Archive for December, 2011
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8 December 2011
Brackets For Cabinets On Bale Wall
In a conventional 2×6 framed wall, the wood studs are 16″ apart, so any cabinets would be screwed into these for support. However, in a post and beam or timber frame building, there are longer spans between wood posts. And when you incorporate straw bale insulation, there are not likely to be regular wooden anchor points for cabinetry or heavy shelving, as the bales themselves are rigid enough to be stacked without the need for wood stud framing.
Anchors can be planned ahead in the form of wooden I-beams laid in between courses of bales while you are building the wall. This wasn’t done ahead of time for this small house, so here is one solution for hanging solid cabinetry.
I built brackets that would securely attach the kitchen cabinets to the ceiling joists. At first the brackets seemed to detract from the flowing aesthetic of the earthen plaster, but once all the cabinets were in place and the countertop was mounted, the overall look was very pleasing to the eye, with some square and precise carpentry aspects balancing the curving, softer look of the plaster. Watch for the photos of the countertop and the whole kitchen in the next couple of blogs.
And check out our previous blog “Lancelot” from July 31, 2011 for more about I-beams in a bale wall. (An easy way to get there is by clicking on the Tag: Straw Bale.)
~Tim
