# Forum Home Renovation Kitchens  How to Install and stablise Flatpack Island Bench

## carazy

Installing a flatpack against a wall seems pretty straight forward and there's lots of video/guides on the interwebs on that part. I'm curious however as to how others have installed their flatpack systems in an island configuration as stability cannot be obtained from being fixed to a wall. I have timber floors and I would prefer a mechanical system (screws/brackets etc) to a chemical (glue) system. 
I've seen full framing done for a base and then cabinets attached to that in some guides for building an island from scratch. Have others utilised the adjustable legs to get the height and then additionally used a bracket/framing system to lock the whole structure down to the floor? Or simply built a frame and attached the cabinets straight onto that and not used the legs. 
I don't want it to fall if someone were to get up on the island benchtop overhang for instance. 
Thanks in advance.

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## lbg

I recently installed my island bench onto tiles (so not wood like yourself). The bench is flat pack, so had the adjustable (plastic twist) feet. I just layer a few block of wood together so they fitted tightly under the bench after I had adjusted to height. I glued the block to floor with liquid nails and screwed through the base of the cabinet into the block.  
My concern wasn't with someone sitting on the overhang (I'd slap them before the bench moved) - was more about sideways knocks/movement. I guess I could have also screwed/dynabolted blocks to floor first for extra strength.

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## dazzler

Mine just sits on the plastic feet/bench legs and also some support from the bench ends.  No problems ever.

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## mugatu

I just did a flatpax in a unit we've been renovating with no island. I do know what you mean by wanting to stabilize. The plastic feet always seem to make a lot of noise when slightly moved and seemed a little delicate. All stable now though. 
We did however buy an Island Bench from Ikea. They have a few in the kitchen areas set up and you can choose a lot of different sized cupboards and dish racks to go internal. Also has metal drawers internal, and we chose metal legs. 
We didn't have to stabilize that island at all. Just seemed a well put together unit and when dishes etc go in to it can't be moved due to the weight.

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## JontyG

I have a 3m x 1.2m island bench. 
I found the best way to anchor it was to make a plinth (base), level that and anchor it to the floor with brackets then brace the carcass to that. 
I don't believe that the plastic adjustable feet are designed to take lateral forces, so I opted for the plinth. 
Cheers,
Jonty

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## carazy

Thanks everyone.  The braced plinth sounds like what I'd be confident with, perhaps it's overkill but everything I do is is usually over engineered.  Unfortunately the simple kitchen 'makeover', today turned into a full floor and partial wall renovation as well after seeing what I was to work with after the demolition. 
The previous owner went triggerhappy with a staple gun to lay down thin chipboard under the vinyl with a staple going in every 5 - 7cm's in a tight grid pattern. Fortunately one of my mates is an animal and what would have taken me 3 days to remove the old ktichen and flooring by myself was completed in one day today. Just the staples to go but that's tomorrows zen meditation.

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## spencer411

hey carazy, here's my 2 cents. If you don't want to make a plinth I'd do something along the lins of what lbg suggested, although I wouldnt just liquid nails the timber to the floor i would bracket them and secure it into the floor. Usually island units are quite large and heavy and probably won't move much without any fixture (just free standing on plastic feet, but those things can snap easy as if pushed and dragged), but I would personally want to fix it to something solid. 
Once you've leveled the island unit, secure the timber to the floor in the correct positioning and fix cabinets to the timber underneath. That all done, she wont move at all! 
If you are going to go with the plinth and don't have the machinery or anything to make it just go to a cabinet makers shop and swwet talk the owner to make you one, shouldn't be a problem. 
Good luck and would love to see some photos. 
Spencer.

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