Worktop join

[deuce22]

Hi.

I am trying to find out, what is the exact way to join worktops.

I recently fitted a kitchen and used a square edge laminate worktop. I asked a Carpenter friend to do the joins for me and I've now got issues with it.

He has basically router'd the male side and then butted it up to the female side, using bolts underneath. He has left the laminate front edge on and then used colourfill in the joint.

It is quite near to the sink and it is starting to blow due to water getting in.

Another Carpenter who was in the house said that it was disgusting for a Carpenter of 14 years, to do it this way.

He said that, both edges needed to be cut and waterproof wood glue should be used. If it's cut properly then no colourfill needs to be used.

It shouldn't matter that it's near to the sink, if it's done right and as long as you don't have water sat on the joint.

Cheers.

 

[kbdiy]

Certainly from my time running several teams of guys fitting kitchens the worktops were always joined using Butt and Scribe jointing where both tops were cut, glued and bolted. Definitely no filler of any description was applied.
Where the joints were close to a sink, the join was always made along the edge furthest away from the sink, so would run at right-angles to the top housing the sink.

 

[deuce22]

Hi kbdiy.

That is how the sink has been fitted. It doesn't run from front to back, it runs away from the sink.

He said he didn't do a B&S join because he was limited by the amount of overhang on the other end of the worktop.

I was told this by the other Carpenter.

He could have used a smaller B&S join by adjusting the jig and using clamps rather than the pegs or he could have cut the edging strip so that it was wood to wood, which could have then been glued.

He said he couldn't do a B&S join because his jig cuts about 25mm off (which would have not left enough of an overhang) and he doesn't know how to adjust the jig to make a smaller cut.

He couldn't cut the edging off because it was laminate and not acrylic. He was afraid of damaging it.

Cheers.

 

[foxhole]

Time for him to hang up his spurs.

 

[deuce22]

I think so.

The only thing that I can now do is, try and re-cut the edge and use a corner bar (which defeats the object of using him in the beginning).

He is going to come over and check it, but I can tell that he's not really interested. Personally I think it needs completely renewing, but I know he's not going to do that.

Is it possible to make a smaller Butt & Scribe joint than what is pre drilled on a jig? When I told him what the other carpenter said, he said he was talking crap.

Cheers.

 

[gregers]

if you can reform the joint then use this,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab23sDHhUfE

 

[deuce22]

Thanks gregers.

Looks great. Much better than Colourfill, that's just gone brittle and is cracking out of the joint.

I think the worktops to damaged to use this, I may have to use a bar.

Cheers.

 

[gregers]

yep tis good gear m8.
i dont use color fil anymore.

its bloody strong stuff,had a run of about 7 m of work top,used as a work desk,3 joins and about 6 legs.carpet fitters came in and removed all legs,and it just hung there no splits nuffing. color fil wouldve cracked instantly.