Fitting compact laminate worktops?

[Doug71]

Have been asked to fit one of these, never done any before, any advice?

It's only one length about 2.4m long in a utility room between two tower units, no joints needed but does need a sink hole cutting out.

Worktop is from Howdens, I have read the instructions and watched a couple of videos on it just wondered if there was anything to watch out for before I give it a go?

Thanks, Doug

 

[Distinterior]

It's really tough on TC blades & router cutters Doug...!
It sounds as though the job is pretty straightforward from what you've described and the sink cutout is going to be the most challenging.
Twin flute straight router cutters tend to leave chatter marks on the cut edges, so if you've got a solid carbide spiral compression cutter, that would be what I would recommend....

You will still need to sand/ clean up the machined edges whichever cutter you use, but this will be reduced if you use the cutter I mentioned.

Good luck.

Tim.

Edit. The smell when cutting it isn't pleasant either...

 

[Bingy man]

Decent jig saw with a down cutting blade , Bosch progressor blades are 1st class, just make sure the teeth are angled down . Apply masking tape and mark the cut out onto the tape , drill holes close to corners. Not wanting to teach you to suck eggs but it’s important to support the worktop and the cut out . Cut to your line and take your time .seal cut edges and any sides with evo stick contact adhesive.

 

[Distinterior]

Decent jig saw with a down cutting blade , Bosch progressor blades are 1st class, just make sure the teeth are angled down . Apply masking tape and mark the cut out onto the tape , drill holes close to corners. Not wanting to teach you to suck eggs but it’s important to support the worktop and the cut out . Cut to your line and take your time .seal cut edges and any sides with evo stick contact adhesive.

......???

I think you are thinking of a different material Bingy Man....!!!

Compact Laminate is solid 12.5 mm thick resin based material.....perhaps you are thinking of normal laminate covered chipboard worktops?
The machining process & tooling is different......

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I can confirm the importance of support. Some years back doing a sink cut out - all going well until many kilos of worktop dropped to the floor shattering a ceramic tile I laid a few days earlier.

Saving grace - tile damage better than broken foot.

 

[Distinterior]

Just for clarification purposes,....This is Compact Laminate....

https://www.savoytimber.com/woodsto...Nemdui2btKCyweBQOhgsbLNsI76KgN5UaAvWVEALw_wcB

 

[Bingy man]

......???

I think you are thinking of a different material Bingy Man....!!!

Compact Laminate is solid 12.5 mm thick resin based material.....perhaps you are thinking of normal laminate covered chipboard worktops?
The machining process & tooling is different......

My apologies, I’d just woke up after a late night, yes I missed the compact laminate part , oops I’ve never used it but seen it in situ, sounds like it’s not easy to cut .good luck

 

[Hornbeam]

Fitted some of these last year including cutting one top down to make splashbacks. It cuts OK with a standard 2 flute tct cutter but can burn if too slow. Use a new one. I was doing undermount sink so had to make template and did a trial run on some cheap mdf to check fit and adjust. Cut edges can be quite shap and need slightly easing with wet and dry' Its not that great at spanning so does need some support. I fitted the undermount using silicon and short (I mean short) self tappers into pre drilled 8mm deep holes.

 

[porker]

I fitted some of the same as a worktop and splashbacks. As mentioned very hard on blades. I used a triple chip blade in a tracksaw and a jigsaw as well as a router. They were all blunt within 2 to 3 widths.
All went OK. I polished any exposed edges down to a fine finish with sandpaper.
Only issue I have it that a couple of my splashbacks have warped slightly and I need to somehow fix the tops back to the wall. Corners have pulled away about 15mm from flat. All the rest is good

 

[Doug71]

Thanks chaps, it's pretty much what I thought.

Like I say never used it and always keen to try something different so thought I might give it a go. Went for a quick look at the job today and found out there is also a large splash back to fit above the worktop, it goes between the two tower units and under the top units, it has 5 socket holes to cut in and has a copper finish! Gone off the idea now

How do you guys fit splash backs like that? The few I've done I have made an MDF template to fit then just copied that, it seems a faff but cutting the splash back wrong would be an expensive mistake!

 

[Distinterior]

I have a set of MDF templates that I use with a router for cutting socket holes in back splashes. I've always found, you only need a couple of datum measurements for each of the socket positions, then clamp the template into position & rout away.

 

[baldkev]

For splashbacks in sheet form, ive often marked a couple of lines on the wall vertically and horizontally to act as good reference points to measure off. Just double check the measures and you'll be fine for sockets i often plunge with circ saw and finish the corners with downcut jigsaw.

 

[johnnyb]

I often put 4 blobs of caulk on the plug boxes then push back to mark the splashback. works well.

 

[porker]

I used the plastic floor protector sheet to make a template. It's quite cheap and easily cut with a straight edge and knife. Pinched the idea from @petermillard. I also have an MDF template for the sockets and drill holes in the corners and then a jigsaw between

 

[Doug71]

Well I fitted the worktop and can confirm it is very hard on blades and doesn't smell great when cutting it!

The straight bits cut fine with the tracksaw but I did struggle with some rounded corners for the inset sink which I cut with the jigsaw, couldn't work out the best blades to use?

I got the backboard fitted for size but haven't cut the socket holes in yet as when measuring up I found the back boxes are not all at the same height so the electrician is going to be straightening them up.

The backboard is quite cupped in height, the builders say they have had it stored flat on the floor, I wonder if any moisture has got into it making it cup? I left it on the kitchen island face down with some bags of cement on to hopefully flatten it out.

 

[Sideways]

I saw some on a Wickes showroom kitchen and thought it looked smart. Reading around afterwards, there were several tales of it being badly fitted and some retailers dropping the product because there were a lot of callbacks due to poor workmanship and chipped edges.
Have a good read around and check manufacturers installation advice.

It seems similar to Trespa to me. I've cut that on the table saw with the scorer and routed it. The edges of the melamine facings ARE prone to chipping and what @Disinterior says about ordinary router cutters leaving visible cut marks matches my experience.

 

[Distinterior]

It seems similar to Trespa to me. I've cut that on the table saw with the scorer and routed it. The edges of the melamine facings ARE prone to chipping and what @Disinterior says about ordinary router cutters leaving visible cut marks matches my experience.

I found the same thing happened when I first tried machining this stuff with normal TC straight cutters.
As soon as I used a solid TC spiral compression cutter to make the cut, it was a much better quality finish on the upper & lower surfaces as well as the core edges.

 

[johnnyb]

the back panel material seems to vary in quality(with regards to flatness. howdens seems poor quality wise. better brands can be acceptably flat.( not unlike worktops)

 

[Distinterior]

I'm not aware which brand Howdens sell.....I've only ever fitted Zenith by Wilsonart.

 

[Doug71]

Resurrecting this thread as I've been asked to do another

I must have made too good a job of the last one because the builder has asked me to do another in the latest house he's just built and this one is a bit more involved.

It's to go on a large island 3m x 950mm, needs cut outs for hob, sink, tap and some drainer grooves. Luckily the sink is already mounted in the island so it doesn't need to undermount on the top.

Can anyone recommend a decent drainer groove jig or are they all the same? I have previously used a home made one for wooden tops but seem to have lost it so thinking about buying a proper one? Was also wondering about clamping the jig in use as the top is 950mm wide I will only really be able to clamp it at the front edge?

Regarding tap hole would you drill it out or use the router, don't think I will have a suitable drill bit.

And finally a really stupid basic question (just need a bit of reassurance really). I'm presuming the tops are same both sides, there isn't a face side to them (it's made by Zenith)?