Worktop Installation Guidance

Introduction:

One major advantage of our high-pressure glued laminate worktops is that they are exceptionally easy to install and maintain.

We recommend taking the time to read through this information before commencing installation, so as to ensure your worktop is fixed correctly.

Please note: Prior to installing your worktops, peel back a small section of the protective film on the surfaces to ensure a perfect colour match of your worktops. To ensure that the advertised size of the worktop is a completely usable section, laminate worktops may be supplied oversized in length by up to 50mm. Therefore, we recommend measuring the length of the laminate kitchen worktops prior to installation and trimming if required.

Laminate worktops are supplied in shrink-wrap packaging. Please take care when removing and disposing of packaging, as edging strips are also enclosed.

Do not discard any of the packaging supplied until you have checked all the parts, and please retain these instructions for future reference.

Storage:

Installation should be carried out as soon as possible after delivery. However, if storage is necessary, the worktops must be laid flat and fully supported in their original packaging. Worktops must not be placed directly onto the floor, instead separate the floor and the worktop with battens. Battens must also be used to separate multiple worktops stored together.

Make sure the storage area is indoors, has stable humidity, and will not be subject to extremes of temperature.

DO NOT UNPACK WORKTOPS UNLESS:

• The room humidity is stable.
• All carcases and cabinets are built and fully fixed/complete.
• All building dust and debris have been cleaned and cleared off-site.
• All wet trades are finished and a sufficient period is allowed for natural drying.
• Fresh plasterwork has been allowed to dry for a minimum of 6 weeks or until the thoroughly dry

Fixing:

When fixing laminate worktops to cabinets, position the fixings at even intervals – three screws at the back and front of each unit are recommended.

Use a 4mm gauge drill bit to make clearance holes through the support panels on each cabinet.

Place your laminate worktop on top of the cabinets, and check that it fits flush against the wall.

Screw a 5mm x 35mm wood screw through each fixing position.

Fixing to Masonry Features

Do not fix laminate worktops directly onto masonry. Use timber spacers measuring 6-10mm thick, with a Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) beneath. This prevents the transmission of moisture and provides airspace under the top, so that the composite fibreboard is not compromised.

Tiles:

If you are fitting tiles above the work surface, be sure to leave a space of at least 3mm between the worktop and the bottom row of tiles. This will allow for easy removal of the worktop if necessary.

Pipe Holes

If holes have been cut through the worktop to accommodate pipes, a 2-3mm allowance for expansion/ contraction should be allowed around the pipe. This gap can be filled with a silicone sealant.

Dishwashers and Washing Machines

When installing a dishwasher or washing machine, ensure that a protective moisture barrier is fixed correctly to the underside of the worktop. These are sometimes supplied by the appliance manufacturer, or can be purchased from any DIY outlet.

Worktop Edging

Ensure that the cut edge of the worktop is flat and free from dust before attaching the matching edging strips, which are provided with all our laminate worktops. Edging can be attached by applying PVA adhesive – or an all purpose contact adhesive such as EvoStik or Bostik – directly to the fibreboard edge. We strongly recommend covering the relevant areas of the decorative worktop surface with masking tape; this will protect the surface from any overspill of adhesive. If using PVA, the edging strip should be clamped in place while it dries. Trim any excess from the edging strips (with a laminate trimmer or a sharp carpenter’s plane) and use a fine toothed file to smooth the edge until flush with the worktop.

Cutting Laminate Worktops:

 IMPORTANT: Before making any cuts into your worktop, double-check your measurements and ensure that these are marked correctly with a pencil.

Cutting to Size:

All cutting tools should be sharp, and safety goggles and a dust mask should be used whenever cutting laminated surface

The best results will be achieved by cutting the worktop with a tolerance of +5mm, using a portable power saw (with the decorative side face down) or with a hand saw (decorative side face up). To finish the edge, use a portable hand router, straight edge and ‘G’ clamps. Clamp the straight edge to the worktop and ensure the cutter enters at the post-formed edge which will result in a perfectly straight, chip-free cut. All cut edges must be sealed with a water-resistant material, such as silicone.

Cut-outs for Hobs, Sinks, etc.

When making a cut-out for a sink, hob or other inset worktop appliance, use the template supplied as a guide for cutting your worktop. Any cut-outs should be carefully measured and marked.

Working from the decorative surface, drill through all the corners using at least a 10mm diameter drill bit (sharp internal corners can lead to cracks forming in the laminate surface). Cut-outs can be made using a portable hand router. Alternatively, a jig saw can be used, providing that the four corners have been pre-drilled using a 10mm drill bit.

Mark out the area to be cut on the decorative side of the worktop and drill a hole in each of the four corners of the cut-out. Then, turn the worktop over and mark a straight line from one hole to another. Use a jigsaw with a fine-toothed blade to cut from hole to hole. Ensure the section to be cut out is well supported on the final cut.

Make sure that all exposed edges are sealed with a silicone sealant.

If you have fixed an overmounted sink to the worktop, seal around the sink with an appropriate mould-resistant silicone, to prevent water ingress that will swell the fibreboard.

Jointing Worktops:

When joining two laminate worktops together, we recommend using either a 90° standard joint or a 45° mitre joint depending on worktop layout.

Bolt apertures should be cut on the underside of the worktop using a jig and should be no deeper than 25mm from the underside face.

For a 600mm deep worktop three bolts are recommended, and four bolts for a 900mm deep worktop.

To ensure a permanent and watertight joint, a suitable sealer should be used on the worktops. We recommend either a standard clear silicone sealant or a colour matched Unika ColorFill joint sealant, available on our website. This should be applied to both joint ends prior to connecting the worktops together.

There are plenty of ‘How to’ videos available on YouTube to assist you.