Steadying a wobbly island...

[B15TT0]

I knocked out the old kitchen island (3 foot high and had a daft tepanyaki plate in which was never used) and built us a replacement. All was going well until we got the granite top put on. With the weight of the granite it's all gone a bit wobbly....

I realise I should have done more to support/stabilise the thing now, rather than relying on the units legs. If I were to do it again i'd construct a wooden frame to support the base of the units but unfortunately the granite is now stuck on and can't be removed easily (or at least not by me).

Any kitchen experts got any good ideas how an incompetent DIY-er like me can sure it up a bit without starting from square one?

I'm thinking of insterting `chocks` of wood between the existing legs to share some of the weight and trying to screw the units to them....

[satans worm]

Are the legs fully extended? It may be more stable if your able to reduce height of the legs?
Alternativly, fit end pieces that reach down flush with the floor either side?

Note, im not a kitchen fitting expert in any way!

[B15TT0]

satans worm said:

Are the legs fully extended? It may be more stable if your able to reduce height of the legs?
Alternativly, fit end pieces that reach down flush with the floor either side?

Note, im not a kitchen fitting expert in any way!

Thanks for the ideas but yep - already got end (well side pieces). I'd decided they would do the job and make it nice and stable.

Legs can't be adjusted as a result - plus it has to match the height of the rest of the kitchen.

Evidently i'm not a kitchen fitting expert either....

[Davi]

be very, very careful - if it's wobbly, it could go over (no, I'm not joking)

I'd remove the plinths if you've fitted them, and fit a wooden frame below. How you make and install it depends on the space and position of the legs, but I'd probably make it in two halves, a lower and an upper piece which when stacked up are 10mm less in height than the gap , slide in then spread the two with some wooden wedges till a tight fit. Put wedges all the way round! If you make it the right size and shape, once in and spaced with the wedges some ply screwed to both parts would finish the job, then put the plinths on to cover it all up

Edited by Davi on Thursday 3rd September 16:40

[B15TT0]

Davi said:

be very, very careful - if it's wobbly, it could go over (no, I'm not joking)

I'd remove the plinths if you've fitted them, and fit a wooden frame below. How you make and install it depends on the space and position of the legs, but I'd probably make it in two halves, a lower and an upper piece which when stacked up are 10mm less in height than the gap , slide in then spread the two with some wooden wedges till a tight fit. Put wedges all the way round!

Good idea on the two frames and wedging them apart.... Thanks.

May well do that with as solid a lump of timber as I can find/fit under there. The side pieces will preclude me from accessing all the ways round easily so I might build the frame in quarters..

[Busamav]

Thats a perfect solution to support the base ,

are the units solid enough , ie against folding sidewards ?

If not I would suggest fixing a solid piece of ply or similar as a backing to the inside of the cupboards

This reminds me of a recent thread here on the support for a fish tank

[B15TT0]

Busamav said:

Thats a perfect solution to support the base ,

are the units solid enough , ie against folding sidewards ?

If not I would suggest fixing a solid piece of ply or similar as a backing to the inside of the cupboards

This reminds me of a recent thread here on the support for a fish tank

I think so. Certainly all the movement is coming from the base at the moment. If I can steady the base i'll do the cupboard strengthening if needed.

Perhaps I should have just bought more expensive units in the first place....

[Engineer1]

As suggested above pull the plinths off then put wooden supports under, you don't want the whole thing wobbling and running the risk of carcass sections failing or even legs going.

[Davi]

Engineer1 said:

As suggested above pull the plinths off then put wooden supports under, you don't want the whole thing wobbling and running the risk of carcass sections failing or even legs going.

frankly if the legs on his are anything like 99% of the legs on kitchen units, I'd be wary of working too near the thing at all!!! I've seen them buckle under the weight of granite before, just hope the OP will take great care around it in the mean time.