For the 3rd time now my maia work top has cracked around the hob area. The kitchen company are about to replace it for the third time and no one seems to know what the problem is. The last rime the fitter came he said he had followed certain new recommendations and assured me the surface would not crack again.i am certain the cracks are caused by heat from the cooker or the hob but apparently heat resistant materials were used in the fitting of the surface. The work top does not get hot when the hob or oven is on. Does anyone have any bright ideas i am at my wits end. Thanks
Are the cracks just in the thick surface layer? Any chance of photos? Were the cut edges lined with foil?
I have no idea about the foil, i do know the fitter was told to cut the worktop with some sort of jigsaw blade. Attached are some pics, one of the cracks is super visible as some food colouring went in to it, the other is a bit less clear. Each time this has happened the cracks have appeared in the same place around the hob, its incredibly annoying and i am most grateful for your input. Claire
Claire, Is the Hob an Induction Hob...? Is there a working drawer below the Hob? If it is, is there a panel below the hob that acts as a separator between the bottom of the hob and the drawer below? Snezza.
Hi. I fit a lot of Maia and similar worktops. I even have Maia in my own kitchen. The solid layer (~6mm thick) does not expand and contract at the same rate as the chipboard layer below. A lot of protection is needed on exposed areas due to this. Heat and moisture are the enemy of Maia. The following is good practice for all of the 'fake corian' worktops. The hob cut out is best done with a circular plunge saw. Corners should have a radius. If you can not use a circular then jigsaw wide and finish with a router. Foil heat reflective tape should be fitted around the cut out lipping over the top and under side. If installed above an oven foil tape the front and back and sides under the worktop also. What is below the hob? Is it an induction hob? How wide is the hob? Best guess is that it was cut out rough with a jigsaw, not foil taped, 90cm induction hob with a steam oven below!
Not saying it is, but it looks very much like the sort of thing that would happen if say, a screw was screwed into the edge further down, forcing a crack further up! Mr. HandyAndy - Really
The maia people came over the second time this cracking happened and i know for a fact the installer was advised to use a jigsaw and tape etc , it could have been the plunge saw but i seem to remember jigsaw being mentioned, he assured me the same problem would not occur. The hob is just a regular one i have attached a pic. I can assure you mr handy andy nomscrews have been anywhere near my work surfaces. Thanks to all i really appreciate the input x