Making a large kitchen/dining table out of Silestone...
Discussion
We have a large marble table but it's approximately 50mm thick at the edges. It has a recess milled out of it on the underside to within 100mm or so of the edges, this slots into a humongous sheet of ply approx 25mm thick which is bolted to the base supports. There is very little unsupported overhang.
We had to move it last year to get the floor done. The marble top is easily a four man lift!
We had to move it last year to get the floor done. The marble top is easily a four man lift!
Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions. They have all helped me develop my thinking and I appreciate the time and care taken in responding. Picking out some of the recurring themes;
- Fabricating the tabletop from a 10mm slab with thicker edges is a great idea - perhaps especially if combined with the idea of an MDF (or similar) former/support underneath.
- Legs splaying looks like the major worry. Building a base unit out of the Silestone is a great idea; it could be sized so as to meet the overhang limitations. I will speak with the fabricator about this.
- Felt feet might well allow for enough movement once the table is in place, the floor it will sit on is large/smooth/even ceramic tiles.
- Sizing I am comfortable with - it won't overpower our room, and will seat our slim/beautiful friends and family in comfort ;>
- Weight remains a question, and I have noted the differing views on this. Tipping - as has been pointed out - is a function of geometry and weight distribution; I'm sure this can be managed.
Armed with all of this, I'm off to see the fabricator again early next week.
If it all starts to look too difficult / complicated, I may have found an off-the-shelf alternative:
This has the size and shape we're after, but would require a compromise on the surface which is made of "HD Ductal Concrete". Aesthetics aside, I don't know whether this material is good for a table-top. The great advantage of Silestone is that it doesn't pick up and hold stains from fluid spills (wine etc) unlike marble. I wonder whether this material has similar qualities. Thoughts/experience on this would be most welcome.
- Fabricating the tabletop from a 10mm slab with thicker edges is a great idea - perhaps especially if combined with the idea of an MDF (or similar) former/support underneath.
- Legs splaying looks like the major worry. Building a base unit out of the Silestone is a great idea; it could be sized so as to meet the overhang limitations. I will speak with the fabricator about this.
- Felt feet might well allow for enough movement once the table is in place, the floor it will sit on is large/smooth/even ceramic tiles.
- Sizing I am comfortable with - it won't overpower our room, and will seat our slim/beautiful friends and family in comfort ;>
- Weight remains a question, and I have noted the differing views on this. Tipping - as has been pointed out - is a function of geometry and weight distribution; I'm sure this can be managed.
Armed with all of this, I'm off to see the fabricator again early next week.
If it all starts to look too difficult / complicated, I may have found an off-the-shelf alternative:
This has the size and shape we're after, but would require a compromise on the surface which is made of "HD Ductal Concrete". Aesthetics aside, I don't know whether this material is good for a table-top. The great advantage of Silestone is that it doesn't pick up and hold stains from fluid spills (wine etc) unlike marble. I wonder whether this material has similar qualities. Thoughts/experience on this would be most welcome.
Andehh said:
OP, considered a wooden table then overlay it with Quartz?
They do it with Granite, and were helpful when we looked at them. They do more then just granite, but that could get you the best of both worlds. Lighter & stronger, yet maintaining the look you want.
http://www.granitetransformations.co.uk/how-we-wor...
This is exactly what you need, light, durable, flexible, tough and can be fabricated over an MDF substrate with straight edges or curves. It is also available in around 50 different colours so one should suit you.They do it with Granite, and were helpful when we looked at them. They do more then just granite, but that could get you the best of both worlds. Lighter & stronger, yet maintaining the look you want.
http://www.granitetransformations.co.uk/how-we-wor...
anonymous said:
[redacted]
which is exactly what I suggested, maybe untwist your knickers!If you took a slab of ES nd only supported it on 4 corners it will sag in the middle. How do I know this? Because I'm in the process of replacing someones Caesarstone benchtop because I stuffed up a measurement and gave their breakfast bar a 370mm overhang instead of the recommended 300mm. After a month its bowed about 5mm.
And this is 20mm stone with a 9mm solid mdf substrate.
I also mentioned the weight because some pointed out going 30mm will be heavy. A sheet of 30mm Dekton is about 440kg iirc.
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