Worktop Express Information Guides

Wood is a natural material and – like any product – if incorrectly handled it may be susceptible to damage. Our wood worktops are manufactured to the highest standard and we do everything that we can to ensure that the items reach you in perfect condition. However in rare circumstances problems can arise as a result of incorrect storage or installation.

Immediately after receipt you should treat DIY worktops (worktops that have not been pre-oiled by ourselves) with at least three coats of Rustins Danish Oil (the end grains will require more) in accordance with our aftercare guide. Once oiled, store your worktops indoors, away from any heated or damp areas, and lay flat with battens separating each worktop.

If your worktop has become bowed, however, then panic not! The damage is far from irreversible; some very simple measures can be taken to restore it to its natural shape.

First, let’s explain why your worktop may be like this, so that you may take the necessary preventative measures in future.

Kiln Dried Worktops

• Our wooden worktops are kiln dried to reduce moisture content to 8 -10%; however this may fluctuate due to the nature and structure of wood (which reacts to its environment).
• Wood expands and contracts with changes in the surrounding humidity and – to a lesser degree – temperature. More humid air will cause wood to expand and drier air will cause wood to contract.

Your worktops will acclimatise to the surrounding conditions and any changes in relative humidity and temperature may cause your kitchen worktop to warp. Worktops should be stored in the area of installation from the outset or, if stored in another area initially, should rest in the area of installation for at least 3 days prior to installation. Worktops transported from a different surrounding and installed immediately are especially prone to movement and warping.

Bowing Once Installed

• On rare occasions timber worktops may bow once installed. Almost always this is as a result of incorrect fitting, which restricts the wood’s natural contraction and expansion. The release of moisture in the room (from appliances such as tumble dryers) and insufficient protection may also cause damage.

If your worktop has been left for an extended period of time before installation, or it has not been stored correctly (laid out flat with battens separating each worktop), bowing can occur. If this is the case, there’s no need to worry; the following procedure should help you to recover its original position.

1. Begin the process by oiling your worktops with the recommended Rustins Danish Oil (please see our guide to worktop maintenance for more information). This will seal the timber in preparation for installation. Ensure you apply at least three coats (with 6-8 hours of drying time in between) to the faces, and six coats to the end grains.
2. Fix the back end of the worktop to the supporting base units sitting beneath it. Make sure you’re only using the slotted angle brackets –any other fixing bracket will restrict the worktop’s natural movement. Use the slot that runs perpendicular to the direction of the grain pattern (across, not parallel with it).
3. Slowly and gently pull the worktop down using clamps and battens. It’s important not to rush this stage – the timber will split if you use too much force – and be patient: this part of the process can take 1-2 weeks.
4. Once the worktop has been pulled down, secure the front edge, too. Your worktop should be back to its natural shape now.

Fixing a bowed worktop that has already been installed

Once installed cupping or warping can occasionally occur as a result of the wood reacting to changes in relative humidity or temperature. For example, if the top (as it is more exposed to the environment) reacts more swiftly than the bottom (which is often more sheltered), the wood “cups”. Furthermore, if your worktop has been installed incorrectly – if you have used the wrong slotted brackets, for example, or if the timber does not have sufficient protection – it can bow during its use.

If your worktop has cupped upwards: this may be fixed quite easily by placing a reasonable (but not excessive) weight on the bowed area, causing it to gently return to its natural flat shape.

If your worktop has cupped downwards: this is often due to incorrect installation. Check and make sure you’ve used the correct slot on the slotted brackets that will have fitted your worktops to the cabinets below it. If it doesn’t run perpendicular to the grain width, you haven’t fitted it correctly.

Furthermore, an overhang more than 200mm should not be left unsupported. In some circumstances the only method for fixing a cupped worktop would be to uninstall the worktop and re-install according to the approved instructions above.

And finally… Upon (re)installation of your worktop, make sure you have provided the correct protection: moisture barriers fitted above relevant appliances will prevent changes in humidity from affecting your worktop, and sufficient oiling to the underside of your worktop will also reduce potential damage, too. You should leave at least a 30mm gap between the end cap and a heat source such as an AGA or freestanding oven to protect the end grain from exposure to excessive heat.

