8 steps to carry out Kitchen Benchtop Installation.

Following are 8 steps to perform Kitchen Benchtop Installation.

1. Scribe to Fit – Any kind of deviation in the wall surface causes gaps along the back edge of the bench top. In such a situation, the best finish is acquired by scribing the bench top to fit the wall. Take into consideration – you will be losing some bench top depth, so if the gaps are big, buy a wider bench top and trim it. Position the bench top with the back edge kissing the wall and the front edge ‘overhanging’ the cabinets by the same amount of distance along the run. Now, measure the biggest gap between the bench top and the wall & cut a small scribing block of wood of the same width. This is an extremely delicate step of Kitchen Benchtop Installation; hold a pencil at ‘one side’ of the block as you run the ‘other end’ along the wall. This will provide you with a guideline for trimming. Make use of a jigsaw to cut along the line. You may need to use a sander or plane where a small amount of material has to be removed. Reposition the bench top and check whether you have a good fit between the wall and bench top, and a steady overhang at the front.
2. Cut to Length – For a straight run, the bench top has to be cut to the correct length, encompassing an overhang of about ‘1 inch’ (25 mm) at every end. Power saws or handsaws can be utilized. Make sure that you make use of an appropriate blade. For a laminate bench top, place ‘masking tape’ over the cutting line to assist in preventing any splintering of the laminate surface. Take a pencil and draw a line across the bench top where you wish to cut it, and cover up the line with masking tape. This step of the Installation has to be done carefully with patience. Clamp a straight edge to the bench top along the guideline. With the help of a utility knife, score down the line via the masking tape. Carefully, saw through the scored line making use of a panel saw. Make sure that the bench top is well-supported on both sides of the cut. Now remove the remaining masking tape. Make use of a block plane to smooth the ‘cut end’ of the bench top.
3. Trim the Width – If you have a broader counter than you require, you have the liberty to trim it at the same time as ‘scribing’ it to fit. With the counter top positioned on top of the ‘base units,’ work out the ‘width’ of the material that requires being detached to leave you with the desired overhang. Subtract the breadth of the biggest gap at the back of the bench top from the trimming amount & cut a scribing block of the same length. Make use of the block in the same manner. Deciding on what size of the overhang is needed at the ‘front of the units’ is a matter of personal choice and taste. Some of the people prefer a ‘finish fairly flush’ with the drawer fronts while other people prefer a bigger overhang. The standard overhang is 1.5 inches (38 mm).
4. Turning a Corner – If you want your bench top to turn a corner, you will have to join two lengths. Choices for joining are confined by the material the bench top is made of, and whether its profile is rounded or square Once the joint has been cut, it is necessary that it is held firmly in position. Mending plates could be installed on the underside of the counter top, or a biscuit joiner will produce a remarkably strong joint.
5. Round-Edged Bench tops – If your counter top is supplied with a curved finished edge, it’s not possible to make a simple right-angled butt joint. The most excellent option is to make use of a joining strip or a bench top jig. Making a ‘mitered joint’ is possible, but will be hard to cut precisely unless you make use of a jig.
6. Joining Square-Edged Bench tops – Square edges mean that 2 sections of a bench top can be easily & neatly butt-joined without the requirement for a bench top jig. Once the bench top is firmly fixed in place, the front edge might be finished using a ‘router.’ Cut the bench top lengths to size and scribe, if needed. Apply wood glue along the joining edges. Push the bench top together & secure the joint utilizing a mending plate & screws. You might need to drill ‘pilot holes’ for the screws and apply some weight to the bench top as you ‘fasten’ the screws. Wipe away the excess glue. For a stronger joint, make use of two or even ‘3’ mending plates.
7. Joining Solid Surfaces – Cut a ‘joining strip’ to the width of the bench top and secure it by using sealant & screws. Apply sealant along the ‘edge’ of the other bench top. Butt together the sections, and make use of a cloth to remove any excess amount of sealant.
8. Securing a Bench top – It should be now secured in place by using screws inserted through the bench top brackets. Clamp the bench top to the cabinets. Insert screws via the rail into the underside of the bench top. Apply some weight from above when you secure the back of the bench top by using mending brackets.