Urgent: Kitchen Worktop Replacement

LSainsbury · 28-08-2008, 07:17

Hi all,

Sorry for the Urgent stamp! One for the builders / DIYers!

We're currently having our kitchen units replaced due to water leak.

The worktop that has been installed does not butt up / line up flush to the wall the tiles above have not been removed and there is a gap of about 3 / 4mm between the worktop and the wall.

Is this normal or should it be pushed up against the wall?

Cheers

Lee

**Rob** · 28-08-2008, 08:10

Since walls are often not perfectly straight, tightly butting a worktop against the full length is difficult. To butt the worktop perfectly flush may also not be a good idea if the worktop is likely to expand or contract slightly with changes in temperature or humidity, quite possible with some wooden types. However 3-4 mm sounds like quite a lot and a gap would normally have been masked by the overhang of any tiling.

The real question is how do the installers plan to seal the joint. It's quite a large gap for mastic, which can fail over time so I'd be looking for some other form of beading or trim.

LSainsbury · 28-08-2008, 08:39

This is what it looks like...

Cerberus · 28-08-2008, 08:47

I would recommend some beading for laminate flooring. I was going to suggest some silicon, but that gap is way to big for silicon.

Not being funny mate, but it looks as though cowboys have fitted that and totally looks like a poor job.

LSainsbury · 28-08-2008, 08:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cerberus

I would recommend some beading for laminate flooring. I was going to suggest some silicon, but that gap is way to big for silicon.

Not being funny mate, but it looks as though cowboys have fitted that and totally looks like a poor job.

They are going to seal it along the wall edge as far as I know.

To me it just doesn't look right - as you say - a cowboy job...

**Rob** · 28-08-2008, 09:02

Was it specified that the wall tiles were to be removed or retained? It looks to me that there wasn't enough of a gap between the underside of the tiles for the worktop to squeeze in.

WHISTLED · 28-08-2008, 09:06

Quote:

They are going to seal it along the wall edge as far as I know.

To me it just doesn't look right - as you say - a cowboy job...

Nothing cowboy about that - I have had my worktops replaced twice and thats exactly how they look like, he should bead sealant between the wall and a spot on the side as you show on your picture.

Need to remember there needs to be a little movement also

LSainsbury · 28-08-2008, 13:47

OK - so some say it's correct, other s say it's wrong...

We'll see if they move it tonight...

alferret · 28-08-2008, 15:53

Having fitted my own kitchen and working in the furniture manufacturing trade I personally would like to see the worktop up against the wall, from the picture it looks like the top isnt fitting under the tiles which is why its away from the wall, there is no need for such a gap as a 600mm top will not expand\contract any more than 0.2-0.5mm in extreme variations of humidity\temp and probably not at all in a home. It could be that the wall is out by quite a lot, if so a 660mm top should have been got and the worktop scribed to the wall.
Ways around this would be if possible adjust the feet on the base units so that they drop by another 1mm, take the plinth off and there they are. Or so of take off the bottom row of tiles and replace after top fitted.

IMO the worktop connectors look to close together should be about 100mm from the back same from the front (400mm on centre) Dont understand why they have put gaffer tape on it either, maybe they are worried the connecting bolts are not tight enough?

rossco555 · 28-08-2008, 20:36

Dont understand why they have put gaffer tape on it either, maybe they are worried the connecting bolts are not tight enough?[/QUOTE]

If the guy is working single handed, he's put tape up at one end to stop that end dropping whilst tightening up the bolt.

LSainsbury · 28-08-2008, 20:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by rossco555

If the guy is working single handed, he's put tape up at one end to stop that end dropping whilst tightening up the bolt.

But surley you would then remove the tape??

28-08-2008, 20:44

Looks like the unit is sealed to the wall as well. If you wanted that to stay intact, I'd be tempted to plane a few mil off the top edges of the unit and slide the worktop under the lip of the tiles, then run a line of bead along where the worktop and tiles meet. Of course, as alferret says, it could be the wall is out along the length making the gap at one end.
In any case it needs sorting. Looks dreadful like that.

LSainsbury · 28-08-2008, 20:59

They have now run a bead line across and down the side where the gap was - looks - well - crap tbo...

Also found out they have got one wrong unit size, and it's now in place...we'll be talking to them about that tomorrow.

alferret · 28-08-2008, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by rossco555

Dont understand why they have put gaffer tape on it either, maybe they are worried the connecting bolts are not tight enough?

If the guy is working single handed, he's put tape up at one end to stop that end dropping whilst tightening up the bolt.[/quote]

Not really, never seen it in my trade, but then maybe I need to be in it another 25 years to find out the more subtle nuances

Bulky · 28-08-2008, 22:18

also being in this trade another major point is that make sure the butt joint they have bolted together has either had silicone squeezed between it before it was bolted up or colourfill (which is preferred) , otherwise you will find after a couple of months use the laminate will start to lift due to damp getting into the joint (from looking at the photo it doesn't seem to have been done) , just to add i have never seen gaffer tape used either ?? bolts are easy to do up as long as you have 2 hands. looks to me like they couldn't be bothered scribing your top to the wall