If you require any further advice regarding your worktops, please do not hesitate to contact us – we’re always here to help.

Please note: this guide was updated on 27th October 2014 to reflect recent changes to the products utilised in our pre-oiling process. For more information on the changes, please visit our Improvements to our Pre-Oiling Service for Wooden Worktops blog post.

Please Note:This guide was originally posted on 20^th November 2013 and was updated on 28^th March 2018 to include additional information.

A mason’s mitre joint is the most commonly-used method for joining two laminate kitchen worktops. This joint is also known as a butt and scribe joint or a hockey stick joint (the latter term springing from the fact that the joint features a curved cut at one end, and as such resembles the shape of a hockey stick). Mitre joints provide a secure join that wastes less material when compared to a 45° mitre joint, and allows for an attractive, continuous appearance.

Ordering Worktops with a Mason’s Mitre Joint

If you are ordering laminate worktops from Worktop Express, you will be pleased to hear that we offer a very competitively-priced worktop cutting service. As well as cutting your worktop to size, cutting sink or hob apertures, or applying edging strips, we are also able to cut worktops with a mason’s mitre joint using our precision CNC machines.

Once cut, the edge will be hand-finished by our skilled fabrication team to ensure that the join between the worktops is seamless and smooth. Next, we would cut worktop connector bolt recesses into the underside of the worktop, allowing the worktops to be connected easily once on site. Our mason’s mitre joint service is priced at £50, which also includes the worktop connector bolts. To find out more about the services we offer, visit our laminate worktop cutting services page.

Cutting a Mason’s Mitre Joint Using a Worktop Jig

If you would prefer to cut a mason’s mitre joint yourself, this can be done using one of our worktop router jigs and the appropriate tools. We sell two different types of jig: an MDF range that is suitable for occasional DIY use, and a solid laminate jig range that is better suited to trade professionals and for regular use. Both types of jigs are available in sizes to suit worktops up to 700mm or 900mm wide, and can also be used to rout worktop connector bolt recesses.

To use either of our worktop jigs, you will require a suitably powerful router, router cutter and G clamps to securely attach the jig to the worktop. Once you have cut the worktop, you will need to finish the join by hand to ensure it is perfectly smooth. As a final measure, apply worktop sealant to the join to create a water-resistant seal. Please note: we do not recommend using a mason’s mitre joint to join two solid wood worktops, as it does not allow the natural timber enough space to expand and contract with changes in the local climate. Instead, we would recommend joining the worktops at a 90° angle using a butt joint and worktop connector bolts. This option – and many other customisations – can be ordered via our wood worktop cutting service.

Buy Jigs and Installation Accessories from Worktop Express:

Please note:This guide was originally posted on 16^th November 2016 and was updated on 19^th March 2018 to include additional information.

We offer a range of options to help you order your ideal solid wood worktop, but occasionally we need some help from our customers to get things just perfect!

If you opt for the fashionable radius corner option within our bespoke service you may need to supply some measurements (though we also cut to standard supplied manufacturer’s radii). However, if you are trying to match your kitchen worktop to a curved corner already present in your space — say a door or a cabinet — please supply us with the model number and we can do our best to identify the measurements ourselves.

If it does transpire that you will need to supply the measurements for the radius corner, we do advise utilising a measuring square. If you do not have access to this kind of equipment, do not panic — we appreciate that the task can seem a little daunting! Never fear: there are other ways to obtain these measurements. Whatever the worktop — be it for a solid oak worktop or beech worktop — Worktop Express^® have composed some easy-to-follow instructions for your convenience.

Taking the measurements

1. First, determine the tangent points of the radius. In mathematics, the tangent line is the straight line which makes contact with a curve at only one point; in the case of a circle, the tangent forms a right angle with the radius. More simply, and for our purposes, the tangent points are the locations at which the straight line of the rectangle and the curvature meet (see Diagram 1). You should be able to determine this visually. It would be useful to make a marker of this point on the surface.

