Worktop fitting between 2 walls accurately

[shd1970]

Can anyone give some advice as to how best to install a laminate worktop please

• Its a straight piece of laminate (no joins) with a wall at each end
• The kitchen is newly plastered but i wouldn't say each end wall is absolutely straight and true
• We are planning to have up-stands so these can hide some gaps but its the front edge/ends where i need to make sure its as accurate and as tight and neat as possible (obviously can't measure that with a tape measure)

Are there any tricks of the trade for either creating a template or taking accurate measurements please ?

TIA

 

[foxhole]

Not running upstand all round?

 

[shd1970]

Not running upstand all round?

Thanks for the reply foxhole
Up stands will be just along the back wall

 

[chris1982]

Tile afterwards on all sides?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

You could always make-up a template by hot melt gluing narrow rips (40 to 50mm wide) of 9 or 12mm plywood together to get the overall dimensions. If the walls are exceptionally bad I'd consider scribing these to the walls first (pencil and washer or pencil dividers or pencil and small block to mark out, jigsaw to cut) before glueing together with the intention of scribing the worktop using the template. It may be necessary to scribe, offer in, re-mark and tune several times before you get a good scribe which matches the wall. If there are no cabinets in place already to support the template strips you will need to fix temporary blocks to the walls to support them. Learning to scribe takes patience and practice.

As others have said, though, it's normal to deal with gaps using other methods - silicone sealant for gaps of up to about 5mm, tiling for gaps of up to 10 or 12mm (depending on the tile thickness) and upstands (for gaps of up to about 20mm)

 

[shd1970]

thanks JobAndKnock

it seems that a router is the best way to achieve the best cut

is there a particular type of router bit that is required to get the best cut ?

 

[foxhole]

You need a 1/2 router and worktop router bits ,come in a set which will cut up to 50mm worktop, though with just two straight cuts all you need is a sharp handsaw.

 

[bobasd]

assumin no cut-outs? an the units are fixed right.?

measure the span with a tape.
cut to length with a hand saw if you want.a 300mm hacksaw gives a smooth cut.
you dont need a power tool. hand plane any rough bits.
seal the ends an back edge with edgin strips.
the cut length can be shy, your ggoin to cover te ends anyway.

push th w/t back against the splashback plaster and let it into the plaster if needed.dont worry about letin into the plaster it'l be covered later.

the front projection is important - its got to be evn the whole front length.
the projection from the unit itself can be say 30mm or what suits as long as youve got a say 10mm min projection beyond the cab door or drawer fronts.

 

[foxhole]

Bobasd —Hacksaw and hand plane laminate?

 

[bobasd]

the hacksaw i should have said is usuly for the front edge but you can cut the whole way with one.
, otherwise a handsaw will do fine - try it on a off-cut.
hand plane takes it 40mm w/t down nicly to. try it.

the ends will never be seen but ive used hand tools only where the stopend is visible. had to ther was no power

 

[Deleted member 174758]

it seems that a router is the best way to achieve the best cut

is there a particular type of router bit that is required to get the best cut ?

You may want a router, but you don't need a router. For scribe cuts a jigsaw with something like a Starrett BU2DC double side blade worked from the top will give a reasonable edge (remember that for most of the cut you need to angle the base plate 5 to 10 degrees - at the front edges you need the cut to be perpendicular). I've even used a new, decent quality hardpoint saw in the past to make the cuts.

Scribing worktops with a router isn't really feasible as you need a substantial template to follow, a powerful 1/2in plunge router and 50mm TCT bits - making the template for that is the real issue (I do sometimes do that, but it requires an offset trimmer to make the initial template and a special base plate for the router to do the worktop cuts and so is reserved for a few special jobs). This is the system here, but I only use it on special jobs as it is very finicky (slow) and is just overkill on most jobs, not to mention expensive - far easier to hide the edges with silicone, splashback or tile

 

[foxhole]

the hacksaw i should have said is usuly for the front edge but you can cut the whole way with one.
, otherwise a handsaw will do fine - try it on a off-cut.
hand plane takes it 40mm w/t down nicly to. try it.

the ends will never be seen but ive used hand tools only where the stopend is visible. had to ther was no power

How do you cut past the back of the hacksaw , normally restricts depth of cut to less than 100mm and impossible to keep a narrow blade straight .

 

[bobasd]

turn the blade 90*
obviously can only endcut the last75mm - 80mm of the w/t.
use a nife point to nick the line 2 or3 times- cut through the laminate.
its well possible - ive done it a few times. keep the blade tight an only cut goin down.
the idea is to cut the w/t to length and finish with a plane.

try it on a gash w/t or offcut of w/t.

 

[shd1970]

You may want a router, but you don't need a router. For scribe cuts a jigsaw with something like a Starrett BU2DC double side blade worked from the top will give a reasonable edge (remember that for most of the cut you need to angle the base plate 5 to 10 degrees - at the front edges you need the cut to be perpendicular).

Do i assume correctly that you are saying to cut the majority of the worktop sides like this : /
(if looking from the front)

If so, whats the idea behind this please Job ?

Just for easy to get in alongside the wall and then the upstands covers the slight gap ?

 

[bobasd]

no need for an angled cut - it might show at the front edge an why make a simple job harder?the length can be shy its not cabinetwork.