On a mitre joint, the laminate has come apart on the join. It has not swollen much yet but I am doing my best to keep the area dry until I can seal it. The seam which is separating is only half an inch at the moment. Any suggestions as to the best product ? If I use the wrong one it might make the problem worse so I thought it worth asking the wise ones on here first.
TIA
When I joined two areas of worktop together, I was advised by the suppliers to use a clear silicone sealant, which when the worktop was compressed together, would slightly ooze out of the top, and should then be rubbed off with a finger as it dries.
For sticking two lumps of worktop together, I've used "cascamite" in the past which is a waterproof and water based resin adhesive (used in boat building and timber laminating). You mix it from powder and it's very strong and forms an effective seal to the join - but unlike resin products such as Araldite, it can be wiped off the surface more readily when it oozes out.
I just ripped my kitchen out before christmas after 15 years - the laminate has never lifted around the two joints, and the joints were so strong I couldn't break them with a lump hammer, nor split them with a hammer/chisel and I ended up having to cut the worktop out in situ.
I suppose the question here is WHY the joint has come apart and that suggests movement. So if that isn't dealt with (e.g. with carcase levelling, wall support, repair plates underneath etc.), a little bit of cascamite forced into the seam may still crack, and silicone (as suggested by John) may also pull away and let moisture in again. Both would probably do the job otherwise given it's only a small section.
Midge
Thanks John and Midge.
There is no sign of movement but it looks as if the laminate was not perfectly butted or sealed for just a few millimetres rather than the joint coming apart. It is near the sink so is subject to water splashes. I am assuming some damp got in and made the board swell. At the moment it is hardly noticeable but I want to deal with it before the problem becomes obvious.
Just to clarify that - and correct my top post...what they actually told me to do was to apply silicone sealant to the bare faces of wood three times, each time, rubbing it well into the surface. Once that was done, it was clamped together...
JW
Good idea to use Cascamite as there would probably be damp in the wood
Colin
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