Kitchen worktop clamps - I feel that I'm missing something?

[Lons]

That's interesting Planesleuth as it's different to my experience, not disagreeing by the way just feedback.

I'd need to go back through records to be accurate but out of the many worktops I fitted with corner joints I'd estimate at least 50 of those were staved hardwood bought from various sources, mostly oak but there were beech and walnut also. Every one of those was fitted as I described and discrepancies sanded out and re oiled during installation, I never had a single call back due to joints opening, swelling or cracking, the only issues I even needed to sort were due to customer misuse usually spillage or heat marks for which I charged the remedial work. I was choosy and sent back several tops I thought had been badly manufactured or stored and remember one especially in beech that was like a dog's hind leg.
One of those worktops installed in a friends house in 2009, I saw just 3 weeks ago while having a coffee in his kitchen and it's almost as good as new, it was Ikea oak treated with their worktop oil and they do look after it, only one corner joint but it's still perfect.

Personally I wouldn't want to install worktops for a customer where I'd regularly be getting calls to sort out joints opening up as they could see that as faulty workmanship or materials which could have damaged my reputation.

 

[TheTiddles]

Glue on the biscuits (if any)?

If I was doing it yes, but keep them away from the top surface or you’d get swelling showing through. The joint will be plenty strong enough without them given the surface area it has
Aidan

 

[Richard S]

Read the instructions that came with your worktop, it tells you the minimum thickness to be left above the clamp, from memory I think it’s 6mm. Fitted these exact tops a couple of weeks ago for a customer using B&Q dog bones and had no problems at all.

 

[julianf]

Read the instructions that came with your worktop, it tells you the minimum thickness to be left above the clamp, from memory I think it’s 6mm. Fitted these exact tops a couple of weeks ago for a customer using B&Q dog bones and had no problems at all.

Box is long gone. I've been acclimatising them for, well, about 4 years I think.... : /