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reinforcement for counter and front clset wall

Posted:
Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:52 pm
by Aaron Coffee
Have my galley/cabin counter installed (1/2 ply) and it seems kind of springy, been thinking of laying 3/4 plywood over it, and also my front closet wall will also be made out of 1/2 plywood, and am kind of worried that it may be kind of weak there too, since it will also serve as a reclining area for leaning against when watching tv, reading, etc. I have been wondering if I should back it up also with 3/4 ply, or would 1/2 ply be sufficient? The counter will be covered with a laminate counter top material, and any reinforcemtent for the closet would be inside the closet, so I would not need the best face plywood available.
thanks
Aaron

Posted:
Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:20 pm
by parnold
Without pictures or diagrams it's hard to imaging exactly what you are talking about, but I used 1/2 exclusively for my interior galley walls. Perhaps you can simply add a stud or two of 1x1 or 1 1/2 x 1 1/2. Seems like adding 3/4 ply wood be a lot of unnecessary weight.
RE: Counter Reinforcement

Posted:
Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:05 pm
by mezmo
Hi Aaron Coffee,
As parnold suggested, nominal 1x1 or 1x2 applied - well glued and
screwed - to the perimeter of the counter should stiffen it up enough.
Applied on edge is the strongest, but applied flat should work too.
I couldn't see how your galley is done from your album, so I don't
know how easy or hard it would be to do it on the bottom of the shelf,
but it can also be applied to the top of the shelf, if you screw into the
stiffener piece from the underneath of the ply wood counter - that'd
give you a lip on the counter then, which itself could be a handy thing.
Another approach would be to laminate/glue-n-screw a sheet of 1/4"
or 3/8" or another 1/2" piece to the existing 1/2" counter. If you already
have a piece of 3/4" big enough to fit use it. Whatever little extra
weight that would have isn't worth being concerned about I'd say.
Cheers,
Norm/mezmo