Thank you for the detailed response! Did you get the 41 x 41 x 2.5mm or the 41 x 21 x 2.5mm? Not sure if the 41 x 41 x 2.5 will be enough to tuck some cables inside. I'm thinking of getting 3 x 1.5m having them equally distributed from the middle to the back of the worktop. Originally, I was looking for slotted angle iron, however I cannot believe how expensive they are in comparison to the prices in the US!A few dome-head screws and 25mm outer diameter washers from Screwfix. One in every third slot.
It's holding up well, incredibly sturdy - can't see it going anywhere soon
Here's what I went with:
Help me stop my desk from going saggy
- Thread starter MrRockliffe
- Start date
41x21 - otherwise my knees would likely have knocked it
In all honesty, I don't think you'll need 3x1.5m - it's really heavy duty steel
I prefer to do a "overkill" and not worry in the future, the £ difference is not big. Thank you once again for your response, I know it's an old thread!41x21 - otherwise my knees would likely have knocked it
In all honesty, I don't think you'll need 3x1.5m - it's really heavy duty steel
I prefer to do a "overkill" and not worry in the future, the £ difference is not big. Thank you once again for your response, I know it's an old thread!
I would just be careful - the steel is very heavy, so having 3 x 1.5m channels on it may have unintended effects
Soldato
Don't worry about it sagging. With a laminated wood desk like that its very unlikely to sag at all. I have a 2m solid oak worktop desk, with just a steel leg in each corner, so more span in the centre than yours and it has been about 5 years now and it hasn't sagged even 1mm. Thats with a desktop pc, monitor, full sized amp and two big shelf speakers ontop of it.
BTW, that looks really nice. I was in two minds about walnut or Oak as they both look great.
BTW, that looks really nice. I was in two minds about walnut or Oak as they both look great.
Sorry for old thread revival but I just wanted to say thank you for the steel u-channel idea, I had the same issue and found this thread through google. The steel channels have worked out great.
Desk is strong and straight as an arrow even with 3 monitors, 2 keyboards and headphone amps
Desk is strong and straight as an arrow even with 3 monitors, 2 keyboards and headphone amps
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Sorry for old thread revival but I just wanted to say thank you for the steel u-channel idea, I had the same issue and found this thread through google. The steel channels have worked out great.
Desk is strong and straight as an arrow even with 3 monitors, 2 keyboards and headphone amps
Looking good! You've probably used 2 bits too many though
I would imagine the bending strength of a single steel beam would be enough to prevent sag
Just bought a new work top to use as a desk (IKEA Karlby), and as it's quite heavy (and long at 2.4m), I suspect it's going to start bowing/sagging in the middle.
I've been trying to find an elegant solution like a pre made desk brace/beam, but can't seem to find anything online.
Looking for approx 2m wide, as I've got a set of drawers at each end of the work top.
Any help is much appreciated.
Pic:
There's a good calculator that someone came up with to work out whether the wood will sag.
https://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/
Need to put in your dimensions, wood type, and how much load is going on there, and it'll tell you if the wood is thick enough etc.
Edit: Just realised this was an old thread, the above may help others though.
A few dome-head screws and 25mm outer diameter washers from Screwfix. One in every third slot.
It's holding up well, incredibly sturdy - can't see it going anywhere soon
Here's what I went with:
I know this is a very old post by now, but could you say where you got the channels for that price?
Soldato
It's also cheap enough from electrical stores if you don't mind picking it up. I bought some from CEF for a project.
https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/pro...m-x-1-5mm-light-gauge-plain-channel-3m-length
https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/73642-21mm-x-41mm-slotted-channel-3m-length
https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/pro...m-x-1-5mm-light-gauge-plain-channel-3m-length
https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/73642-21mm-x-41mm-slotted-channel-3m-length
Soldato
Looking at doing a custom desk shortly with some oak worktop but mine will be 200x96 with alex drawers at each end, but then will put 4 legs along the back, normally would do a baton on the wall, but its only in a temp location so don't want to put loads of holes in the wall.
Would that be enough support or am I better getting some of the unistrut and using that, was wondering if could use a router to cut channels out so the unistrut would fit flush and could have a strip of it at the front to stop sagging there?
Would that be enough support or am I better getting some of the unistrut and using that, was wondering if could use a router to cut channels out so the unistrut would fit flush and could have a strip of it at the front to stop sagging there?
Soldato
What thickness worktop? I'd put the numbers into the sagulator mentioned above on the basis it's supported at either end only for now and see what it says.
Soldato
Just put the numbers in based on a 160cm span (200 minus the Alex units), 96cm depth, 38mm thickness, 100kg load on the centre and it's fine.
You'll need to re-run the numbers if you are using thinner material.
You'll need to re-run the numbers if you are using thinner material.
Soldato
Thanks for the replies, its 40mm thickness, I did look at the sagulator but wasn't sure how accurate it was as worktops often made up of staves rather than one solid bit of wood.
@Abyss thanks for that, the centre load wont be anywhere near 100Kg so thats sounds good
@Abyss thanks for that, the centre load wont be anywhere near 100Kg so thats sounds good
Soldato
In theory a worktop made of staves should be just as strong if not stronger than a single piece. You won't have a problem with 40mm timber.
Soldato
Thanks, will get it ordered later
Exactly my worktop, 2 metres spanning two Alex units and 18+ months on its been perfect with a monitor arm supporting a 48" widescreen (not bothered to reinforce).