Thread: How To Fix A Counter Top?

If the chipboard substrate is swollen it can't be properly 'fixed'. You can seal it to stop it getting worse, but nothing will make it flat again. Sorry.

As said above.
That style of cupboard was used from late 40's up to late 60's early 70's when the current modular system came into prominence (known as system32).
You could seal it with Sikaflex but the damage is already done.
If you are mad keen to keep those cupboards, use a multi tool to cut the nails and replace the top with a new laminate of your choice and screw up through the top rails into the bottom of the new top or make your wife supper happy and get a complete new kitchen (lots of credit points there for what you want in the workshop)

Yep, thanks for that. But how do I get it off? Where are the nails? Will it be as I was guessing - under the laminate?

Most likely

Looks like a pretty small area, you could pick up something nice from Bunnings or Ikea for not too much and swap it out in a day

I'm an amateur. Just the suggestion frightens me. Things are not that simple in my world. I'll bet I go to Bunnings (I'll go this morning) and I'll find everything they have is of the wrong dimensions. It'll mean moving the sink section one way or other to make it fit.

And the cheapest they'll sell anything will be about $300 - just guessing. I mean, you're talking replace the whole cupboard unit here aren't you? Not just the top.

What would be a good price? Well. Say they'd sell that whole cupboard unit for $150, unpainted but laminated, and with dimensions that'd slot right in - well that'd be good. But I doubt it... I'll let you know...

I'm inclined to patch it for a while.

But if the top will come off easy enough - strip the laminate off seems to be the story, find the nails underneath just to check they haven't gone insane and used screws and then punch it off from underneath - then I'm thinking of buying another piece of chipboard and putting it on and laminating it.

All of which might finish up costing more than Bunnings ! That's how things seem to go for me....

p.s. why did rwbuild say use a multitool to cut the nails off? I don't understand. Where's he thinking of doing the cutting? And why? Won't it just punch off from underneath if it is nailed down?

Multitools (often also called "The Renovator" tool) can be fitted with a flush cutting blade so basically you can cut through whatever fasteners are holding the top down from inside the cabinets itself. Just put the blade flat against the bottom of the worktop and run it into the gaps until you hit the screws. The downside of this method is that you will almost certainly damage the very top surfaces of the cabinet walls but this will be minimal and can be dressed out with a plane fairly quickly. It is possible that nails were used to attach the top, but it is more likely that screws were used unless the original fitter was a cowboy. It may also be that the screws were used from underneath through the frames with the heads recessed and bogged up to hide them; try running the strongest magnet you can find along the frame edges.

New countertops are available from The Big Green Shed; and yes they will cost around $300. They often have cheaper tops available; I picked up some basic 25mm thick ones 2440mm long for about $60 each a few years ago.

However; given that you state your DIY skills to be somewhat lacking I would recommend you go to a professional kitchen fitter. Not only will they have similar pricing of countertops they will deliver and cut to fit.

You haven't shown the full kitchen area; from what I can make out you have a "L" shape with the sink tucked into a corner. The way it was assembled is not ideal because the sink really needs to inset into the top; in you photos it shows the sink edge butting up to the LH counter. A professional fitter would probably make the piece that the sink fits into run the full length of the unit in one piece and then butt the shorter section up to it. A "Mason's Mitre" joint works very well here but requires a special router jig to cut; another reason to get in the pro's.

Personally I would look at replacing the entire set of cabinets with more modern units including a sink but if finances simply aren't available or there are other reasons (like being a rental property and the landlord is deathly allergic to spending money-been there myself!) then the job can be done quite cheaply by a complete amateur as follows:

1: Accept the entire countertop is scrap and remove by whatever means you have at your disposal. Hammer and chisel will work splendidly and can be used to find the fixing methods; once you found a couple you may be able to calculate the positions of all the others and remove them without further destruction.

2: Purchase new SQUARE edged countertops; often only available in 25mm thickness and either 2m, 2440mm or (rarely) 3m lengths. If you're really lucky you'll find some on clearance. Don't discount wooden ones; my local Bunnies often has Acacia, Rubberwood and sometimes Beech for less than $100 a piece. As previously mentioned ideally you want the section with the sink to run interrupted along the entire length but if the length is greater than the available replacements then just copy the original design. By using square edged like the originals you can butt sections up to each other without fancy joins. I would however recommend dowelling or biscuiting the joints if you have the means; this ensures that the sections are flush with each other and will provide a means of locking them together.

