Thread: How do I flatten dished laminated benchtop

Speaking from half a life time in kitchen cupboard game, I think you are stuck with the 6mm belly. Particle booard will sag under its own unsupported weight over time. Once you seal 1 side with contact glue and laminate you have sealed that face forever. The bare side can take in moisture and let it out, as the atmosphere allows. You will never change that. That is why I think you are stuck with your belly.
Regards Rod

Chambezio,

Thanks for your reply. Possibly I did not explain correctly the type of laminate.

The laminate is hardwood laminated bench top, neither top or bottom or sides has yet been sealed, and from inspecting the material I suspect it has been wet at some time, hence the cupping. I have experienced this problem with a single slab of timber, and have managed to bring it back by wetting one side and leaving it in the sun. With the single pieces of timber where I have had this problem before, you can almost watch it come back to its original shape, but this laminate does not appear to react tho this method

Thanks

If it doesn't come back to level over time something like this might be your only option.
Those benchtops are difficult to live with, you'll need a few trivets and be diligent about
using chopping blocks.

G'day Colin,

Not sure if this is a possibility for you but, as a last resort, as the material is 30mm thick and I presume it will be sitting/attached to a frame forming the cupboards - you could try making some relieving cuts underneath with your tablesaw, perhaps one third to a half the thickness of the material. This should take out some of the stress which has caused the cupping - the cuts could be glue and sawdust sealed to make a "whole" surface again before you seal the top and bottom.

As it will be attached to the frame and as most counter tops have a reasonable support structure holding them up strength should not really be an issue.

Just trying to think a little outside the box - hope it helps.

Regards,
Bob

Bob,

I think your idea has legs. I am still persisting with the water & exposure to sun method and today I have managed to reduce the belly by 1.04mm.

It started out at 5.34 and now down to 4.30 so it is a slow process, it will be interesting to see what happens overnight, I have 2 x 20 drums of water on it to see if this will help push it back to shape. It might help as the convex surface is damp.

The trick will be to see what happens when it all dries out. If it goes back to where it was, then your plan of the saw cuts will come into play.

Will keep you informed

Thanks for your interest and comments

Regards

Rip it along a couple glue lines and joint it square then relaminate it.

Today with water & exposure to sunlight, the belly is now down to 3.98. A slow process, will see what happens over the next few days as I will not be able to do the watering thing, it will just have to sit

Don't mean to hijack the post, but hey Hoopy I really like you slab leveling set up. I considered similar a few years back but then I see one of these...