Laminate Worktop Problem

tough one that
unfortunatly and sorry to say this but supplier is RIGHT visual and rubbing hands all over laminate BEFORE cutting is the fitters responsability! (SORRY)

not sure how youd get on with the repair your talking of cos the laminate area will be bigger that the area its delaminated from because it is a raised area (does that make sense) so once you have you adhesive under it and you press down it might crack the laminate cover itself!

it might be worth talking to client about the repair as a first shot, and if it doesnt work then you need to look at replacment!

 

Whose to say the laminate didn't raise after you fitted it?

Agree with CK about the risk of it cracking, might be worth using a hot air gun over the area first, then clamping a strip of worktop (or similar ) over the offending patch.

Good luck let us know how this one finishes.

 

also BE CAREFUL that after warming it it up you dont move the airpocket to another part whilst trying to flattern it out!

 

my suggestions

assuming you supplyed rather than the customer

have you got an off cut from that or identical wotktop!!!

practice on that with damp cloth/tee towel/brown paper
try and introduce air into a warmed up area with a seringe

try and cause several pockets

superglue springs to mind because a little will spread a long way easily
if you use superglue remember it may take ages after clamping because it relies on air to set

big all

 

could you drill a hole from underneath with a stop on the bit to stop shy of the laminate, apply heat to the surface, and clamp till dry

just an idea..

oh yes the drilled hole is to allow the air out

 

so you want to remove 1 leg of a U sahpe and just replac that! IF youve stuckem together properly you will have a big chance of ruining the female side! and how are you gonna trim the half of the joint thats left in place so its clean enuf to take the newly cut section?

 

I agree that the chances are slim, but i think i would certainly give it a go...nowt to lose.

You say the supplier is no help but what about the manufacturer? Again, i think it's a slim chance but worth a go.

 

I would try using an iron on it(using a cloth), to melt the glue then clamp a piece of timber on it until it cooled.
Depending on how long after I was contacted about the bubble, I would have denied it their at the time of installation as you would have noticed it at the time & must have happened after, the customer maybe laid something hot on it to cause it, I have seen de-laminating caused by a hot casserole dish. When a customer gets a new kitchen, the first thing she does is clean it, surely she would have noticed any defect then.
At worst, I would to keep things sweet, tell her if she pays for new tops, you will fit them FOC. as a goodwill gesture.

 

I agree with wayne kerr. You checked them at the time and they were find. Now after xmas(probably a lot of cooking going on) a fussy customer has suddenly found something wrong with the worktop. If the joint was blown it would be a different story but I think the most you should do is supply the labour. Did you supply the tops or did the customer? Did she sign anything to say she was happy with everything once the fit was finnished?

 

everyone is assuming its the laminate coming up, it could equally well be a void in the chipboard.

I would insist it was fine on installation, and that its a product fault. Whether or not thats the case!

I assume the client owes you a balance still!

 

ps i think i know the tops you mean, is it like bits of foil in it?

 

I always silicone my joints not PVA or Varnish them together. As long as walls havent been tiled it is normally reasonably easy to break the joint without wrecking female so long as the scrap piece has a male. If not just take bolts out and lift exactly on the joint. There may be crushing/damage to underside of joint but basically you are lifting at angle to break the joint. Respectfully with all suggestions as an ex worktop fabricator " point heat" does not work on a worktop. All you will do is make the bubble bigger and it will burst on you eventually. Learn from error and take it on chin as speaking to manufacturer after you claimed "it was there" to change story to "appeared after fitting" I dont think will wash. Happened to me few years ago with worktop that delaminated at join while i was bolting it up. Claimed I should have noticed before I fitted it. Hope this helps

 

I have had problems like this before when customers who are really fussy claim that worktop is damaged after you have fitted it. I take the view that like your supplier does to you they only have a limited amount of time to report a fault, and I would suggest as others have that it may have well been caused by themselves with a hot pan. Bottom line is how important the good will of a customer is to your business, remember if the kitchen has been tiled after the worktops have been fitted, removal and refitting will be a lot more tricky and if you were really unlucky could result in broken/loose tiles. Good Luck

 

sounds like the worktops not bonded and the heats set it of but it is possable to just replace the damaged worktop try cutting the damaged one out about 2 inch from the mitre and carefully chisel away the rest its worth a go its going to cost u 2 worktops if u dont try