I am in the process of trying to remodel one of our rooms to be a computer room for DW and myself.
I am thinking about attaching tables to the wall and wondered if anyone had any ideas about the best way to do this and have them sturdy enough to hold the computers(we each have one) and printers(each have one) This would go onto 2 walls that butt each other in the corner(L shaped). What would be the best type of material to use(baltic birch plywood?). Would I have to laminate the top and veneer the edges? How thick would be good for the tops?
Thank you,
Steve.
Replies
Baltic birch is fairly burly stuff. You could use it without veneer or edging if you like the look. I would use the 3/4" birch for the top. You can affix a cleat to the wall, then use a pocket hole jig to screw it from below. Or nail/screw from above. To support the outer edges, you could use any sort of leg, or a two drawer file cabinet, or some sort of support bracket.
Dustin
Thanks for the input what kind of top would you use to sit the computer on and other odds and ends like a printer. The file cabinet works for me but the wife I don't no about that. I never made a cleat or attached something like that to the walls how would you go about doing something like that.
I also don't no how wide the cleat should be and how thick this would help a lot but I do have a Kreg 3 master pocket hole jig my wife had bought it for me I just have to learn to use it.
thanks
Steve
For the cleat you would probably want 1" to 1-1/2" of thickness by maybe 3" or so. Affix the cleat to studs with screws. Then you can drill the pocket hole in the cleat and screw up into the table top. The torsion box is a great idea, especially considering the weight of a computer tower, monitor, and printer times two. Some times you'll run into a situation where the cleat will end a distance away from a stud. In that case, you'll have to :
a. remove wall covering and put a piece of framing in to support cleat, then patch wall
b. use a toggle or wallboard anchor to attach to wall
c. use construction adhesive on the end of the cleat, with a screw or two to hold until the adhesive sets.
The first solution will be the sturdiest.
The material for the cleat could be any solid stock that would hold a screw well.
Dustin
If done as a torsion box the cleat can be hidden in the torsion box itself.
For a torsion box counter-top, i use an inexpensive hollow-core door. I've made all my countertops for the last two houses out of flush doors that came with the places. That'd be more than adequate for your load, and lots lots lots less work to make.
When I was a youngin........................there were a mess of us youngins................Dad strap hinged a nicely finished solid core door to a wall and screwed two spindle legs under it into threaded receivers.
Put 'em up before school started, fold 'em down against the wall for the summer.
Instant desks.[email protected]
Then where'd you put the jar of pollywogs? <G>
<hinged a nicely finished solid core door to a wall and screwed two spindle legs under it >
Hey - my dad did that, too!
Forrest - great minds . . .
Weld up a couple of 1" sq tubing for brackets, bolt to studs in the wall 2 ea 5/16 bolts near the top, one 1/4" bolt near the bottom.
The 4ft by 4 ft table shown has 3/4 ply top with formica, 2 people can sit on the outer edge (350#) with no problem.
Google "Torsion Box" for a good approach - FH had an article long ago, I think.
Forrest
FH had an article long ago, I think.
They did. I'm guessing over 10 yrs. It got me going with the concept. Used it very successfully many times. Excellent for this project.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Not FH, but try
http://www.diytv.com/diy/ww_materials_products/article/0,2049,DIY_14442_2278181,00.htmlGeorge Patterson, Patterson Handyman Service
"Google "Torsion Box""I've long been interested in Torsion Boxes, even started a thread on them here. Have done Googles, but have yet to find any information on how to "size" one. that is how to decide what size web and skins etc to hold what loads.
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
A torsion box is a great way to go. I'v done them with 1/4 mdf skins and 3/4 neycomb cores which resluts in a total thickness of 1 1/4". It will be plenty strong. the outfee table for my say is done in a similiar manner with 2" stips of mdf and 1/4" skins and it is extremely sturdy. has a section about 5'X 2' that has one end completely unsupported and it's qite sturdy, plenty strong for a desk.