Building a work bench to a finished drywall using triangle brackets. Bench will be approximately 22' in length and 24" deep. My shop is finished – insulated, drywalled and taped. I like the idea of using the triangle braces but am unsure how to mount them without the exposed studs. This is primarily for a miter saw station, but one end will be used to house other bench top tools i.e. drill press, band saw and sander.
I am just a beginner in woodworking and putting this shop together from scratch is my first order of business. I can use all the direction I can get. Thanks!
Best Answer
The biggest problem with heavily loaded triangle brackets on drywall is that drywall material is not strong enough to resist being crushed by the lower end of the bracket. You will need to support the bracket with harder material.
If you have a hole saw, cut some disks from hardwood or similar material the thickness of the drywall. The exact diameter of the disks is not important but should be about 1" to 2.5".
Make sure the brackets will be aligned with the studs. Mark the positions of the lower fasteners on the wall.
Use the same hole saw to cut openings in the drywall, over the studs, where the lower fasteners would punch thru. Plug the holes with the hardwood disks. Spackle and paint as desired.
The hard plugs will resist the force exerted against the wall by the lower ends of the brackets.
You can also back up the upper fasteners in the same way. This will resist wall damage from anything crashing into the edge of the shelf. It will also make the shelf installation easier.