Unsupported span for 6/4 countertop

[FS7]

I'm working on my bar build right now. The opening in the middle there is exactly 48", and will house the kegerator and the beverage cooler. The countertops are 6/4 sapele, so they are both rigid and heavy.

How necessary is it to support the span? I plan to use at least a 2x2 clear (radiata pine from Home Depot) screwed to the studs along the back. I feel like this should be sufficient, since if it wanted to sag it would be somewhat difficult if it were only unsupported in the front. It would be possible to do some sort of metal support between the appliances (they're both 23.5" wide) for additional support, but I don't know if that really buys me anything. It would also only support about 6" from the back wall, and I'm not sure how much that buys on a 25" deep countertop.

[fredhargis]

I went to the Sagulator page and ran the number...it said it will sag.002 per ft. That is for a shelf that doesn't have a frame for support...I'd say your golden. But here's ta pic if you want to check my input.
[attachment=45919]

[jteneyck]

I went to the Sagulator page and ran the number...it said it will sag.002 per ft. That is for a shelf that doesn't have a frame for support...I'd say your golden. But here's ta pic if you want to check my input.

What Fred and the Sagulator said.  That thing is never going to sag enough to notice.  

John

[Cabinet Monkey]

Food for thought :

I’m guessing your wood is gonna warp at least 2 thousandths.

[FS7]

I'm surprised it's only 8 thousandths over that span. That's nothing to worry about. And yes, normal wood movement will easily exceed that.

[mound]

anecdotally, I have a 6/4 slab of sappele about 6' long that's been sitting across two saw-horses about 4' apart in my shed and has become a catch all for all sorts of other heavy stuff. it doesn't sag in any appreciable way.

[FS7]

anecdotally, I have a 6/4 slab of sappele about 6' long that's been sitting across two saw-horses about 4' apart in my shed and has become a catch all for all sorts of other heavy stuff. it doesn't sag in any appreciable way.

That's even better news, especially since there won't really be anything on top of it. Or least I have no plans to really put anything there. Maybe some liquor bottles or some small countertop something or other, but definitely no heavy tools. 

The spot for the kegerator can't, because it will have a hole drilled for the tower and there won't be anything there other than a drip tray.

[paul2004]

You will be fine. 6/4 hardwoood can support a long span. Think of all the long thick table tops that have a span longer than 4 feet.

[Tapper]

Looks like you have plenty of great advice already, from obviously knowledgeable and thoughtful folks. Why not just for "safety" put a cleat right in the middle spanning the depth?

Doug

[FS7]

Looks like you have plenty of great advice already, from obviously knowledgeable and thoughtful folks. Why not just for "safety" put a cleat right in the middle spanning the depth?

Doug

That was my plan. There are two studs in that gap (it's a basement, so nothing is load-bearing and everything is 24" OC) that are pretty much evenly spaced in there, so I could put a 27" section of 2x2 in there for support. But I'll probably use a 48" piece so it looks cleaner (which obviously won't matter once the countertop is on).