Worktop join

[steq184]

Have had our Bushboard Prima worktops fitted, one of the joins is not 100% perfect...it is a little bit raised.
The fitter tried his best by using biscuits and Colorfill but could not get the join dead flat.
He said that I could get it flat by using fine wire wool with bees wax.
Will this work?
Any other ideas if not?
thankyou in advance for your help

[big-all]

how raised is it ??
i assume its solid wood ??
did you pay a "good" price or a pub price
if its a full fit who supplied materials

[steq184]

It is laminate.....got a good price, got 3 prices and he was the middle one.

[wine~o]

Laminate is not a good surface to be using wire wool on, and if it gets wet where it's raised it will bubble up and de-laminate.

[big-all]

do not under any circumstances abrade the surface
laminate is no more than a paper picture covered in a plastic coat
you damage the surface layer you have a ruined worktop

[dewaltdisney]

Your worktops are covered in Formica. The finished surface is microns deep so any abrasion will make it worse in my opinion as it will expose the brown resin based substrate. I would be inclined to leave it be as I am sure it will get ruined trying to pull it level, especially as he has glued biscuits in.

DWD

[fin]

agreed. ive fitted a few work tops now. sometimes they just dont go perfect. in my experience anyway. working with hired jigs and routers.

however the last one i fitted i had bought my own trend jig and router. and also used 3 biscuits. end result was a join i couldnt feel and could barely see. i also used clear silicone rather than colourfill as it wasnt available for the colour worktop i was fitting. i also on that particular job may have used the newer type worktop tie bolts that are tightened with an allen key.

on the kitchen in a mates new build house the joins arent as good as the one i mention above. but they are acceptable. i can just feel them but only just.

as a mini thread hijack. the worktop ends in my mates house have a neat sort of 45 * chamfer. how would this have been obtained? as i normally just stick the edging on then block plane it down and finish with a file.

[Job and Knock]

as a mini thread hijack. the worktop ends in my mates house have a neat sort of 45 * chamfer. how would this have been obtained? as i normally just stick the edging on then block plane it down and finish with a file.

You simply use the mason's mitre jig that you've used for doing the joints, only on the ends. Re-position it to reduce the length of the mitre and use the 22-1/2° end of the slot (the end used for corner solutions) instead of the 45° one used for right angle joins. Note: It helps to have a heat gun or dry iron to bend the laminate round this curved piece and finishing of the end takes a deft hand with the file because lammy trimmers don't work well in this situation

[fin]

no youve mis understood me lol. the work top has just a square edge. the laminate is glued onto it. and the very top edge its trimmed to like a 45* chamfer. i normally just use a file to trim them back. these fitters must have used a trimmer like you stated.

[zedhead]

Have had our Bushboard Prima worktops fitted, one of the joins is not 100% perfect...it is a little bit raised.
The fitter tried his best by using biscuits and Colorfill but could not get the join dead flat.
He said that I could get it flat by using fine wire wool with bees wax.
Will this work?
Any other ideas if not?
thankyou in advance for your help

I have had problems in the past when the male worktop has a slight bow in it, it is then impossible to get it dead on, but agree with others, don't rub it down... How much is it out and where ?
Baza

[Job and Knock]

the work top has just a square edge. the laminate is glued onto it. and the very top edge its trimmed to like a 45* chamfer. i normally just use a file to trim them back. these fitters must have used a trimmer like you stated.

45° sounds a bit much to my mind. That would leave you with a very big dark brown phenolic edge (something I try to avoid - better to have a contracstin dark edging IMHO). The way I'd normally do a lipping like that on something like a retail counter would be to horizontal trim with a straight bit, then do a second pass either with something like a 9° chamfer or more likely with a single cut file held at about the same angle. A work of caution about using bearing-guided cutters (or for that matter a roller guide fence on the router/trimmer) on laminates (especially high gloss and darker colours) - if the surface which the bearing is to run against is already laminated ALWAYS tape that face with a single strip of masking tape before making the cut and ALWAYS reduce the cutter extension below the base of the router/trimmer to the absolute minimum. Failure to do that can result in the bearing permanently marking the surface of the laminate or the cutter scratching the surface. That does mean the edge has to be finished with a file, but that's what any competent joiner would do

There are now a few cutters out there with PTFE or Delrin bearings which make the taping unnecessary, but they are few and far between and unlikely to be found at the average tool merchant. Ive tried them and they do work, but because they are angled at about 9° they require scrupulous setting up to avoid damaging the work.

[transitboy]

no youve mis understood me lol. the work top has just a square edge. the laminate is glued onto it. and the very top edge its trimmed to like a 45* chamfer. i normally just use a file to trim them back. these fitters must have used a trimmer like you stated.

fini always chamfer my edges and all i ever use is the file held at a 45 deg angle