Breakfast Bar Mounting

Posted: November 9, 2009

"I am building a breakfast bar from the extra fir T&G flooring we put in our kitchen, but I can't think of any way to mount it to the wall studs that would be strong enough. It is 15" x 72" x 1" & I have studs on 16" centers. The wall is covered with 1/2" sheetrock & 1/4" bead board. Help! I need this done by Thanksgiving or no dinner for me."

 

Submitted by: Wayne Cooke

 

WWGOA Editor Response
It sounds like you need a way to cantilever the bar from the wall. You need what some call, knee braces, that can fasten to the wall and to the bottom of your counter. I've often made these in the past by using plywood as the 'web,' then solid wood flanges top and bottom. The plywood is cut to look like a triangle, the 90-degree legs receive the flanges. The exposed edge of the hypotenuse will need to be banded. Screw on flange to a stud and the other to the bottom of the counter.

 

Or, look at a commercially made product like FastCap's SpeedBrace.