How to Install Hotrods for Your Solid Wood Kitchen Counter: A Worktop Express® Nutshell Guide

Our wood worktop cutting service can accommodate a wide variety of customisations for your solid wood kitchen counter, including the addition of stainless steel hotrods and their corresponding grooves. A modern alternative to a trivet, these practical and decorative kitchen accessories provide a convenient in-built pan stand, offering a protection from hot pans and dishes and creating an attractive feature.

If you would prefer to install hotrods yourself after purchase, our handy guide provides DIYers with all the necessary know-how:

You will need:

• Our hot rod jig, suitable for creating both a linear formation (5 x 300mm rods) and a diamond formation (2 x 100mm rods, 2 x 200mm rods and 1 x 300mm rod)
• Ball-nosed router cutter (63.5 x 12.7mm)
• Electric hand-held router
• 2x G clamps
• 30mm router guide bush
• Protective goggles

Before you begin:

• Ensure the worktop is supported properly.
• Keep the cable of the router clear of the jig.
• Always wear protective eyewear when cutting wood worktops.
• Do not switch the router on if the cutter is touching the worktop.
• Read the router instruction manual if there are any doubts regarding how to operate correctly.

Instructions:

• Choose the location and your preferred orientation for your hotrods, and clamp the jig securely to the worktop in the position you would like. (If you are creating a linear formation, you will need to use only the longest cut-out in the jig as a guide, and switch between cutting each groove and clamping firmly back into position each time.)
• Set the depth of the router to 6mm.
• Switch on the router and pass along the longest cut-out in the jig to create the first groove of your saucepan stand.

• If creating a diamond formation, continue along each of the three cut-outs in the jig, then switch off the router, rotate the jig 180 degrees, and clamp back into position so that the longest groove is in line with the longest cut-out in the jig (as shown). Create the final two grooves.
• If creating a linear formation, turn off the router, and move the jig along to create four additional grooves, ensuring they are equidistant.
• We recommend applying three coats of Rustins Danish Oil to each freshly-cut groove and allowing time to dry between coats. This will prevent water ingress.
• Place the stainless steel worktop saver rods into the grooves to complete installation (hotrods can be removed easily to allow for cleaning).

These stainless steel rods are the perfect worktop protector, preventing damage to the work surface and becoming an eye-catching kitchen feature in their own right. If you would like to enhance the surface of your new worktop with a stylish pot stand, please feel free to make your purchase via our secure online store; alternatively, please contact us to place your order with a member of our helpful team.

Want to know more about our stainless steel hotrods? Read our dedicated information guide

Alternatively…

If you would prefer your worktops to arrive with hotrod grooves already routed into your worktop’s surface, we can carry out this customisation for you with great precision – thanks to our CNC machine and skilled fabrication team.

Hotrod grooves can be ordered for wooden worktops via online bespoke worktop tool, and can also be added to the surface of Earthstone worktops too. If you would like to take advantage of this service, please get in touch with our fabrication team via telephone or email.

Want hotrod grooves? You will need:

Please note: This guide was originally posted on 14^th September 2016 and was updated on 9^th November 2017 to include additional information.