I started not long ago with Federal Brace as a customer service rep and now they have given me the task of writing the blog. There is a lot to blog about. I see this as a way to help people understand how to use counter supports. I hope that you will find this interesting and helpful and invite others to take a look at it as well! For the first week I chose to do something that covers something near and dear to my heart – the entryway shelf! I had an idea of getting rid of your foyer coffee table and adding a granite counter in its place. All you need is two brackets, some screws and a slab of granite or other material. You’ll always have a place to set your keys or your mail when you come home from a long day. I’m always looking to throw things around when I come through the door, stepping over the dogs and tossing keys regularly. If I set my keys in the kitchen they end up getting knocked in the dog’s water dish or lost amongst my girlfriend’s paperwork. She’s a speech therapist and she’s good at what she does, but she has her stuff all over the kitchen.
I would love to be able to leave my keys and important papers at the front door. Running out the door, I’m always late. It would be great to have some kind of place – the key holding place by the front door - to grab my keys as I’m charging down the stairs and hurdling the dogs out the door. Key hooks are annoying and obtrusive, while a decorative counter or shelf adds elegance to a foyer.
Kids can put their back packs and shoes under the counter once they come in the door. Husbands can kick their muddy shoes under it and out of the way – to pick them up later and clean them (I’m sure). You can put your stuff under a granite shelf – try doing that under a traditional foyer table with all the scroll work dowel stuff going on under there. A shelf can be positioned nicely in front of a mirror on a wall and everything stays off the floor.
During my favorite time of the year - the holiday season - you can put bowls of potpourri, candy bowls for trick-o-treaters, candleholders, a nativity, scented candles, or Santa and his reindeer up on that entryway shelf. Almost anything can be displayed on a granite counter or marble slab.
During my time here at Federal Brace I’ve learned that you should have sturdy brackets holding up your granite, marble or even heavy glass counters. We recommend no more than four inches of over-hang unsupported, so if you are getting a twelve-inch deep slab and mounting it on the wall we have a pair of 8X8 countertop supports waiting for you to order on-line or with one of our friendly customer service professionals. It’s essential to have good solid support structures. Steel brackets are sturdy, reliable and a lot better than the cheap foreign junk you’ll find at major box stores. Wooden corbels are not made to support anything. They are just for show.
It’s the holidays, you can accentuate the first thing your guests see when they come into your home, but more importantly you’ll have a practical shelf for year-round use. Check out Federal Brace’s fantastic selection of counter supports and get started with making your entryway more than just an area to walk through. Here is a link to Federal Brace for your convenience – www.federalbrace.com.
Have a great day and thank you for joining us here at Federal Brace’s Blog Spot. I will be covering other topics here in the future looking at Bracket Backers versus lumber, I’ll be spotlighting our dealers, looking at our three most popular brands, just to name a few. I hope you’ll subscribe and return to this site. Have a good one. -- SK
