Stone Shelves

[ProDave]

We want stone shelves in the larder.  I would like to fit them fairly soon, even though the walls that separate the larder from the corner of the kitchen may not be built for a while.

 

This is one of those items I know is going to be either difficult or expensive (or both) to source.

 

Looking to make two shelf units with shelves in the order of 900mm wide by 300mm deep.

 

The obvious place is the stone suppliers that will do the main kitchen worktop and hearth slab for the stove.

 

But I am wondering if off the shelf (excuse the pun) solutions are available.

 

One thought dawns on e is large format floor tiles cut to size, i,e if anyone makes a 900 b 600 tile it could be cut down the middle.

 

Thoughts please.

[PeterW]

Round here 900x300 is standard size for Concrete paving at about 50mm thick. Could then just add a nice tile finish to that which would also wipe clean. 

[Jeremy Harris]

The house that I grew up in had a larder that just had a cast in place concrete shelf.  The whole of the interior was lined with white tiles, including the shelf.

 

At our old house I decided to use large format floor tiles as worktops. laid on to a laminated marine ply base, that was shaped to fit the kitchen, so there were no joints showing.  I think the tiles were the size @PeterW mentioned.  I laid two rows, staggered by 450mm, to make a worktop that was just over 600mm deep.  Finished with a hardwood strip on the front this made for a relatively cheap, but hard wearing, worktop, and the same technique might well work for a larder.

[Ferdinand]

How do you plan to support these?

 

I just bought a pallet of 25 900x600x50mm slabs for a price £160 delivered for my wheelchair ramp.

 

Cut a few of those lengthways,

 

How do you plan to support, as they weigh 65-70kg each? ?.

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Ferdinand]

0r have a look at porcelain 600x600 or 300x600 floor tiles, which I use for sills and splash backs, and cost about £11 each. I am sure I have seen 900x300 too. Jus5 checked and plenty are available.

 

 My supplier

https://www.tiletown.co.uk/en/smart-lux-grafito-floor

 

You may find someone more local.

 

F

 

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by Ferdinand

[ProDave]

I don't think paving slabs would have the required finish.  Looking more for a smooth, nicer looking "stone" finish.  That's why I thought of large format floor tiles.

 

I propose a timber or possibly unistrut frame to support them.  Details depend on what we end up with, e.g if support just at both ends is adequate or if intermediate support is needed.

 

If floor tiles I doubt they would be strong enough just supported at both ends so probably plywood shelves with the tiles glued down.

 

If I end up with 900 by 600 tiles I can get them cut in half by my tiler friends tile cutter.

[PeterW]

I don’t think anyone is suggesting just slabs - more to use them as the base of the shelf and then add tiles onto the surface 

[Russell griffiths]

Our local wood burning stove place sells big chunks of slate for hearths, would be easy to cut these to shape. 

[Ferdinand]

I guess that other alternatives include Silestone Offcuts, repurposed snooker tables incl. small ones (surprisingly cheap on eBay sometimes) for slate etc.

 

Ferd8nand

[Jeremy Harris]

2 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

I guess that other alternatives include Silestone Offcuts, repurposed snooker tables incl. small ones (surprisingly cheap on eBay sometimes) for slate etc.

 

Ferd8nand

 

 

That's a pretty good idea, as it reminds me of something I saw a while ago, where someone had made a base for a record deck using an offcut of granite worktop.  IIRC they picked this up very cheaply from going to a stone supplier and asking if they had any offcuts.

[Ferdinand]

3 minutes ago, Jeremy Harris said:

 

 

That's a pretty good idea, as it reminds me of something I saw a while ago, where someone had made a base for a record deck using an offcut of granite worktop.  IIRC they picked this up very cheaply from going to a stone supplier and asking if they had any offcuts.

 

Offcuts are all over EBay all the time. ; I was looking for one for the trendy sit on top whb until I decided they would be a white elephant.

 

It is a question of knowing what you want and waiting for one local enough.

 

Or picking somebody’s granite worktop, which would be extactly double the required depth.

Edited November 3, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Nick1c]

When we had wood burner put in we put it on a 900x900 slate as the hearth, about 15mm thick & £70-90 IIRC. It is riven, but a reasonably fine finish & not too heavy in  thirds for a shelf. 

Edited November 3, 2019 by Nick1c

[ProDave]

I have just one of the "perfect" item,  A 900mm by 400mm by 20mm thick stone worktop offcut.  I got this with a load of other stone offcuts from someone on Freecycle.  Most were used for the stone hearth and surround when we put the WBS in the caravan. This one I have left is the temporary hearth for the stove at the moment but can't remain as it is not big enough and when we get the kitchen worktop done we will get a matching proper sized hearth made.

 

The trouble with offcuts is you are not going to get enough that match. I think we need in the order of 10 stone shelves.

 

We have slate flooring which we like but would prefer something smother and easier to wipe clean for this application.

[Russell griffiths]

900x1200 smooth slate on e bay £80 each. 

[Ferdinand]

Perhaps target people selling off their entire worktops then.

 

eg something like 5m of 600mm plus wide by 30mm deep black granite worktop. Starting price 80. That is close to the qty you need, but prob not local enough. probably 10 shelves in that after cutouts.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-Granite-Worktops-Three-lengths-of-30mm-black-granite/401940095762?hash=item5d957f2312%3Ag%3ArmUAAOSwNcRdsF87&LH_ItemCondition=3000

Edited November 3, 2019 by Ferdinand

[Temp]

Try local stone/monumental mason. They usually have loads of stone offcuts accumulated over years. I got a bit to go under my wood stove from one in Peterborough. He had loads left over from worktops and wash stands.

[MJNewton]

41 minutes ago, Temp said:

[...] loads left over from worktops and wash stands.

 

...and grave stones.

 

Just make sure you put the writing on the correct side - on top for high-up shelves, underneath for low... 

Edited November 3, 2019 by MJNewton

[ProDave]

Another option that I will run past SWMBO later is glass shelves.  They are a lot easier to source in a variety of colours and sizes and easy to mount on twinslot racking which would be both easy and neat.

[Temp]

Stone interior window sills are common enough in the EU that they are sold in Belgian DIY stores. I brought one over with me as a sample when we built our place. Have since used it as a shelf behind a wc. Looks like polished marble.

 

 

Edited November 4, 2019 by Temp

[scottishjohn]

On 03/11/2019 at 13:53, ProDave said:

We want stone shelves in the larder.  I would like to fit them fairly soon, even though the walls that separate the larder from the corner of the kitchen may not be built for a while.

 

This is one of those items I know is going to be either difficult or expensive (or both) to source.

 

Looking to make two shelf units with shelves in the order of 900mm wide by 300mm deep.

 

The obvious place is the stone suppliers that will do the main kitchen worktop and hearth slab for the stove.

 

But I am wondering if off the shelf (excuse the pun) solutions are available.

 

One thought dawns on e is large format floor tiles cut to size, i,e if anyone makes a 900 b 600 tile it could be cut down the middle.

 

Thoughts please.

flea bay for s/h granite work top ?

 snooker table slate?

 hosue i was brought up had this --otherside was the insdie of the coal bunker which just had a wooden door on it --so it got coooled by air from outside

Edited November 4, 2019 by scottishjohn