Solid Wood Worktops

[StevieB]

I have to fit some solid beech worktops and a butler sink. Since the kitchen is an irregular shape I have made templates from 6mm MDF to work from. Since I havent used solid wood worktops before I was after some advice on the best way to cut them - I was thinking either circular saw or router and straight edge.

I have a worktop jig but presume because the tops are square edged that stright cuts will be fine - is this right or do people always use a worktop jig?

The reason for going with a router rather than a saw is the neater cut and the fact I can make a guide template to follow for the sink cutout. These cuts will show so I need them to be good. What are peoples opinions on each method? Any suggestions for a decent circular saw blade also welcome - I have the big performace pro circular saw from B&Q with the supplied blade but that has very few teeth and doesnt look like it will make a clean cut.

Any other hints and tips for solid wood worktops welcome - at the price of these I only want to be doing this once! I have fitted standard chipboard covered ones before just not solid timber ones.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

[jasonB]

Rough cut your worktops 3-5mm from the line with the circ saw then finish using the router.

Straight butt joints will be fine.

Route a drip edge under the sink cutout

oil the underside as well as the top before fixing.

Jason

 

[WellsWood]

Jason is right Steve, butt joints are not only OK but a necessity with solid wood tops. The movement in the timber will destroy a standard mitred joint (as produced by your jig) in fairly short order. Thorough oiling of the underside and all cut edges prior to installation is crucial.

I've found roughing with a circular or jig saw and then cleaning up with a router the best way too. Be careful if using a jigsaw that the blade doesn't bend in the cut as this could leave you without enough material left to clean up.

There's no getting away from the fact that they look great when done well, but in my experience most customers back away from solid wood worktops fairly promptly when fully appraised of the amount of aftercare that will be required from them to keep it in good condition. On the occasions when they don't I try to avoid joints completely wherever possible, there just doesn't seem (to me at least) to be a completely satisfactory way of keeping the joint tight in the long term. And there are few things worse than having to return to job to say "I told you so"

Good luck with it.
Mark

 

[sigibbons]

Are we talking about one peice work tops or a worktop made up of loads of blocks of beech?

I did one made up with loads of beech blocks and a Belfast sink (the big sqare porcelain ones) was fitted. I roughed out the sink cutout with the circular then cleaned up with a router along a straight edge and just was careful when going into the corners.

The worktop had a rounded edge so it had to be joined using the jig and biscuits and some clear silicone inbetween.

Then i just rounded over the top edge of the sink cutout with a router and sanded the cut out and tung oiled the whole thing up.
i put a bead of silicone on the top rim of the sink just before the worktop was placed on top and that stops the water from running underneeth the worktop.

 

[Shultzy]

MarkW
Is this feasible - rout two or three channels underneath and across the worktop mitre joint and bolt up with threaded rod.

 

[Anonymous]

this is the last kitchen I did, these are made of wide boards and glued together with pu glue, the joins are not glued but bolted together with worktop bolts as shultzy suggests(but not mitre joins just butts) this way the worktop can move I also put upstands in, that way you can leave a 5mm gap at the back of the worktop to allow for expansion.

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[jasonB]

As Snr says use worktop bolts to pull the joint together. I also use biscuits on solid wood tops but don't glue then in place, they are just there to aid alignment.

Jason

 

[StevieB]

Many thanks for the advice! I do have worktop bolts and a jig so that shouldn't be a problem, also vapour barrier for above the dishwasher to try and minimise warpage as much as possible.

One other question, you said you dry biscuit to allow for movement - when screwing the worktop to the carcass do you screw up tight or make a slightly overlarge hole / slot to also allow for expansion?

Many thanks,

Steve.

 

[jasonB]

Overlarge hole through the top front carcase members and slotted stretcher plates at the back.

Jason