2. Locate the tangent point of the radius on the edge of the material.
3. Lay a flat strip of metal (a metal ruler would be ideal) at right angles to this edge, against the adjacent edge (i.e. in the position of the vertical red line in Diagram 2 [below]). Allow it to extend past the end of the surface.
4. Using the flat material as a marker, measure the distance from this marker to the tangent point. This measurement is the outside radius (see Diagram 2 — the marked segment of the horizontal red line indicates the radius measurement you will be taking).

5. Check this measurement by performing the procedure in reverse (see Diagram 2 — now place your ruler against the horizontal edge, parallel with the horizontal red line), taking the alternate radius measurement (the radius at right angles to that which you have just determined).
6. Repeat several times to confirm that your measurements are accurate (if your current surface is rectangular or square you may wish to check this on all the other corners).

A little note about overhang…

If your worktop has overhang the radius size needs to be increased accordingly, so don’t forget to factor this in to your figures! All you need to do is add the desired overhang to the radius.

For example: if you had a 3M X 620mm X 40mm worktop with a curved cabinet on one corner with a radius of 250mm, plus a worktop with 20mm overhang, you will then need to increase the radius size by 20mm. The radius size for your worktop should therefore be 270mm.

If you want to order a worktop featuring radius corners, we recommend the use of our Online Bespoke Worktop Tool. This tool makes it incredibly easy to design, price and order custom worktops in any of our timbers, whilst helping to speed-up the entire ordering process, too.  Any worktop services ordered through the tool are also subject to a 10% discount, making our custom worktops great value for money.

For further details about the custom worktop services we offer, visit our Bespoke Kitchen Worktops page.

Please note:This guide was originally posted on 26^th April 2012 and has been updated to include additional information. The most recent update was on 14^th March 2018.

Laminate kitchen work surfaces are among the most popular worktops on the market, favoured for their low-maintenance reputation and the variety of designs available. However, should a mishap occur that causes a chip in laminate worktops, they are not quite so straightforward to repair as wooden worktops, which are solid material throughout, and can therefore simply be sanded back and refinished. That being said, please don’t panic if your laminate surface develops a chip: with this handy how-to guide, we provide all the information required to have your worktop looking like new in no time.

How to repair a chip in your laminate worktop

1. You will need to source a laminate repair paste that is the best match for your worktop. Brands such as ColorFill offer a variety of colours and specific styles. Ensure that the product you select is suited to the type of laminate worktop you have, such as high-gloss or textured.
2. Clean the damaged area to make sure it is free from dust, dirt and grease.
3. Carefully fill the chip in using the matching laminate worktop filler and a steel spatula. Pull the spatula firmly over the surface to ensure that the product has been pressed securely into the hole.
4. Remove any excess with the spatula.
5. Use a soft, damp cloth to clean the surrounding area.
6. Leave for 24 hours to allow the filler to set.

Products like ColorFill can also be used to create a seamless join between two laminate worktops, thanks to their resistance to moisture and detergent. Resistance to water is especially important when it comes to chips and joins, as this will prevent water entering the chipboard beneath the laminate surface (which would cause the material to swell).

Replace rather than Repair

If your worktop is badly damaged, it may be more cost-effective to replace the surface rather than attempt to repair it. Our range of laminate worktops start at just £60 and are available immediately from stock with delivery via our own 2Man teams.

We also offer a full bespoke laminate worktop cutting service which allows us to customise your worktop to match an existing surface. Our cutting service includes the option for creating hob or sink cut-outs, application of edging strip and creation of a mason’s mitre joint to join two or more worktops together.

 

And finally… If you have further questions about the care and maintenance of laminate worktops, why not read our Laminate Worktops Aftercare guide? Alternatively, please contact us and we will be happy to help with any queries.

Please note: This guide was originally posted on 21^st September 2016 and was updated on 8^th March 2018 to include additional information.