Fitting your worktops
When you receive your worktops please make sure they are the correct colour, size and have the edges in the correct places before fitting. The jointing kits will be attached to the underside of the worktops. If there are any parts that are incorrect or missing please contact us before installing.
All our worktops are shipped in shrink wrap with edge protection. When removing the packaging please cut it from the underside to prevent scratching the worktop.
Store your worktops lying flat in a warm, dry place.
If you plan to make cut outs for hobs and sinks it is usually best to do this before the worktop is fitted.
Ensure that your units are fitted in the correct places and that all the services are connected. Make sure that your units are all at the same height and level from front to back.
Cutting and Trimming Worktops
When cutting or trimming worktops, follow the instructions below. Laminate worktops should always be cut with the tooth of the blade pulling the laminate towards the chipboard core to keep chipping of the laminate to a minimum. You can purchase special downward cutting jigsaw blades for this purpose (preferred) or turn the worktop over and cut from the underside if using a standard blade (not recommended as this is almost impossible for scribing back edges and in other cases often results in damage to the worktop surface from rubbing). In either case, a fine toothed blade will minimise chipping of the laminate. The manufacturer recommends that you use sharp tungsten carbide blades/drill bits as the surface of the laminate is very hard and as a result causes high tool wear. Dull blades and drill bits will cause the laminate to chip. When using a jigsaw, make the cut without too much pressure and keep the blade vertical in both planes. Once you have made a cut in the worktop you must seal the raw edges with a silicone sealant. This is best done by rubbing the sealant into the raw chipboard making sure you have complete coverage and penetration. The sealant should be allowed to dry before fitting.
Always wear safety goggles and a dust mask when cutting worktops. Cutting chipboard creates a lot of dust and laminate chips are sharp!
Scribing the back edge to the wall or trimming the ends: Offer up the worktops for a trial fitting. Scribe any rear or side edges that need to be cut to follow the contours of an irregular wall. The alternative is to chase out a section of wall to permit the worktop to slide into the wall. To scribe the worktop it is best to use masking tape along the rear edge and then a pencil and something such as a pair of compasses to keep it at an even distance from the wall. The masking tape will show the pencil line and prevent damage to the surface of the worktop. When you have finished marking the scribe line you can use a jigsaw, following the instructions above, to make the cut.
Cut outs for hobs and sinks:
Hobs and sinks should have a cardboard template or drawing supplied with them showing you what size to make the cut out.
Mark out the exact size and position of the cut out on the worktop. Ensure you leave sufficient width at the front and rear of the worktop, any width less than 50mm may result in the worktop breaking when manoeuvring it into its final position.
It is better to cut the hole too small to begin with than too large!
Drill holes through the worktop from the laminate side at the corners of the cut out for the jig saw blade. Corners should be rounded and not square to prevent splitting of the laminate.
Make sure the worktop is well supported and clear of all obstacles. Make sure the centre of the cut out is supported from underneath so it doesn't fall out suddenly as this may pull off some laminate from the main worktop.
You can enlarge the cut out slightly with a file, again always filing so the laminate is being pushed into the chipboard core.
It is best that the hob or sink be fitted before the worktop is in its final position but this is not always possible. The hob or sink should be supplied with its own seal but it is essential that you seal the raw edges of chipboard with the silicon sealant thoroughly before you fit the hob or sink.
Making the joints and final fitting
After your trial fitting and making all the required scribing and cut outs check to make sure you are happy with the position of the worktop. Then it is time to make the joints. We provide 3 lamello biscuits per joint to act as a tongue and groove to level up the pre-cut joints. Please note that these may not be required and in a 'U' shaped layout it may not be possible to use these. Provided that the worktops have been stored flat in ambient temperature they should be fairly level but are unlikely to be perfect at this stage.
Make sure you have access to the jointing bolt key-ways that are cut into the underside of the worktop at both sides of the joint. Once the worktops are fitted you will need to get access to at least one side to tighten up the bolts with a 10mm spanner. If one side of the key-way is inaccessible from underneath then you need to secure the head of the jointing bolt into that side of the key-way, trapping it in the key-way between the worktop and the underlying floor unit before offering up the other worktop to be jointed.
Once the worktops are in position you need to apply a good coating of the sealant (supplied) to each side of the joint. It must be worked well into all of the exposed chipboard. You only have about 20 minutes and one chance before the sealant goes off to make sure the joint is level. The immediate objective is to get the joint flush at the front of the top surface and the back.
Once the two worktops are level you can draw the two worktops tightly together using the jointing bolts provided.
If you need to pull either of the worktops down you can screw into the underside of the worktop through the top of the appropriate kitchen cabinet, or to raise a worktop slightly place a shim between the top of the floor unit and the underside of the worktop.
Use a hammer and wooden block to gently tap down the side of a joint that is proud.
Wipe off surplus sealant and leave to dry.
Between 24 and 72 hours after installation, slacken off the jointing bolts slightly. Failure to do this can result in the swelling of the chipboard due to the force of compression.
Do not stand on the worktop while finishing the installation of your kitchen as this can cause the joint seals to fail and the debris from shoes is a very common cause of scratching.
PLEASE NOTE: WE HAVE ENDEAVOURED TO PROVIDE THE BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON CUTTING AND FITTING YOUR NEW WORKTOPS BASED ON MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS. IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF THE CUTTING OR FITTING WE SUGGEST YOU SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE FROM A KITCHEN FITTER. WE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP OF ANY CUTTING OR FITTING OF THE WORKTOPS.
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