Things You'll Need
Lid Stay
Pencil
Tape Measure
Screws to fit Stay Fixings
Screwdriver
Lid stays or supports are used on hinged, lidded pieces of furniture such as chests and trunks. They hold lids open, allowing users to access storage areas with both hands, as they free up the hand that would otherwise be holding the lid open. Folding stays hinge in their center and fold in half as the lid closes, these take up little space once the lid is closed. Sliding stays can offer firmer support, but need clearance within the trunk as they slide down the inside of the trunk when the lid is lowered.
Fit a Folding Lid Stay
Step 1
Prop the lid top open at 90 degrees by positioning it against a wall, or getting someone to hold it.
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Step 2
Measure the length of the stay. Measure from the outside back of the chest along the inside top edge of the side. Make a light pencil mark at the length of your stay.
Step 3
Measure 1 1/4 inches down the inside of the chest and make a light pencil mark. This is where the lower fixings will be.
Step 4
Measure the inside of the lid vertically from the inside rear corner. Put a mark at the same distance as the length of your stay. If your stay is 10 inches, the mark should be 10 inches up the lid, and the thickness of the side of the chest, plus any overhang or lipping, in from the edge of the lid.
Step 5
Place the top stay fixing against the lid of the box -- the side of the fitting, not the middle, should be on the mark -- and screw in place.
Step 6
Line up the center of the lower fitting with the mark on the inside of the chest wall. This should be centered over the mark. Screw in place.
Tip
Sliding stays need to be mounted at a slightly different angle. They should be lower down the lid than they are out from the back of the chest. A 10-inch sliding stay would be mounted 7 inches from the rear of the chest, and 5 inches up on the lid. A 6-inch sliding stay would be mounted 4 inches from the back of the chest and 2 3/4 inches up the lid. The rule of thumb is to have the distance on the wall of the chest just over twice the distance up the lid.
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