3. Cut the sink recess with a jigsaw; a $20 cheapy will do fine. Just mate it up with a $10-20 quality branded blade and take it v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. Butter the cut surfaces with silicone or paint of varnish or whatever you have available; just don't skimp.

4. If you have to shorten any pieces you'll need to use a circular saw fitted with a fine toothed SHARP blade. Cut from underneath and run the saw along a battern. Again; a cheapy will do this but I would buy a new blade designed for melamine to go in it. Practise lots; if you've got to remove 200mm try taking thin slices off the end until you've got the confidence to make the final cut. In any case; cut the end that DOESN'T
butt up to anything else; ie the countertop end that sticks out. Yes; any mistakes are visible but aren't as obvious as if you try to mate your cut against a factory cut edge. Once you've made the cut fit the iron-on strip of melamine that comes with the countertop. Fit it with the top visible edge aligned with the top surface of countertop and trim off any excess from below with a chisel; it won't be as obvious as trimming from the top. Soften the cut edge with a bit of sandpaper.

Good luck however you decide to do this and if you have a crack yourself then goodonya and enjoy!

Just to add a few things to Chief Tiff's post.

You will find that the laminate is almost impossible to remove, and even if you were successful, it's not reusable.

The easiest removal option is probably to use a circular saw to cut the top into pieces. If you set the depth of cut to just less than the thickness of the counter top, you shouldn't damage the frame of the cupboards.

However, it looks as though the splash back was tiled well after the counter top was installed, and removing the top will almost certainly lead to damage to the bottom row of tiles. (These sorts of jobs are never simple and easy.)

If you are not confident of your DIY skills, it would pay to engage a qualified professional.
After factoring in the cost of tooling up to do the job, the difference between a DIY approach and using a professional may not be taht much.

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

New countertops are available from The Big Green Shed; and yes they will cost around $300. They often have cheaper tops available; I picked up some basic 25mm thick ones 2440mm long for about $60 each a few years ago.

Whilst Bunning's sell them they are a lot cheaper and better quality from Ikea.

I got mine from them when I renovated our kitchen.

Peter.

As has been said above, repair is not an option.

In all probability, the surface is high pressure laminate (a.k.a. Formica) over a formed particle board substrate.

I have seen nailed through the laminate into the base cabinets with a sort of a caulk used to hide the nails. I don't think that people do that any more.

If you look from inside the cabinets you may find the attaching screws going through the 'Top Pine' of the cabinet into the counter top. If you can't unscrew then a multi tool or hacksaw blade can be used to cut the attachment device loose.

The only question that remains is, what to replace the counter top with. There are options, synthetic resin / quartz, Corian. Granite, Laminate, etc.

Here many of the home centers, stock laminate countertop with a back splash at very modest prices. But then you have to take one of their standard lengths and ugly color patterns. In these laminate counter tops you'll cut the sink cut out using a sabre saw or jig saw. Then re-attach with screws up through the top pine.

The complexity of this job is within most woodworkers abilities. Just think about the process and what you need to accomplish before starting each step and you should be fine.

Thanks for all this impressive information and help. It is really great.

Here's a pic of the whole thing, sorry about leaving that out. The bench is 1960mm x 450mm.

You can see I only need one counter. It is a stainless steel sink unit that butts up against it. I don't want to be messing around trying to move it around - changing the plumbing.

The counter is 450mmm wide.

I took a look and sure enough there's screws underneath. At the front I can be sure they go up to anchor the top. At the back I'm not sure if they go up to the top or back into the wall to anchor the whole unit.

Anyway it's screwed down.

Looked at Bunnings and I can get a new top good enough for less than $100 it seems. Just got the hassle of cutting it down and finishing the cut end. I have a circular saw but no special blades. I'll go get a melamine blade as suggested.

Here's a pic of the whole thing:20170406_130213counter (Small).jpg

abrogard, where are you in SA

murray bridge

Ok I was going to say that there is a bench top manufactuer at lonsdale that has seconds and customer cancellations at a good price