot will sag .008" per foot. But to each his own.