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greenhaven_gw

Got my marble sideboard top on, finally!

greenhaven
9 years ago

I have been carrying this around in my truck for a week, now, but it is so large and heavy that I needed help to move it (and probably should not have been one of the "helpers" myself.) and needed to shore up the cabinet before I put the top on. And I am lucky even to be alive to tell the tale, let alone have gotten pics, so tough cookies, lol!

At 22lbs per sq ft, this puppy was no slouch at over 220 pounds of statuarietto marble. I had one stop left in my search for the right remnant at the right price when I found this guy! Wish I had found this place sooner! The only downside was that delivery and installation would have been exorbitant because of the distance from the shop and the fact that it was just one piece and not a whole kitchen.

So DH and I together barely got it out of the truck ind into the house up two short steps. It wold have gone better had I realized I was never going to shift that thing's weight in my hands once I had it out of the truck. As it was I was carrying it WAY too close to the center, thus carrying more of the weight than I should have been.

We got it leaned up on it's edge against the cabinet, then while I waited to catch my breath and find out of I had ruined my back we brainstormed ideas on how to get it up off the floor again and onto a 34" high cabinet without cracking it.

We ended up slipping two pieces of 1" lumber under the ends to create handholds, then DH, all by himself, lifted one end at a time onto chairs cushioned with more lumber. My job was to stabilize the piece "in flight" and get the chairs under the ends as quickly as possible.

Once it was on the chairs we scooted it away from the cabinet far enough that we could lean it down on the front edge of the cabinet and lever it quickly but smoothly onto the top of the cabinet.

It still needs to be scooted into proper alignment and siliconed on, but I am SO happy it is done! It is a beautiful piece, all I could have hoped for with the exception of not being honed, but the end result will be amazing.

The grey color I chose for paint (without having access to the stone) is the PERFECT color! I am very excited, I just have to get it painted and re-assembled then choose knobs. I am thinking about some retro glass knobs.

Next time I definitely would not pick it up without a definite plan for more help. I am hurting today, as I knew I would be, I did not play it smart in that regard at all.

But now I can put my seats up in the truck and locate my new Michigan plates to replace my (expired!) Illinois plates and clean that snasty truck OUT, man!

Here it is, a quickie cell pic. Tough to get a good angle where the reflection is not washing out all the detail.

Comments (20)

  • gr8daygw
    9 years ago

    Perfect!

  • bellsmom
    9 years ago

    Beautiful. You will love petting it. And rolling pie dough on it.
    And your eyes will caress it every time you walk by, even if your hands are full.
    Wonderful when something comes together even better than we imagined it.

    A quick story. I had a piece of 14" x 36" granite left from my island that I had planned to use for an outdoor shelf. I could not begin to budge it, much less carry it, but a young man who works for me picked it up, one hand at each narrow end to move it. As he walked away, it broke in two, narrowly--and frighteningly--missing his feet. We looked at each other in utter shock and terror. It really brought home to me that this stuff must be handled with great care.

    I hope your back recovers soon. I would enjoy a good book and a constantly refreshed hot bath for an hour or so, even in this torrid weather.

  • Mags438
    9 years ago

    Perfect! I wanted marble sooo badly, my eyes are so green! Fondle it for me plz!

  • romy718
    9 years ago

    Beautiful piece of marble. Enjoy!

  • mgmum
    9 years ago

    Greenhaven, it's gorgeous! :) I can't wait to see the final product!

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Bellsmom, see, that IS scary! Yikes! I have a quatrz sink cutout that i want to have fabricated into a table top (someday) and even that thing weighs so much. I can barely lift it.

    I am running a bath even as I type, and threw in some epsom salts.

    I did not think I was going to be able to afford marble, until then I had only gotten quotes for 3x the price I paid for that gorgeous thing. Too bad I have to put it on such an ugly cab, but someday I will find the right piece.

    I, uh, kinda do fondle it about every time I walk by, he he. I should not love a "thing" so much but i truly do appreciate it's beauty.

  • feisty68
    9 years ago

    Recover soon! The marble is beautiful, absolutely lovely.

  • heritagehd07
    9 years ago

    Beautiful marble!
    Hope you feel better soon.

  • breezygirl
    9 years ago

    I hope you're feeling better now. That stone is yummy! I still pet and fondle my Carrara 2.5 years later. It never gets old. Embrace that first etch. I think of it as a mark of good ownership.

  • Evan
    9 years ago

    Wow, that looks great! How did you find a remnant?

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks edb2n, I called or visited about a dozen fabricators, lol. I made spur of the moment decision to stop at that last place instead of the tile store. They are a fabricator and wholesaler but had a whole warehouse full of great remnants for the perusing.

  • bbtrix
    9 years ago

    So pretty, quite the find!

    Hope your back is better. Morton's Epson Lotion also helps.

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago

    That is such a smart idea to use the sink cab!
    It's awesome!
    Can't wait to see it as a finished piece!

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Teery, it is the only style they had on that length cabinet. I felt 48 in. was too squishy and 72 in. would have been way too big. Although. now I am sendiing Izzy fish back to my DIL so I do not really need all that length, now, ironically, lol.

  • countryatheart
    9 years ago

    The marble is beautiful. I'm already picturing a wonderful dessert table when entertaining. It will look perfect when you are finished.

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh, dessert table! What a great idea! Which I guess does fit with the idea of a sideboard, lol! I was thinking today that if I end up with a KA mixer it would look so great there, even though I am not into keeping appliances out.

  • CEFreeman
    9 years ago

    First, OMG. Perfect! :)
    Second, get yourself some Arnica cream. Usually health food stores, but more recently in mainstream drug stores.
    It is incredible in what it does for muscles. Sometimes swelling, too. It's an herb, so look for the highest concentration of arnica in the cream.

    Interestingly enough, yoga teachers and (get this) pro football sports doctors have been using it for years.

    So. More about the top. I cannot believe how lucky you were to find this perfect, beautiful piece. Right place, right time!
    Enjoy and feel better.

  • carolssis
    9 years ago

    Wow! Wonderful piece. I can't wait for your reveal. I've been following your posts and have really enjoyed your journey. I hope your back recovers soon. Long, long hot soaks in the tub with a nice glass of wine and a book is my prescription for you. I hope you feel better soon. Keep up the good work!

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, CEF and carolssis! I am painting today and hoping to get to reveal very, very soon. I will not be technically done, but done-enough-for-reveal. So many have been so patient and helpful and I want to be able to show the completed project!

  • firstmmo
    9 years ago

    Absolutely beautiful!
    Hope you feel better soon. One time I lifted an armoire all by myself and moved in down the hall...I am 115 pounds and pretty strong, but not really big enough to be doing that by myself (if only I wasn't so stubborn!). It ended up tipping on to me and cracking my rib. I had pain for three weeks. Last time I'll try something beyond my means.....