Friday, April 11, 2014

Seismic Nightmares

Yesterday, the final counter top piece went into place. It went in without a great deal of fanfare. Though it is heavier than any of the previous pieces, I was able to get it in the house and onto the beam that I installed earlier. I added some 4X4 angle iron to the wall and the end of the cabinet. I then drilled through them and the bottom of the slab and installed cinch anchors to bolt it down securely. My original plan was to have it jut out from the wall and, seemingly, float without support. As I contemplated this plan, I realized that it might not be the best idea that I've ever devised. Under ordinary circumstances it would not be a problem. The one big issue is this is SoCal, earthquake country. Having nightmares of sitting at the table during a temblor and having it crush our legs, or worse, made me rethink my original plans. As can be seen in the photo, I stuck a temporary 2X6 leg in place. I will be adding a thin leg to support the end of the counter. I'll probably use a length of black pipe and cover it with a false leg, made of oak, to match the cabinets. Not what I envisioned, but I'll sleep better knowing it should not come crashing down.