kitchen worktop

[Jacob]

Kitchens not my thing last one was 30 years ago with solid Iroko tops. Should have stuck with them I would be filthy rich by now!
Looking at doing kitchen worktop about 3000 x 1000 with inset sink. Want Formica top bright colour not available in preformed worktops so first thought is 18mm birch ply plus laminate, either hardwood lip or just planed ply edge. Formica and birch ply available 3050mm
Is that a good idea?
What other options are there; is there a manufacturer who would stick our chosen surface on some other sort of board frinstance, or other laminates besides Formica?

NB got to be done by christmas :roll:

PS does everybody have a dish washer nowadays (I never have) and are they suitable for an open plan living-room/kitchen (noise?)

 

[No skills]

Don't do dishwashers so can't help there.

Personally I would go up in thickness for the top to an inch minimum, even sat on cabinets 18mm ply will flex too much, you don't want you laminate lifting in patches. I would lip the edge in the laminate as well for ease of cleaning.

At work we had some tops made up for an mod job that required a particular laminate, was an awful price tho. Surely lots more cost effective to make yours assuming you have an electric router.

Fwiw

 

[blackrodd]

In days of old, when we laminated our own worktops, Perstorp laminate was an alternative to Formica.
3/4" birch blockboard was the stable worktop base then, but a decent birch ply would be better than most others.
My adhesive of choice was Thixofix, I believe it's still available, it would allow a small amount of "wiggle" to help the perstorp/formica to be aligned.
I have made my oak edging to worktops, but find it does need re finishing in the busy area as it can wear away.
In front of cutlery draw etc.
Dish washers are still noisy, but a very useful kitchen item, if only for the ease of clearing up but I feel mainly as
at every wash, you're dishes and crockery etc has just been almost sterilised.
Germs are a concern today!
I would suggest you get an invite to dinner somewhere, and make sure the hosts have a dishwasher to load!
Be kind to you're drains and use a good quality D/W Liquid, the powder stuff can leave a residue build up.
Regards Rodders

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid ... 20laminate

 

[HOJ]

I use this company for all my sheet goods, laminates, veneers etc, when I dont need them cut to size.

http://www.meyertimber.com/Decoratives.aspx

Maybe of use.

Paul

 

[kostello]

http://www.blackheathproducts.co.uk/

should have loads....

 

[Distinterior]

Modern Dishwashers, especially the fully integrated one's, are very quiet nowadays. They use far less water and are just overall really efficient.

One of the best quality laminates out there is Duropal.

You can buy it in sheet laminate form and glue it to your chosen substrate.

As suggested earlier, Thixofix is a good quality contact adhesive and is what I would use and recommend.

 

[RobinBHM]

Laminate is surprisingly expensive, typically about £70+vat for most ranges of formica. Some basic ranges of single colour laminate may be £30 or so, Meyer timber stock a few.

I think formica will post out swatches for free. Blackheath products is certainly a main distributer, or IDS, international decorative surfaces.

There are sheet material suppliers that will bond up a one off sheet, but I cant remember any at the mo -I was sent an email from one a few months back, so will see if I can find it.

Dont you know anybody with a large bag press?

 

[Bluekingfisher]

I have two excellent dishwashers at the end of my arms, I find them very good.

David

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Better when they're at the end of someone else's.

 

[Rhossydd]

PS does everybody have a dish washer nowadays (I never have) and are they suitable for an open plan living-room/kitchen (noise?)

I wouldn't be without one now.
Noise will depend on brand and how they're loaded. It can also be a non-issue if you use a delayed start and run them at night.

 

[mseries]

No dishwasher in my home. Not really enough room and I don't think my wife would trust one to do a good enough job, she'd want to rewash everything herself to be sure.

 

[Jacob]

Thanks for all that.
This kitchen will be about a 3.5 metres square in a larger room and sitting on manky old floor boards which I intend to cover with chipboard (just the kitchen area) and vinyl tiles. Would there be any probs with vinyl tiles onto chipboard - movement, joins, etc?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

No dishwasher in my home. Not really enough room and I don't think my wife would trust one to do a good enough job, she'd want to rewash everything herself to be sure.

That wouldn't happen - stuff washed in a dishwasher is far cleaner than that washed by hand.

 

[blackrodd]

No dishwasher in my home. Not really enough room and I don't think my wife would trust one to do a good enough job, she'd want to rewash everything herself to be sure.

That wouldn't happen - stuff washed in a dishwasher is far cleaner than that washed by hand.

I would agree with you, whilst the water in the dishwasher isn't boiling, it's hotter than the jolly old Marigolds can
stand!
I think a definite must have if you have small kids to worry about.
Regards Rodders

 

[hagdahuk]

18mm seems very thin. Not only because it would bend a lot, even if on top of furniture, but also for aesthetic reasons.
Usually work top ar 32-35mm thick.

Another detail, don't forget to use marine plywood if you go for this solution. This would avoid it to warp

 

[Adam9453]

we have an open plan, kitchen, dining room lounge and with a built in dishwasher. Its pretty quiet and not really noticeable except for the odd gurgle when its emptying itself out at the end of the cycle. The kettle makes significantly more noise than the dishwasher.
To give you a reference point, when i'm sitting on the sofa watching telly, the dishwasher is about 3 metres to my right hand side and as I say it doesn't disturb us at all.
However when the other half puts the kettle on (which is just above the dishwasher) I have to turn the telly up to hear it.

 

[mseries]

No dishwasher in my home. Not really enough room and I don't think my wife would trust one to do a good enough job, she'd want to rewash everything herself to be sure.

That wouldn't happen - stuff washed in a dishwasher is far cleaner than that washed by hand.

I would agree with you, whilst the water in the dishwasher isn't boiling, it's hotter than the jolly old Marigolds can
stand!
I think a definite must have if you have small kids to worry about.
Regards Rodders

But OCD doesn't work with conventional logic

 

[Distinterior]

16mm and 18mm kitchen worktops are really popular at the moment..!!!

Modern, contemporary looking kitchens do look so much better with a thinner profile worktop, IMHO. It's all part of that minimalist look that a lot of clients are looking to achieve.

I suppose its all down to personal taste in the end, but I tend to specialize in modern German kitchens and the thinner worktops do tend to lend themselves to that look.

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Better when they're at the end of someone else's.

Nah, If you want a good job done, you do it yourself!

 

[Paul Chapman]

does everybody have a dish washer nowadays

No. Complete waste of money. By the time you've fiddled and farted about loading, unloading, and separately washing all the stuff that you can't put in it, you could have washed up by hand. They're even more useless than honing guides :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul