kitchen solid bench top corner problem.

[bitingmidge]

NO!

You'll have movement issues in two directions, and at every intersection! Sorry Jeremy, it'll just blow itself apart!

P

[JDarvall]

So what do you think I should do ? Well, what would you do ?

[DJ’s Timber]

Why not just have the one join at 45degs with some bench joiners under it?

[JDarvall]

whats a bench joiner ?

If its hardware to stop movement I think that be futile. Somethings going to give it wants to move I'd say. Just my opinion though.

Thinking about this next ...

avoiding it alltogether, abandon a curving corner (unfortunately) and just butt everything with the very corner being a square of tiles. She could put hot pans straight on it from the stove. Nice pretty tiles with flowers on them or something.

It all starts to look squarish though I think. Bad feng shoe.

[JDarvall]

Oh , you mean just tie it together with screws and sticks.

[DJ’s Timber]

Bench top connectors

Still want to know why you're not considering 45deg join

[JDarvall]

I see. I'll have to remember them.

I'm just worried about a gap forming at the mitre. I think that looks horrible. And the wider the timber the more likely its too occur.....and 600's pretty wide.

[bitingmidge]

So what do you think I should do ? Well, what would you do ?

I'd laminate it round the corner in concentric curves!

Nah,

I'd replan the kitchen so the bench didn't go round the corner. Either move the stove against it (bad, bad, bad) or put a corner appliance cupboard of some description to hide most of the join.

There are three options as far as I can see:

Mitre (which I don't like)

Butt (which I don't like)

Or do a square in the corner with the boards at 45° and butt both directions to it if that makes sense.

It might be nice to drop a couple of brass strips in at the joins to trim them. It's an old trick I used to use with Granite-look laminex to make it look more like granite!

Cheers,

P

[m2c1Iw]

Jake,
I like your first idea with the curve. Looking at that design if the bench top sits on the cupboards using heavy dowel in slots that overcomes the 7mm odd movement. Then the issue is top to wall, what did you have in mind for a splash back as long as it is not attached to top no probs!!!

I am having trouble with 7mm for every 1% MC over 1200mm is that right do you think and if you start with well season timber how much change will you get. I dunno.
Mike

[JDarvall]

Ta midge. It just I don't really want to do something boring.

And she seems to be sold on the idea of it curving around (as in that first picture at the start of the thread)

So, you don't think that origional idea would work (1200 wide) ? ...I know its very wide but if the tops held down with skews in slots allow movement,,,,and since it can move towards/away from the oven ...then I thought it be ok. but I haven't done it before.

[martrix]

Agree with DJ. Mitre it and use silicone and bench top joiners in the mitre. They are strong and you wont have a gap open up. When you fix down the benchtop, allow for movement with your fixings as normal.

Doing it your original way would look bad IMHO with all of the endgrain showing.

[JDarvall]

Don't really know how much it'll move Mike. But I figure, if I make the slots that take the hold down screws way bigger than any kind of movement I could get, I suppose it doesn't matter.

What I don't know about though is cupping. That may start ripping the carcass apart. I was going to use face frames on ply. So maybe worth while re-enforcing that area ???? don't know really.

Jake,
I like your first idea with the curve. Looking at that design if the bench top sits on the cupboards using heavy dowel in slots that overcomes the 7mm odd movement. Then the issue is top to wall, what did you have in mind for a splash back as long as it is not attached to top no probs!!!

yep. Thats the only real issue I was thinking too.

Need something clever, that handles the movement but keeps a seal.

thinking..
Some kind of lip at the end of the top, thats covered by moulding
or...some kind of rubber compression going on.
or a sign to remind her to not spill anything there.

might be clever hardware out there to do this ?

[JDarvall]

Agree with DJ. Mitre it and use silicone and bench top joiners in the mitre. They are strong and you wont have a gap open up. When you fix down the benchtop, allow for movement with your fixings as normal.

In practise have you noticed this will work ok ?........

I'm just still concerned because, as I picture it, if the timber around the mitre wants to shrink, that mitre will want to open up. But if it can't because of those bench joiners, then it'll try and release the tension somewhere else won't it ?....Could mean it'll cup, or a split the timber. Maybe ?

But, then thinking now it shouldn't be a problem if its free to move of the wall off that small top side (oven side).

Doing it your original way would look bad IMHO with all of the endgrain showing.

Good point.

[JDarvall]

yep. sold me . Thanks fellas. I'll mitre it with bench joiners with plenty of room for movement and seal the oven side of the top with a lip and moulding (that lip should be easy enough since I'll be running with the grain there)

And that way I'll be able to keep my curved corner !

appreciate everyones help.

I think I wouldn't do it though if I had two long bench tops running to a mitre

[martrix]

yes, seen it done a fair few times.

This taken from here.http://www.thors.com.au/category.php?id=27

Mitre joins are usually the best way of joining bench tops. Mitre joins can be glued as the grain direction and movement is equal across the joint.