worktop repair

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by jockey, May 22, 2004.

  1. jockey

    jockey New Member

    hello everyone,
    i have just noticed that one of my 18 month old worktop joints has started to lift.i put the kitchen in myself but got one of your finest to fit all my worktops.he done a great job,using the biscuit cutter,worktop clamps and we put plenty of the supplied wtop coloured sealant on both faces before doing the clamps up.what i don't understand is that the lifting has happened in the middle of the joint,it hasn't started from the edge and worked along,it's about 5" long.i wondered if any of you clever chaps could come up with a solution without me having to take it out and fitting a new one.many thanks
     
  2. Tangoman

    Tangoman Well-Known Member

    Is it solid wood or veneered chipboard:
    If the latter then sounds to me if it's in the middle and it's fine at the edges that water has got in and made it expand since these things don't warp.

    I'm just about to do the same myself - what's a good way of preventing this from happening if the supplied sealant isn't up to the job? Mastic? Don't get it wet??

    Tango
     
  3. bilco

    bilco New Member

    If it's laminate...there's no cure, and it does seem most likely water has got to it. If left, it could get worse.

    I have seen a section of tiling set into the top by routing out the thickness of the tiles and using epoxy grout to seal them...this was done as a remedy for the same problem as yours...It looked really good.
     
  4. Tangoman

    Tangoman Well-Known Member

    bilco,

    You're an experienced man. What's the answer to the second part of my post? I assume that by your "no answer" answer you were referring to a remedy. Presumably you can protect these joints fairly well against water ingress??

    Tango
     
  5. bilco

    bilco New Member

    Hi Tango

    I'm sorry...I was not evading your question...I don't consider to be anything of an expert in sealing worktops.

    For what it's worth, I do the following more or less:

    Brush off any trace of dust.

    Keep the mating surfaces dry and clean

    Smear both surfaces with sealant (I use silicon) completely covering the entire surface, pushing the sealer into the grain.

    assemble and clamp. Any out of plane can be corrected with a piece/s of ply and screws on the underside before final tweak on the clamping bolts.

    Never had a problem with water penetration yet. I am sure there are many other ways to do the same job though :)
     
  6. bigjules

    bigjules New Member

    Same as Bilco - gobs of clear silicon, cramp up when wet, knife off excess when dry.
    Done quite a few - never had a recall yet.
     
  7. Evs

    Evs New Member

    Likewise I use a generous covering of silicon over all the face then a bead of the colorfill on the leading edge of 1 of the surfaces. Adjust the level of the joint as you tighten the bolts with window packers (1mm) if necessary and as you finish tightening clean off residue with a plastic scraper ( I use 1 of the packers ) and the continue to clean the joint as you complete tightening with colorfill solvent. This also prevents the colorfill from going off too quickly and holding the joint apart. If you are using biscuits, ensure that they are not too close to the top of the joint (because they will swell and could cause thie raising of thejoint) and that they too are well sealed. never had any problems yet. Apart that is from the clowns who only wanted a round bowl (no drainer) because they now had a dishwasher. and then proceeded to pu all their cups etc after they had rinsed them to stand on their work surface. The surfaces and joints are bound to yeild to constant water abuse, If treated with respect they should last for years.
     
  8. Tangoman

    Tangoman Well-Known Member

    Thanks guys! Great help!

    Tango
     

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