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 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 .

Thank you for your reply, very helpful information.
If you were to decide where to put the joint, what would be your suggestion? Would love to know your opinion.

 

[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.

 

[Bingy man]

Thank you for your reply, very helpful information.
If you were to decide where to put the joint, what would be your suggestion? Would love to know your opinion.

I’m old school in a lot of things so the approx 2,800 of worktop I’d like to think that 1,400 would look best but !! That would place the joint running through the hob which I think would be even weaker give the weight of the hob and the potential of 4 or more pots/ pans of water and veg etc . If I’m thinking in your shoes it’s the joint at the side of the hob you don’t like -tbh neither would I . I’d like to say the hob should be within the worktop with the joint
Further away but as I don’t know the anything about solid worktops it may not be possible due to the material. Ask you kitchen designer why that’s the best place for it ? Is as above due to the materials they are working with or is it simply easier for them . Have they offered an alternative Layout eg moving the hob ? ( if possible) so the joint could be more central and away from the hob . I don’t believe you are telling them how to do their job but simply questioning the position of the joint . End of the day you will be looking at that joint for many years to come. So now is the time to address is as you are not happy .As above get a 2nd or 3rd professional opinion and don’t be steered by utube . Good luck . Oh and welcome to the forum

 

[pip1954]

I was in eickes the other day and I noticed there solid worktops are done this way surprised me but I must admit it looked quite neat better than right across the top. As a side question when stone worktops are joined they seem to bevel the edge slightly, seemed odd is that the way it should be. I would have thought square edged so you could almost hide the join.
Sorry to highjack the post.

 

[Bingy man]

I was in eickes the other day and I noticed there solid worktops are done this way surprised me but I must admit it looked quite neat better than right across the top. As a side question when stone worktops are joined they seem to bevel the edge slightly, seemed odd is that the way it should be. I would have thought square edged so you could almost hide the join.
Sorry to highjack the post.

Is that a new diy store or a typo lol

 

[ian33a]

Any skinny section is going to be a risk point. We had a stone worktops in our previous house and a section between the front of the sink and the front of the worktop cracked some time after the warranty expired. I don't recall this being the position of a joint, just a weak place. I'd say that putting a joint there is a least seen place so your eye is likely to be drawn to the hob and not the joint by the hob. It may even be that the adhesive used will provide some margin for movement and thus reduce the chances of fracture. Provided the worktop is properly supported and level from underneath, and I'm not sure ours was, you should be fine - plus, as others have said, you are trading on their recommendation and not your own if things crack.

 

[RobinBHM]

Where they have positioned it seems the most logical place to me. it could be moved a few hundred mms to the left, but would that actually be a benefit



having the join at the hob edge means you have a nice big bit if worktop with no join right next to the hob where food preparation if likely to happen


I would say they are doing this all the time, they are delivering and fitting it, let them do it how they want to do it, they must know it works