kitchen worktops

davebarlow · 12 May 2009

hi all. just about to fit some new kitchen work tops. now i know that the walls are not square. what is the best way to attack this. is it firstly to lay the work tops on the base units making sure that i have even over hang and then scribe the back to the wall and then do the miter ?

Symptoms · 12 May 2009

dave - scribing only works if you've enough width of worktop to allow the correct front overhang AFTER you scribe/cut the back ... remember the whole thing's going to shift back to the wall after cutting. You could remove a slither of plaster from the walls to allow the w/top to move back ... ditto again about width of w/top. Or IMO the best solution is to fit upstands at the back; these will cover the gaps and will look great (often these are available to match the w/tops) and you will not lose w/top width.

dextrous · 12 May 2009

I'd do the mitre with the jig first since you know the back edge and end grain are square, so the jig will be at the correct setting, then scribe to wall.

dextrous · 12 May 2009

Misread your post - thought you were referring to undulating walls, not out of square walls. Symptoms read it properly and I concur with him.

davebarlow · 12 May 2009

many many thanks guys. so if the walls are out of square, as these are, i should square the units up and place an end panel on to hide the gap that this will cause ? am i on the right tracks ?

Symptoms · 13 May 2009

dave - my earlier advice assumed the base units were in place. As to the base units - position these to get the 'best fit' for the room (maybe parallel to any grout line on the floor, etc) then any vertical gap between the carcase and wall should be covered by a matching decor panel these are wide to allow for cutting). Oh, and do use upstands to cover the gap at the back of the w/top. These are available as part of your kitchen unit set (optional extra) or can be fashioned from beadboarding and painted in eggshell paint to give it an expensive 'handbuilt' look.

davebarlow · 13 May 2009

many thanks. just wasn,t sure over the position of the base units. i have positioned them tight to the wall, the kitchen is a u shape with the sink at the top under the window the left hand side of the units run out of square because they follow the wall, so I'm assuming that if i cut the miter square then when it's jointed the work top will run away from the back of the wall ? is there away around this, it would only take me an hour to bring the units away from the wall so that they run square to the sink unit. this would leave a 5 to 10 mm gap at the end, could i cover this with an end Parnell.

Symptoms · 13 May 2009

dave - you can position the base units anywhere you like and then cut the worktops at an angle to match ... but I wouldn't do it that way. IMO the important thing is to establish square corners at the front of the base units and ensuring the correct amount of overhang at the front for the w/tops (by the way what type of w/tops are you using?). Your 5 - 10mm gap is minor. Have you considered using an upstand at the back of the w/top???? This will solve any gap problem there. Consider moving the base units so you have equal gaps at each side ... half of 5 to 10mm at each side could be covered by tiles.

davebarlow · 14 May 2009

they are just your average laminate work tops

taylor50 · 2 Jun 2009

hi, have you looked at matching upstands for worktops, they will give you a little bit more to play with about another 10mm also i found some 665 width worktops here http://www.kitchenworktopsonline.co.uk
which are a little more money but always give you a decent overhang and a tight scribe

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kitchen worktops

dextrous

dextrous

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