Kitchen work surfaces - hard wood query

[Surrey99]

Hi there...Another problem!

In August 2009, we had a new kitchen fitted. The work surfaces are hard wood (purchased from Magnet), but weren't clamped in place (i know this isn't recommended, but the people that kindly fitted it for us did it as a favour rather than being done by seasoned 'professionals' of the trade).

A small gap (roughly a couple of millimetres at most) has formed between two of the surfaces. Is there anything we can do to bring these back together and close that gap?

We really don't want to fill it, as it will never match the same colour as our work surfaces. I know the clamping is something that really should have been done from the start, but there is little we can do regarding that now unfortunately.

Any help, again, would be greatly appreciated..

[Surrey99]

(ugh, sorry! Wrong forum!)

[moderator2]

moved to kitchen fitting.

[speed]

how are they fixed together atm? anything under the tops?

[royaloakcarpentry]

You don't have to clamp them. There are at least four ways to secure timber worktops:

1) Rout out the undersides and connect with worktop bolts, 3 of them.

2) as above but you also add 4 biscuits

3) use a plywood or metal joining plate to straddle the joint on the underside of the tops. Drill oversized holes into these plates to allow for movement of the worktops and then use screws and washers.

4) if as on the better quality bespoke kitchens, you have solid tops to your units. You drill oversized holes into unit tops to allow for the timber worktops to move and then fix with screws and washers.

[speed]

as the tops are fitted and assuming you dont want to remove and refit, id retro fit some worktop bolts, using a forstner bit, saw and chisel

[prem]

if they are not clamped together , how are they joined.?
i put a kitchen right 3 years ago with oak tops joined with plywood underneath. he did such a bad job it was easy to remove the end pieces and route them out to fit, glue and bolt up.

[royaloakcarpentry]

Prem....thats the clue in your sentence......he did such a bad job. good job with ply is not a problem and has been a technique used for many years.