Advice for homemade scaffold board vs gravel board kitchen worktop?

[nuzuki]

Hi all,
Im considering making a kitchen worktop from a few scaffold boards or possibly gravel boards (although being softwood I think they would shrink). The gravel boards are softwood whereas the scaffold boards appear to be hardwood. Would gravel boards make a better choice? My aim is to make the corners of the kitchen worktop 45degrees so the corners will come out slightly more into the kitchen. Also would I just glue and brace the underside?
Thanks

 

[big-all]

both are softwood scaffold boards are graded to be structural
gravel boards are usually fast growing and treated but neither is really suitable for higenic food use
yes new unused scaffold boards wont have feet that have trodden through dog poo corosive agents or general poisonous builders carp ground into the surface

 

[lostinthelight]

I guess you've read this?
https://www.simplythenest.com/simpl...to-make-kitchen-worktops-from-scaffold-boards

 

[KenGMac]

I guess you've read this?

That is what I call Up Cycling on steroids?

 

[EddieM]

Neither are suitable IMO.

 

[KenGMac]

Neither are suitable IMO.

Agree!

A soft slightly porous material relying solely on [whatever] surface finish that is applied, easily cut? easily abraded?

Ken.

 

[Notch7]

I wouldnt pressure want treated gravel boards anywhere near food!

Not sure if scaffold boards are treated.

Still at least treatment is no longer Chromated Copper Arsenic

 

[foxhole]

I guess you've read this?
https://www.simplythenest.com/simpl...to-make-kitchen-worktops-from-scaffold-boards

looks a mess.

 

[big-all]

iff you do decide to make your own do NOT cross grain [a plank at 90% to another]on a width greater than say 500mm without acclimatizing the timber in the room at working temperature for perhaps 6-8 weeks if stored dry or even longer if stored wet
a wet plank can shrink by around 5-8% across the grain but virtually nil along its length

 

[nuzuki]

Thanks for the replies fellas, ive decided to do a plywood kitchen worktop with tiles on top to accomodate an odd sized corner sink. I did try bracing and gluing 3 gravel boards to each other a couple of years ago for a man cave bar. Sure enough there are small gaps now between the joins on the boards. It was the 30degree weather that did it I think.

 

[Deanthebean]

You'll need flexible tile adhesive and flexible waterproof grout. Porcelain tiles won't break neither .....

 

[KenGMac]

nuzuki, good evening again.

Another thing to "consider" is the front of the worktop?

Suggest you consider fitting [if possible] a timber batten below the ply work top, depends on thickness of ply used and clearance to base units, like appliances Etc? or? use two layers of ply? to "mimic" the depth of conventional post formed standard worktop??

Then fit a timber "fascia" timber of your choosing [many colours available] to trim the front edge of the worktops, make sure it is a hard wearing durable wood.

Ken.

 

[martin hill]

Good choice. Wood worktops look amazing but you need a good workshop and tools to do it correctly and longlasting. Check out porcelain paving as you get some really nice rustic colours. Usually 17mm thick with a 18mm ply base and tile adhesive that should take you to 38mm which is worktop thickness in general.