sealing kitchen worktops

[listerofsmeg01]

Just finished fitting my kitchen worktops, and now I need to seal the joint where the two butt together.

Now I am a total novice when it comes to sealents, and Googling this group for topic gives suggestions of....

Decorators caulk Black mastic Gloss paint Acrylic based sealents Silicone based sealents

I have no idea what any of these are (except gloss paint :-), or which would be best. The worktops are bog standard chipboard with black laminate, so I would prefer something that is either black, or transparent.

The popular choice seems to be silicone, but I've read that it is a nightmare to get off once set. Somebody suggested isopropanol to get it off before it is cured, but after a quick search I can't find anywhere that sells it online. I can't find black mastic either.

Any advice for the newbie?

Thanks, Lister

[Ian Stirling]

What I'd do.

Find some really penetrating wood varnish, or protector. This MUST not be water based. Now, paint the cut ends with several coats, until it stops absorbing any more. And paint the bottom similarly, otherwise spills will be absorbed.

This will make the joint less likely to absorb any water that gets in. Now, attach the cover bit with contact cement, and weigh down for 48 hours.

[simon beer]

The OP is not putting on an end strip, he is butting 2 pieces together.......

[Harry Bloomfield]

I put our kitchen in about 10 years ago and all I did was seal every cut worktop edge with silicon sealant before offering them together. No problems noted since.

[Tony Eva]

I used bog standard black silicone sealant (my local kitchen shop stocked it, but you could use clear sealant instead if black is hard to find), gooped it evenly on both faces (technical term), and clamped the joint closed.

It squeezed out top and bottom like toothpaste, but I wiped the top surface clean with paper towel, left the sealant to set, and then rubbed any remaining film off with a dry finger. It doesn't really stick to laminate at all. I had the non-gloss laminate - it'd probably stick even less well to gloss laminate.

[Mike]

Buy the stuf Screwfix sell for this purpose, colour coded to the worktop.

[Tony Eva]

I should also mention that the aforementioned kitchen shop specifically recommended *against* using the special fillers like Colorfill. This is because they not flexible once set and can crack open under the slight movement of the worktop as it is used, allowing water ingress. They have their uses, but a jointing compound isn't one of them.

[Miketew]

Have a look in the screwfix catalogue or on line screwfix.com and the have the proper coloured sealant in tubes to match your work top

-- Miketew

[Alan]

Why not use worktop joining strip, aluminium stuff available in all DIY sheds, in various colours. Silicone under it when you fit it, problem solved.

Alan.

[Stuart]

aargh.!!!...My kitchen fitter just used clear silicone betwen the pieces that were butted and used the rods beneath to join them and cleaned up the excess silicone that got squeezed out .Looks fine but coloured ( black) silicone probably would look better . Stuart

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[deckertim]

I used PVA to join my dark grey worktops together. I am assuming that you have used router to prepare the joints. The PVA drys clear and the finish is pretty good. Seeing the outrageous cost of jointing compound from B&Q (=A37ish) persuaded me to do it this way.

I would also advise against pre painting the ends and letting it dry, I did this on one of my joints and the finish was not as good.

[Ian Stirling]

I was assuming (as on mine) that there is some aluminium trim between the two bits.