Kitchen worktop DIY

[artylarry]

Hi all, new here and need some help. I cannot stand the dire kitchen we inherited in my house. Its been too long and after a successful refit in bathroom am ready to tackle the kitchen. I could not afford a whole new kitchen so am making the best of it. Reusing the cabinets, painting and new doors to freshen up, new floor and new worktop and sink.
Here lies my quandary! I am thinking about using old oak tongue and groove floorboards to make worktops. they are 200mm wide, 20mm thick, planned and cleaned from reclamation yard and 3 boards should make the top.
I know it is a risk, my skills are moderate but improving rapidly but at £250ish i could have something really special.
I have brought and cleaned a Belfast sink today for £35 which i am over the moon with. It was filthy, from school art room but came up superb.
So what i am wondering, honestly is am I barking mad, what problems might I have or am I warped genius..

//www.diynot.com/network/artylarry/albums/

 

[foxhole]

Too thin for a work top will warp amd twist.

 

[artylarry]

Thanks for reply foxhole
:'( that is my biggest worry, although these boards have been down for decades without warping, if secured enough underneath + glued on to plywood, what would cause the warp this time?
Keven

 

[kbdiy]

I'm just not sure how hygienic it would be for food prep. I know wooden chopping blocks are widely used but can you make your tops to the same standards?

 

[artylarry]

I hadn't concidered that, as boards are planed and will be sanded well and treated with appropriate oils I don't know how it can be different than any other solid wood top?
I prepare on chopping boards anyway..
I appreciate your opinions, could you explain further please as I don't understand the science here.

 

[AronSearle]

although these boards have been down for decades without warping, if secured enough underneath + glued on to plywood, what would cause the warp this time?

If they change moisture content, they could warp, doesnt matter if they were down for 200 years or a week beforehand. You want the moisture content to be about 10%, with reclaimed boards, where did they come from, how where/are they stored, they may not be that moisture content now, you assume they were pulled out of a building that has the same moisture conditions as your own. Also on a floor the boards can cup slightly without it being that noticable unless you look for it, even slight a slight amount of cup is going to be very obvious on a large flat worksurface at "eye" level.

If you use 200x20mm wide laminations, the risk is the boards will cup (the worksurface as a whole can be kept flat).

Riping the boards down the lenght, and using thinner laminations will reduce this risk, making sure to alternate the laminations. If you glue them to plywood the moisture content has to be bang on, or the boards will shrink n split, or swell and buckle/warp, it would be best to just provide regular screw fixings to the underside (that are slotted to allow widthways movement).

Hygene shouldnt be a problem, wood has natural antibacterial properties, and as you say its planed and sealed.

 

[sxturbo]

Hi all, new here and need some help. I cannot stand the dire kitchen we inherited in my house. Its been too long and after a successful refit in bathroom am ready to tackle the kitchen. I could not afford a whole new kitchen so am making the best of it. Reusing the cabinets, painting and new doors to freshen up, new floor and new worktop and sink.
Here lies my quandary! I am thinking about using old oak tongue and groove floorboards to make worktops. they are 200mm wide, 20mm thick, planned and cleaned from reclamation yard and 3 boards should make the top.
I know it is a risk, my skills are moderate but improving rapidly but at £250ish i could have something really special.
I have brought and cleaned a Belfast sink today for £35 which i am over the moon with. It was filthy, from school art room but came up superb.
So what i am wondering, honestly is am I barking mad, what problems might I have or am I warped genius..

//www.diynot.com/network/artylarry/albums/[/QUOTE]

hi, unfortunately i cannot help with your question, but you mention about replacing kitchen doors,

may i ask where you bought new doors, and were they extortionate?

sorry to hijack

 

[artylarry]

Aron, thank you. that is the science I am looking for. I would love to try this idea however sounds like recipe for disaster. my original plan was to use 2 18mm X 600mm X 3m lengths of pine board glued together, I have made tables for living room and craft room using this and they are straight and true still. This gives me 3m work top for £70. As already laminated out of thin strips would this be better option? Would I have yo do anything to protect it?

Sxturbo. I have not found doors yet, although eBay has some fairy inexpensive ones. I'm concidering making them? Anybody else have ideas on this, I'd be greatfull to hear.

 

[foxhole]

Aron, thank you. that is the science I am looking for. I would love to try this idea however sounds like recipe for disaster. my original plan was to use 2 18mm X 600mm X 3m lengths of pine board glued together, I have made tables for living room and craft room using this and they are straight and true still. This gives me 3m work top for £70. As already laminated out of thin strips would this be better option? Would I have yo do anything to protect it?

Sxturbo. I have not found doors yet, although eBay has some fairy inexpensive ones. I'm concidering making them? Anybody else have ideas on this, I'd be greatfull to hear.

Bought 3m oak worktops for £80+vat. Does not seem your worktop is much of a saving.

 

[artylarry]

I haven't found anything that cheap, if that's the case I may not take the risk. if you would be so kind as to share where you purchased these.

 

[foxhole]

Selco had them on offer.

 

[artylarry]

You are fortunate enough to have a trade card

 

[foxhole]

They give them away, just printed myself a business card and they accepted that as proof of a business.

 

[hogrut]

Try G A Imports They sell European Oak worktops 4200x650x40mm for about £250 plus Vat

 

[skhudy]

Several Years ago I found mine on ebay, searching for closest distance to me I found a place a few miles away and I collected to save the postage.

A quick look now and I see 3m lengths of oak worktop with delivery start at around £135, not as cheap as Selco it sounds though! (without delivery?) It's easy to join, just print something with a business letterhead