best placement of worktop seams

[shadijs]

Hi,
We are having a quartz worktop fitted in our kitchen. The kitchen company and their fitters are suggesting to put a joint exactly next to the hub. I protested that it might not be a good idea given heat and stress etc (per my internet search) but they insist this is the best place.
Could someone please advise on what is best practice? much appreciated!!!

 

[Katomi woodsmith]

I would go with their advice…. Only if you alter the design they could say any future problems are because YOU changed the joint point and did not follow their advice
Yep it’s CYA advice

 

[ChaiLatte]

If you want the joint in a different place, draw it on the picture, send it back to them and request them to revise their quote to accommodate your requirements.

Either accept the quote provided or proceed with the current design.

The wrong thing to do is to tell someone else their job with the expectation of zero financial consequences or future responsibility if problems appear.

Send the kitchen layout to another company for a quote. If they come up with an identical panel layout, that is like a second opinion from the doctor.

 

[shadijs]

I would go with their advice…. Only if you alter the design they could say any future problems are because YOU changed the joint point and did not follow their advice
Yep it’s CYA advice

Thanks for your advice, that's very helpful

 

[shadijs]

If you want the joint in a different place, draw it on the picture, send it back to them and request them to revise their quote to accommodate your requirements.

Either accept the quote provided or proceed with the current design.

The wrong thing to do is to tell someone else their job with the expectation of zero financial consequences or future responsibility if problems appear.

Send the kitchen layout to another company for a quote. If they come up with an identical panel layout, that is like a second opinion from the doctor.

Thanks for your reply. At the moment discussion around pricing is not my main concern.
I would like to learn if having the joint next to the hub is the right thing to do, and if there are any suggestions around potential other locations.
Would love to get your thoughts on that if possible.

 

[Ollie78]

I think it should be ok because its a solid surface material which will be joined with a very tight joint and hopefully dowels/ pins and some sort of backing rods to support it.
I do wonder why they suggested this particular spot, could be due to raw material available, quite likely they could be worried about carrying and levelling a really long piece with very skinny section in the middle, the two bits left after the hob section is cut out are pretty small and thus easy to snap.
I have seen this happen before.

 

[Bingy man]

I don’t know anything about solid worktops but as per @Ollie78 carrying a 3 mtr length of composite worktop once the sink or hob cutout has been done is always a risk so I usually do the cut outs last and in situ so I don’t have to move it again . @Katomi woodsmith also has a point in that any issue in the future should that joint open up or worse break could be used against you in any warranty claim . A quote from another company will give you that 2nd opinion @ChaiLatte mentions and then you can see if the joint is in the same place or a more favourable position. 1300 + 1500- 2,800 is a hell of a weight with a large section cut out of it .

 

[shadijs]

I think it should be ok because its a solid surface material which will be joined with a very tight joint and hopefully dowels/ pins and some sort of backing rods to support it.
I do wonder why they suggested this particular spot, could be due to raw material available, quite likely they could be worried about carrying and levelling a really long piece with very skinny section in the middle, the two bits left after the hob section is cut out are pretty small and thus easy to snap.
I have seen this happen before.

These are very interesting points, I hadn't thought of the skinny sections and the increased likelihood of them breaking. Thank you so much for your reply.

 

[alex robinson]

These are very interesting points, I hadn't thought of the skinny sections and the increased likelihood of them breaking. Thank you so much for your reply.

Don't stone worktops tend to have metal reinforcing rods across the cutouts?

I have moved 2 sets of granite worktops and both times they had channels routed into the underside and steel rods epoxied in. Definitely still the weak point, but nowhere near as bad as you might expect.

 

[niall Y]

Depending in whether the worktop is a full solid thickness, or if it is a thick veneer onto a board base, with a nosing to the front, will to an extent, determine where it is most convenient to join.

The thin strips around the hob and sink of a solid top, will, in all probability, be reinforced with stainless steel rod epoxied in from underneath. Otherwise, it can be a bit of a nightmare to transport and lift in position. For this reason alone. I would be reticent about ending up with two thin strips of quartz unconnected at one end, as it is a bit of a hostage to fortune .However, if the fitters are confident then the risk is all theirs. The way they are intending to join the sections will be less obtrusive than having a additional join across the whole worktop.

I'm not sure heat will present a issue . After all, hobs are designed to work in standard worktops without a problem.