Fixing marble tops

[wheelinround]

The more modern stone top coffee table we have is glued.

[Prle77]

I would stay away from drilling it..
a) you will be damaging nice flat surface....
b) by drilling marble you will weaken it as well as risking from marble cracking.. Usually when marble is drilled it is with water jets...
c) even if you fasten it.. if someone tries to lift the unit by grabbing the marble.. it might cause marble snapping under the weight..

What we generally do is actually glue locators (triangular pieces of mdf or wood which are flush with inside corners of the cabinets)
those will prevent marble from being moved if someone nudges it or hit it..
The benefit of such system is .. marble can be removed for transport purposes .. and thanks to locators.. marble will always bee placed in the same spot and same way
just a suggestion...

[fletty]

Thinking aloud......

Thanks everyone. I've got a couple of worries and a possible solution.
I was worried about 'someone' trying to lift the whole piece by the marble top, the marble top separating from the bottom cabinet AND breaking the top cabinet off?
So, I could make it as 3 separate pieces with the marble floating but with Prie's locating blocks and the upper and lower cabinets located via battens up the back?
WE HAVE A PLAN!

fletty

[GraemeCook]

Hi Fletty

I agree with Ian. Don't use epoxy or anything rigid.

We have antique side table, dresser and two bedside tables with marble tops. All are held in place by gravity, alone. No problems.

Our modern kitchen has Carrara marble benches and splash backs up to 5 metres long. All are held in place with plumbers silicon - the $4 per tube stuff!


Fair Winds

Graeme

[Bob38S]

I have a bar with a marble top, 1715 x 610 x 19.

Very heavy to shift - 2 men, 3 boys and a hernia. As others have said, Gravity only, has never shifted.

My only concern with actually attaching it to a top would be humidity. The timber will move, especially if the finishing is only done on the outside. Timber moves but the marble doesn't - my prediction would be that at some stage in the future it will crack. Not the look I think you are looking to achieve.

Just a thought.

[johnc]

Marble does move, expand and contract, it can also bow. It needs to move and shouldn't have weight bearing down on it unduly in furniture. in old pieces that have marble backs
and side pieces you often see brass pins as dowels fixed in place with Plaster of Paris or some times white cement. I have seen wood screws run through holes to attach timber fittings. There are no hard and fast rules, these days silicone and epoxies have taken over, my experience is monumental work, working with pieces that weigh up to 800Kg on your own using bars, levers and rolls, anything up to 400Kg isn't a big deal, after that you need an assistant. The biggest risk is damaging material through inexperience, the main hurdle to make sure you are always working with gravity not against it.

[Bob38S]

Thanks for that.

I was not aware that marble moved. In comparison to wood, how would the movement compare and is it uniform in all directions.

[johnc]

Doesn't move much, but you put a slab on a monument with too much slope and it will gradually creep downhill as it expands and contracts. The wood moves much more, as long as you've allowed for wood movement the small variation in stone will not have an impact.

[fletty]

Thank you for the help everyone. I have now designed it around 4 separable pieces, a lower cabinet including a backing board (hopefully) with matching antique tiles, the marble slab and 2 upper cabinets that will mount to the backing board and sit on the slab. The slab will only sit on the bottom cabinet via gravity, 'friction and stiction' although I will glue locating blocks onto the bottom of the slab if it appears too mobile.
IF someone does try to lift it via the slab only, the slab will lift off the lower cabinet and the upper much smaller cabinet/s will rise on the vertical dovetail battens that locate them. This should alert 'someone' to STOP LIFTING!
fletty