|
|
 |
|
Counter
Tops
|
Solid wood countertops are natural products made of wood
from trees approximately 120 years old. Wood is a living
material and the more moisture receives, the more the
wood countertop will expand. The wood we used in solid
wood worktops has been previously kiln dried to a
humidity level of 6%, and it is therefore important that
the worktop is not exposed to a constantly high level of
humidity. Normally the humidity level in kitchens is
approximately 50-70%.
The solid wood top must be attached to the cabinet box
using only wood screws and washers. It is not
recommended at all to glue the top on the cabinet box;
the top and the box expand and contract at different
rates, therefore cracks might eventually appear, most
probably on the cabinets' surface.
The proper way of installing
a solid wood top is using metal fixings along the
cabinet box (see picture from www.hardwoodcountertops.com/installation/
).
The metal fixings must be uniformly distributed
throughout the length of the top, spaced at a 1' - 1.5'
distance from each other. Across the width, the top is
usually fixed to each metal support with three screws,
one in the middle, one toward the front edge and one
toward the rear edge. The supports must be perfectly
leveled; otherwise tensions can develop in the wood,
leading to warping, cupping, or cracks.
We recommend pre-drilling the screw holes into the wood
countertop, in order to avoid cracks and splits. For the
same reason, it is a good idea not to over tighten the
screws. The finishing will considerably diminish the
extent of such movements, but will not eliminate them
altogether. Due to the panel's laminated structure, the
lengthwise movements are insignificant, so the installer
should pay attention to the movements occurring across
the panel's width. In order to prevent the development
of inner tensions, the holes in the metal fixings should
be elongated in the direction of the movements
When exposed to normal humidity levels - i.e. 50-60% -
the worktop's width will expand by
1/12"-1/24", but when exposed to a level of
80-90%, this measurement may expand by up to 1/2"
or even more for some species. Therefore, when the rear
edge of the counter top is installed against a wall, the
wall might restrict the top's natural movements, leading
to undesired tensions in the wood. To avoid this, you
can allow a 1/4"-1/2" joint between the wall
and the countertop edge and caulk it with a thin bid of
acid-free silicone.
Additionally, you can firmly fix the rear edge to the
metal supports underneath and thus, allow the natural
movements to occur at the expense of the opposite edge.
In this case, the holes in the metal fixings
corresponding to the rear edge will be no larger than
the screws diameter, while the holes corresponding to
the middle section and the front edge will be elongated.
by Adrian Laza
|
|
|
|
|
