Not all kitchen countertops need countertop brackets. Brackets stick out of the wall, are usually made of metal, and hold up flat surfaces. Brackets are probably holding up your bookshelves, banister or even your kitchen countertop. If you need a flat surface to work on and you don't have a base of support like a sink-shelf combination to smack a countertop on, then you will need countertop brackets.



They Look Beautiful

Although you have to bend down to look at them, countertop brackets are often elegant and as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional. They are usually iron or a metal that can be shaped easily. Countertop brackets can be quite elaborate with twists and curves and sprawling lines. There are wooden countertop brackets available, often done in elaborate, romantic designs, but they are often far too expensive for the average home owner.

Should You Install Them Yourself?

If you've never done any home remodeling or home repair before, installing countertop brackets is not the time to start. You need not only the proper tools to get the job done, but you also need patience and a certain amount of expertise. You have to use some kind of spirit level to be sure everything is aligned properly. You will have to drill directly into the wall.

If you have trouble determining a straight line - for example, if all of your visitors comment that your pictures are hung crookedly - then you will be best off hiring someone to install the countertop brackets for you. This writer, for example, has monocular vision, which makes it nearly impossible to determine angles or if a line is straight (even when using a spirit level).

It is recommended that you need a countertop bracket for every two feet (twenty four inches) of countertop. You need to drill into the wall stud (not just a random place on the wall) in order to install your countertop brackets. These brackets will have to support an extremely heavy load. If you just drill into the wall any which way, then don't be surprised when the wall comes tumbling down.

In order to find the wall studs, you need to keep tapping your wall in order to hear where it sound hollow and where it doesn't. You might even need to get blueprints for your home. If all of this seems a little overwhelming, then please get a professional to do the job. Be sure you get everything from the professional handyman (or handywoman) in writing.