I’m installing rope lighting over my kitchen cabinets. Is it ok to briefly stand on my laminate countertops to quickly place the lights? I weigh 200 pounds.
Yes. Try to step more in the middle.
You have my permission.
I’d try and keep my feet over the edges where it’s supported by the cabinets underneath.
no problem, likely, if you don’t step on the overhanging edges.
It’s not a matter of whether you CAN, but of whether you SHOULD!!! And the answer is no. Those counter tops that you (and I) have paid so much for are only saw dust with a formica top. They do have a 2X2 frames and the saw dust is held together with glue to make it into a solid. You CAN stand on it until it cracks and at some point it might crack if the area below is unsupported. The question is:, “Are ya feelin lucky punk?”
I have stood on mine, but only where I can see it’s supported by the cabinets below it. Look underneath the portion you need to stand on. If it’s not supported, put a piece of 2X 8 across the top laminate then you’re not putting all your weight on the center.
Phu Bat
The thought never would have even entered my mind. As a kid I stood on countertops all the time. As an adult I’ve stood on them to paint and to clean. I’ve never had any issues nor have I ever heard of anyone having any issues with standing on countertops.
Standing on any countertop is to be avoided, laminate countertops are less of a worry than granite. I have seen lots of cracked granite, less laminate.
If you absolutely must climb on a countertop, put your weight over the cabinet gables (the sides of the cabinet box - where the doors are hinged). Here the countertop is supported better. Anywhere near the sink or where a hole has been cut in the counter is a really bad idea.
It depends on where the tops are joined in relation to where you step. Typically, they are joined with “dog bones.” Little brackets with a nut on each side that draw the tops together. You will certainly strain the joints if you stand on the top. I’ve seen cabinets with 3/8 to 3/4 thick end panels, so standing over a area where 2 cabinets join is still iffy.
Best advice is no. Don’t stand on your tops.
I’ve been tempted to do this many times, but I’m a 200lb man, so I try to avoid it. Ladders and step stools aren’t expensive, and will be useful for many jobs for a long time, so I suggest investing in one.