Fitting wooden worktops

Fitting wooden kitchen worktops - follow this guide for a perfect installation that will provide a lifetime of good service.

Kitchen Worktops Home

Kitchen Worktops Info

Please contact us for design and pricing information albatops@alarisavenue.co.uk or click on the 'request a quote' link.

Wooden Kitchen Worktops pg2
Wooden Kitchen Worktops pg3
Wooden Kitchen Worktops pg4

Wooden Worktops Installation

The guide explains and sets out the requirements and procedures for fitting wooden kitchen worktops.
Wooden kitchen worktops are made from solid hardwood staves with a moisture content of 10 - 11% at time of manufacture. They are designed to be used in normally heated, furnished domestic interiors.
Hardwood is a natural material and is affected by changes in temperature and humidity. It expands and contracts naturally across the grain. Observance of the correct installation procedure carried out in properly conditioned interiors will prevent any problems from occurring.
The manufacturers will not be liable for solid wooden kitchen worktops failure that arises from poor fitting, the wrong fittings and materials being used, inappropriate or adverse site conditions or any other failure to follow the wooden kitchen worktops fitting procedures and requirements set out in this guide and the care and maintenance routines.

Installation and Care kits.
The Installation kits are required for the proper fitting of wooden kitchen worktops, while the Care Kit will help you to maintain wooden worktops for years to come.
The Installation and Care Kits need to be specified at the time of order. They can be found in the on-line store.

The Fitting kits include:
- slotted steel stretcher brackets and screws to fix down the tops
- low modulus (flexible) clear silicone sealer for sealing joints, to sinks, to walls and to adjacent furniture
- edge seal, a flexible brush-on material to provide moisture resistance to all concealed edges, and grain and cutouts
- worktops bolts and biscuit joints to align and clamp up joints between pieces of worktops
- worktops oil for sealing, finishing and maintaining hardwood worktops
- a moisture barrier to protect the underside of worktops from steam and moisture produced by built-under dishwashers, washing machines and microwaves.

Before starting fitting wooden kitchen worktops
Storage store flat
Wooden kitchen worktops fititng should be done as soon as possible after delivery.
If storage is necessary, the tops must be kept in a weather tight environment, at a temperature and humidity the same as the room (in normal use) where they are to be fitted, no wet trades being carried out, no wet or drying building work.
Store the tops flat and level, supported on battens at 500 - 600mm centres in their original wrapping and completely away from any sources of heat or moisture.
Never store them on edge or on end.
Never store them where any building works are going on.

Base Unit Installation

Install the base and full height units with spaces with built-under and slot-in appliances etc.
Take account of the spacing and support requirements for appliances
Level them up and fix securely to the walls and each other.
Note:
Wooden worktops must not be installed above radiators and other heating devices.

Preparation of kitchen worktops blanks
For wooden kitchen worktops blanks there is a series of operations that must be carried out before they can be installed.

Bespoke wooden kitchen worktops comes ready to install: precut to size and shape; fully moulded, cutout and grooved; jointed, edge sealed and oiled, but please read through this section to check and understand the principles of wooden top of installation.

Setting out
Set out the kitchen worktops so it has a 4 - 5mm expansion gap between its rear edges/ends and the wall surfaces.