TransWikia.com

Are 1.5"x1.5" poplar legs strong enough to support a 3'x2' hardwood top?

Woodworking Asked by F McA on June 23, 2021

I’m building a mobile (not on wheels) kitchen island for my partner in our new apartment, as a first woodworking project. A 3’x2′ top is about right for the space, and she’d like an overall height of around 37", with a top thickness of around 1"-1.5". I expect to use maple for the top.

Because I don’t have space for power tools I plan on using dimensional lumber, and I planned to use 2x2x36 poplar for the legs. But since that will give me an actual leg width of 1.5×1.5, I’m not sure this will be enough support. I plan to use aprons made with 1×3 poplar, attached to legs with mortise and tenons, along with 1×2 side stretchers near the base of the legs.

Are 1.5" square legs sufficient for a tabletop of this size? And will the use of this thickness of lumber (3/4" aprons and stretchers) prevent a good, solid mortise and tenon joint?

One Answer

Go for it! I think this will be solid enough, especially with the stretchers down low.

The cherry legs on this taper to about an inch square. The top is concrete and about 60#. It held an espresso machine that was probably about 50# without shaking. Btw, there's a drawer in there, so it wasn't solid apron all around.

Edit: a few more dimensions... legs are 1-1/8 at the bottom, 1-5/8 near the top. Apron is 5-1/2x3/4 actual in maple.

Cherry/maple/concrete table

Correct answer by Aloysius Defenestrate on June 23, 2021

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question

Get help from others!

© 2024 TransWikia.com. All rights reserved. Sites we Love: PCI Database, UKBizDB, Menu Kuliner, Sharing RPP