Advice for fitting solid oak worktop around Belfast sink

[jhreaside]

Hello,

I'm hoping there's enough expertise on here, to provide some advice when fitting solid wood worktops around a Belfast sink.

The one half of my kitchen is complete, with a solid worktop. I'm well aware of the oiling process for the wood, etc.

Frankly, the water side of the kitchen has been scaring me for months on end, but enough is enough and it finally needs completing!

My father is a very experienced carpenter/joiner of 40 years. Whilst I'm confident that he can do the job, as he did the other worktop, he's never had to fit a solid oak top to fit around a Belfast sink. It would be great to clearly inform of where underside grooves need to go, how much overhang is needed around the sink, etc.

Here goes..

1. My sink is already in situ, on a bespoke made Belfast sink carcass. The sink is a Twyford 610mm x 455mm.
- When it comes to router jigs, I'm unsure as to what I need.

2. How much overhang is required for the sides and rear of the sink?
- I've read that anywhere between 7-10mm will suffice - would anyone suggest anything different?
- Can the overhang amount be the same for the sides and rear?

3. Whilst I'm not bothered about surface drainage grooves, I understand that a single underside drip groove is recommended for stray runs of water towards the edge of the worktop.
- Could I ask how far from the edge of the worktop this should be?
- This is where I wonder whether a 10mm overhang is sufficient to accommodate the groove?
- How deep and wide should the groove be? Is it is easier to recommend a certain sized cutter for my Dad's router?

4. Whilst the sink is already in situ, with drainage plumbing connected and working, I don't have a tap connected to the hoses yet. I'm finding it very difficult to find a bridge mixer with shanks that are long enough to easily pass through the 40cm worktop, in order to secure it underneath. I managed to chat with someone who purchased the same tap I would like, and had it fitted to a solid wood worktop also. She said that the shanks were short, and so the underside of the worktop was recessed slightly with a router, to allow room for the securing nuts.
- My concern with this is ensuring the recessed section is perfectly flat so that the tap isn't on a wonk. Has anyone else heard of producing such a recess to accommodate taps with shorter shanks?

5. The final question - this is the one that's keeping me awake at night! The sealant. Where, what type, and how much.
- Should the sealant be applied around the side and rear rim of the sink? Surely it would be impossible to apply a final line once the worktop is sat on top?
- How much sealant is required? Should the rim be covered completely?
- Are there any particular brands anyone could recommend?

This is a huge post, and I wouldn't blame anyone for looking and navigating away! However, I'd be hugely grateful towards anyone who could answer as much of the above, based on experience. Never thought I'd be so excited about having a worktop, sink and tap.

Many thanks.

 

[custard]

I'm a furniture maker not a kitchen fitter, so take all this with a pinch of salt, but I made my own kitchen including fitting a sink into an Oak worktop,

1. My sink is already in situ, on a bespoke made Belfast sink carcass. The sink is a Twyford 610mm x 455mm.
- When it comes to router jigs, I'm unsure as to what I need.

I used a jigsaw to cut the hole not a router, no jig required, using the dimensions given by the sink manufacturer, they were pretty comprehensive as I recall and covered your points 2 and 3

She said that the shanks were short, and so the underside of the worktop was recessed slightly with a router, to allow room for the securing nuts.
- My concern with this is ensuring the recessed section is perfectly flat so that the tap isn't on a wonk. Has anyone else heard of producing such a recess to accommodate taps with shorter shanks?

A decent router, properly used, will give you a recess that's co-planar to the reference surface. In plain English, if the work top is flat then your recesses will also be flat.

5. The final question - this is the one that's keeping me awake at night! The sealant. Where, what type, and how much.

I just used a bead of the transparent stuff, it was all pretty straightforward, as long as there's squeeze out all the way around with no gaps then you're done. It's been five years or so and I've had none of the blackening that I worried might occur on wet Oak.

 

[Nelsun]

I ended up using Plumbers Gold for sealing our sink. It's not cheap (£8-10 a tube) but that in itself provided some comfort. Google it and read the blurb.

As for drip grooves, I can't remember exactly but there's a certain radius it needs to be to work properly and stop water getting past it. A minimum 6mm diameter / 3mm radius I think.

Not sure I'd use a jigsaw to cut a visible recess as it'll wander in all directions. A mdf template and a top guided router bit should be a safe route if you're sweating it. I know I would be! Sleep well

 

[Racers]

I use long series end mills for trimming wooden work tops http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RDGTOOLS-1-2- ... XQVT9TA6Ea
The spiral flutes leave a nice finish, cut close to the line and trim to size using a template and guide bush or straight edge and the router base.
They work very well on end grain and are cheap.

Pete

 

[novocaine]

1. I cut the hole with a jigsaw then screwed a batten all round on the underside to act as a fence for a straight cut router bit (think it was either 18 or 20 bit) to clean up and get to final dimensions and leave a nice edge.
2. overhang needs to be enough to allow a drip grove to work, being generous here isn't an issue, 7mm.
3. drip grove is much like the drip grove on a window ledge, I cut it with a straight 3mm bit in a router to 3mm depth (maybe 5 I forget now), again using fence in the same way as cleaning up the edge (I moved the fence over but kept the same screw holes), needs to be far enough back as to not weaken the edge but close enough that it works, 2mm is fine all it has to do is break the flow, see why you need to be on the generous side for the overhang?
4. we fitted a monoblock, no shank and long drops so that securing the inlets was almost below the sink, much easier. just a suggestion.
5. any sealant is fine, try to avoid silicone with acetic acid in it if you can. Apply a 5mm bead round the top of the sink then lower the side on to it (I fitted it alone so put the side on and held it up at an angle with a bit of wood to apply the sealant) to much can be as much of a problem as not enough.