Sand down 40mm kitchen worktop to 38mm?

[Martyn Bell]

I am having a new kitchen installed.
We want to use 38mm laminate except for around a Belfast sink.
Our kitchen supplier suggests using 40mm solid wood around the sink and to sand down the timber to the same depth as the laminate.
Is this even possible and how could this be done?

 

[Tigercubrider]

I wouldn't fancy it.
a proper timber yard/woodworker might be able to run it through a planer/thicknesser- although you'd need a wide machine
can't you buy a different laminate?
or investigate adding 2mm to the units before the laminate goes on?

 

[JohnD]

saw a bit off the unit you will be mounting the wood on

or adjust its legs down a bit.

The worst place to put a wooden worktop is round a sink, because it will get black water stains.

 

[big-all]

other option
mark everywhere the cabinet underneath touches and router out 2mm plus 5mm either side off the lines
as an aside mixed materials mixed treatments mixed sealing mixed expansion and contraction= ????

 

[foxhole]

Agree with big-all, though why you would mix worktop surfaces? look hideous.
Your kitchen supplier sounds like a dick for that suggestion.

 

[Notch7]

Well it can be done, it needs a wide belt sander with a calibrating front roller. I do have such a machine but wouldnt want to try removing 2mm -it would take a number of passes.

Even then its not that straightforward as worktops are usually cupped.

If you want the top level, just pack up the laminate.

However you will regret having timber around a sink! I can see you cant have laminate around a belfast, but I would suggest having an inset ceramic sink if you want that look, or have a different material for the worktop: treat yourself to granite all the way round!

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The worst place to put a wooden worktop is round a sink, because it will get black water stains.

Agreed - but customers still want it, so when they do I always make sure that I have enough overhang to get a drip groove routed-in on the underside and I treat the underside and edges (as well as the routed grooves if there is a routed falling drainer) with PU wood hardener before oiling and installing. A cheat, but it really makes a huge difference. It might be possible to rout a 2mm recess around the sink cut-out instead, but that would look poxy in my opinion

Agree with big-all, though why you would mix worktop surfaces? look hideous.
Your kitchen supplier sounds like a dick for that suggestion.

Not keen on it myself - although I did do it on one job where the client wanted a granite worktop down one side of an otherwise solid beech kitchen (worktop), much against my opinion, and it actually worked quite well. Still wouldn't have that in my own house, though

I detest the idea of having to fiddle around with worktop thicknesses in this way - alter the cabinets beneath the sink (what a professional maker would do) or even get a one-off made because that is the second best way to do this - the best way would have been to spec. A sink which fitted the space properly in the first instance without any need to modify other elements

 

[Martyn Bell]

Thank you all for your help. Yes I thought it sounded a ridiculous thing to try to do.
I think we will get 38mm solid timber from Wickes, as Wren kitchens can not supply 38mm solid timber.