Taking Glass to Greater Lengths
Q. I’d like to have a very large dining-room table with a glass top, but I heard that some sizes of glass can’t be made because of the tendency to break. How big can a glass table get?
F.A.
La Habra
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A. A big piece of glass can be made to fit a table of just about any length, as long as it’s thick enough, says Katy Jackson of Maley’s Glass & Mirror in Anaheim. You may need to get glass that’s three-quarters- to 1-inch thick or more, and you’ll need to make sure there are enough pedestals underneath to support it.
Such large pieces of glass are not easy to break because of their size, but they do require special handling because they are extremely heavy.
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Q. We were given a very nice armoire that is at least 10 to 20 years old. We tried putting our TV in it. It fits width-wise but doesn’t fit depth-wise, meaning that the doors don’t close all the way. I realize a portion of the back needs to be cut out, but how can it be done without ruining the piece?
C.I.
Irvine
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A. If it’s an armoire that’s been designed to hold clothing, it’s probably not a good idea to put a TV in it, says Bob Espeland of Espeland Fine Furniture Refinishing and Repair in Orange. The weight could damage the structure over time.
If it’s designed to hold a TV and it is an expensive piece of furniture, you may want to have a cabinetmaker cut a hole in the back to accommodate the television. Generally, the wood used in the back of an armoire is thinner.
If you’re going to do it yourself, outline the area you’ll need to cut, drill a hole large enough to get a jigsaw into there and carefully make the cut out.
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Q. The house we bought last year came with a portable dishwasher. You pull it over to the sink and connect the hoses to the faucet. We’re planning to redo part of our kitchen and want to know if it is possible to make this dishwasher permanent.
T.R.
Anaheim
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A. It’s possible, but you’re probably better off just getting a new, built-in dishwasher, says Tom Houlihan of Orange County Appliance Parts in Garden Grove. The best way to make it work would be to create a space underneath your counter where the unit could be pulled out when needed. But make the space as wide as a standard built-in dishwasher so that there’s room to eventually install one of those.
A built-in unit can be found for as little as $200, and it’s probably best to just get a new one.
If you have a question about your home or garden, A Helping Hand will help you find the answer. Send questions to: John Morell, Home Design, The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
