Cutting into kitchen worktops.

[Last Dog]

Hi all, i have several kitchen worktops that have burn marks and gouges in them at various properties, and the owner does not want the expense of renewing the complete top and wants the marks cut out and tiles fitted in. Cutting through the complete top doesn't cause a issue, it's just that the holes that receive the tiles are to be the depth of the tiles so that they remain flush with the work surface. I know these will have to be routered out and a jig made for the router. Has any one done this and what pitfalls might i expect ?? Thanks for any info. )

[Master Splinter]

Pitfalls - you'll need to check each tile individually for size as they can vary by a millimeter or so in their sizing and squareness. The gap between the tile edge and the benchtop will also be difficult to keep water out of. As tiles don't have square edges (it's either rounded or chamfered) you'll also have a gap that will end up looking about 2-3mm bigger than it is if you try to fill the round/chamfer with something.

I'd suggest, after routing out the tile area, that you seal the cut edges with 2-3-4 coats of marine epoxy to waterproof the chipboard. After this sets, epoxy the tile in place and fill the edge gap with coloured epoxy...do the edge gap with a slow hardener and it will level out.

I wouldn't use silicone as you can almost guarantee that it'll look grungy after a year or two and the tenants will flood it with bleach, which, if you haven't been 100% perfect with the waterproofing might cause the benchtop to swell, letting more moisture in, causing the top to swell more, etc etc.

A slightly better option than tile might be Corian or one of the other artificial stone types - you should be able to find what you need as sink cutouts from a kitchen place and square it up with a tile saw. Tiles with a glaze on them are also more likely to chip from having pots and pans clattered onto them.

[Last Dog]

Pitfalls - you'll need to check each tile individually for size as they can vary by a millimeter or so in their sizing and squareness. The gap between the tile edge and the benchtop will also be difficult to keep water out of. As tiles don't have square edges (it's either rounded or chamfered) you'll also have a gap that will end up looking about 2-3mm bigger than it is if you try to fill the round/chamfer with something.

I'd suggest, after routing out the tile area, that you seal the cut edges with 2-3-4 coats of marine epoxy to waterproof the chipboard. After this sets, epoxy the tile in place and fill the edge gap with coloured epoxy...do the edge gap with a slow hardener and it will level out.

I wouldn't use silicone as you can almost guarantee that it'll look grungy after a year or two and the tenants will flood it with bleach, which, if you haven't been 100% perfect with the waterproofing might cause the benchtop to swell, letting more moisture in, causing the top to swell more, etc etc.

A slightly better option than tile might be Corian or one of the other artificial stone types - you should be able to find what you need as sink cutouts from a kitchen place and square it up with a tile saw. Tiles with a glaze on them are also more likely to chip from having pots and pans clattered onto them.

Thanks Master Splinter for your reply, much appreciated. Regards Paul

[elanjacobs]

As tiles don't have square edges (it's either rounded or chamfered) you'll also have a gap that will end up looking about 2-3mm bigger than it is if you try to fill the round/chamfer with something.

You can get some tiles with a square edge, it's usually referred to as 'rectified'

[China]

Personaly I wouldn't touch it you will have to warrant your work, and this could prove to be a nightmare are the benches post formed or square edge, if square edge it would be less time consuming to replace the laminate.

[ian]

Hi all, i have several kitchen worktops that have burn marks and gouges in them at various properties, and the owner does not want the expense of renewing the complete top and wants the marks cut out and tiles fitted in. Cutting through the complete top doesn't cause a issue, it's just that the holes that receive the tiles are to be the depth of the tiles so that they remain flush with the work surface. I know these will have to be routered out and a jig made for the router. Has any one done this and what pitfalls might i expect ?? Thanks for any info. )

does the repair have to be tiles?

cutting dutchmen in might be easiest option
15° chamfer on the cut out and the dutchman -- align the grain -- epoxy -- rout / sand flush the next day -- finish

[Last Dog]

does the repair have to be tiles?

cutting dutchmen in might be easiest option
15° chamfer on the cut out and the dutchman -- align the grain -- epoxy -- rout / sand flush the next day -- finish

Thanks Ian, the tenants of a few of these properties have placed a hot saucepan down burning the work top, the powers to be have come up with the idea that this will give them a surface that will accept a hot saucepan....methinks that they will just put it down in a different spot <label for="rb_iconid_9"></label>. Iam just the Monkey, they are the organ grinders<label for="rb_iconid_7"></label>. Thanks all for taking the time to reply. Regards Paul

[ian]

The wooden bench of my old kitchen had an piece of enamel metal inserted into it.
the hole for the insert went all the way through the bench

from memory the metal was about 1/8 thick and was retained by an aluminium strip (extrusion?) that attached to the sides of the cut-out and covered about 1/2" of the bench top around the cut out

me thinks that something inserted into a full depth cut-out would be easier to install than a tile


if you stay with tiles -- you may wish to consider using fireplace tiles
standard tiles will probably crack if you put a hot pan on them