What's the best way to cut kitchen worktops?

[Nige]

Since the last time I fitted a kitchen, the trend seems to have moved away from the use of contoured aluminium strips to join laminate kitchen worktops. Most of kitchens I've looked at recently seem to use a colour-matched jointing compound and rely on extremely accurate cutting - particularly on the laminate side of the worktop.

Can anyone tell me the best way of going about this? The worktop I'm using is standard 40mm laminated chipboard. I have a decent enough range of power tools - including a portable circular saw and a router - but am unsure as to the best way of going about it.

Any advice would be gratefully received...

Nige

[The Natural Philosopher]

Rough cut a few mm oversize with a circular saw, and, using the bit you cut off to support the far side of the router, use a clamped on ruler as a guide and a full depth router bit to plane the edge square.

[John Rumm]

These joints are created using a router with a worktop jig.

For Example:

jigs can be hired if required. You clamp the jig to the worktop and use a powerful router with a long reach half inch cutter and a 30mm guide bush. (full instructions are available for download on the above page)

[Andy Hall]

Use of a decently powerful 12.7mm router with long kitchen worktop bit is the correct way to do this job. For joining worktops, a postform jig is used together with the router. Jigs also have template holes for cutting the slots for "dog bone" type connectors. ~To complete the job, it is a good idea to have something to locate the worktops in the vertical plane. A biscuit joiner and biscuits is ideal for this, or you can get a router cutter to make the slots.

The important thing is to support the worktop(s) properly on a bench before cutting and to clamp everything very securely.

[Nige]

Many thanks for this and the other two replies - they have all been most helpful...

NL

[Bill]

You have some good advice on the router, put in dog bone connectors and biscuits. One thing I would do, ignore any suggestions for silicon etc in the joint, and glue it up with a clear type 24 hour two pack epoxy. This gives you heaps of time to frig about pulling in the connectors and getting the top surfaces perfectly flush (use clamps). It also seals the joint as good as anything can.

[Stephen Howard]

You can tint the epoxy with acrylic paint ( artists shops sell small pots and tubes ) - it helps if you warm the mixed glue when you mix the colour in to get the best match.

Regards,