The kitchen set will seem incomplete, and even unsuitable for work in the absence of a countertop. Therefore, it is very important to learn how to choose the right work surface, and even more responsible to learn how to install it. After all, it happens that the owner himself assembles the kitchen without the help of installers and very often, no matter how sad it sounds, makes mistakes that result in damage to property and the need to purchase new furniture.
When operating kitchen furniture, the countertop takes all the blow on itself, since it serves as the working surface for cooking. As a result of active use, it undergoes wear, therefore it needs periodic replacement, which can also be caused by frequent contact with moisture.
Replacing this part of the headset involves the complete dismantling of the top cover, which does not affect the bearing walls and partitions.
Before you figure out how to fix the countertop, familiarize yourself with their main types.
What are kitchen worktops
Furniture manufacturers offer several varieties of surfaces, but not all of them are suitable for self-assembly at home. For example, stone surfaces require only a professional approach, and their installation can not do without specialized equipment.
Of the total variety of countertops, experts distinguish common types, the characteristics of which are described below.
Plastic
This type is not made from a single piece of plastic, as you might think, but from a high-strength laminated particleboard or fiberboard. This material is characterized by low price and ease of installation. At the peak of popularity, laminated particleboards brought a wide range of colors and painting technologies, which, of course, makes the range more diverse.
Of the disadvantages of this kind of material distinguish:
- low strength;
- lack of heat-resistant effect of a plastic coating;
- low resistance to mechanical damage.
You think how to fix a countertop made of plastic at home? Do not worry, this kind of product is easy to install.
Wooden
The traditional version of furniture. This material is characterized by its shortcomings, which experts consider to be a number of significant:
- he is afraid of water;
- mechanical damage;
- hot.
But all of the above can be nullified by covering the surface of a wooden countertop with a special protective layer and then polishing it. It is also interesting that even an old countertop, which has lost its appearance, can be reanimated by conducting restoration work.
Metal
This type of countertops is not less popular than the option of a laminated coating for the working surface of a kitchen set. The metal coating is practical, because you can put hot dishes on it and not worry about the surface of the countertop being damaged.
How to fix a metal worktop , you don’t have to think long, because you are familiar with such surfaces: the area around the sink is also often made of stainless steel. In addition, the metal surface has a low cost.
Stone
This is the most expensive, but also different chic option. Differs in high cost and complexity of installation. Therefore, being interested in the question of how to fix the countertop, try to study this topic not superficially, but to give it more attention. This type of countertop is characterized by durability, therefore, having bought such a product, you can be sure that it has been in your kitchen for centuries.
For the manufacture of countertops, natural or artificial raw materials are used, which does not harm the quality, because by their properties they are almost identical, and outwardly the differences are hardly noticeable.
Why is artificial stone better in this case?
According to experts, an artificial surface is preferable for a kitchen, since this kind of raw material has no pores, is easier to clean, and does not form bacteriological foci on its surface.
Now you know which varieties of countertops are preferable to others, according to experts, and are more popular with buyers. It remains only to figure out how to fix the kitchen worktop.
Surface Installation Steps
Installation at each stage is characterized by its own nuances. This process directly depends on the type of countertop chosen, its size and shape, and other table configurations. Please note that for corner countertops or irregularly shaped structures, the installation process is complicated. If you are going to mount them, then you will first have to figure out how to fix such a countertop in the kitchen. In general, this process consists of ten stages:
- Level the floor cabinets horizontally, using the building level.
- Use a jigsaw to cut openings in the countertop for protruding elements along the edge of the wall, if any. Do not forget about the gap between the wall and the edge of the countertop up to 5 mm, which will be further closed by the baseboard. Check all clearances and grooves by attaching the product to the cabinets.
- Measure the length and width of the product and adjust it to the dimensions of the pedestals. When working with a hacksaw, markup on the front side, when using a jigsaw or reciprocating saw, mark the wrong side. So that the tabletop does not burst during sawing, it is pasted over with masking tape.
- An edge tape is glued along the outer edge of the countertop, which is fastened with an iron or glue, after which the cut is subjected to grinding with fine-grained emery paper.
- If you do not know how to fix the countertop in the kitchen, then you will have to prepare a place for washing and hob. They, enclosing from the inside of the countertop, are outlined, making marks for the places of cuts.
- Further, in each of the points, holes of 10 mm each are drilled. If you have a round sink, the groove is cut out around the perimeter by inserting a jigsaw blade into the groove and smoothly cutting along the line.
- Now we come to the stage that directly explains how to fix the countertop to the kitchen set. For mounting, special fastenings and tires are used, the last of which are fixed on the lower side of the countertop (one side) and mounted on the upper end of the cabinet in the hole (opposite side).
- When installing, it is important to observe all measurements to the nearest millimeter, all the more to monitor the correctness of the calculation of the holes for the sink, hob, etc.
- At the penultimate stage, end plates are fixed, which are fixed with self-tapping screws.
- When the countertop is in place, it remains to mount the sink and hob, treating all the joints with sealant, and you can begin to conduct communications.
Having figured out the question of how to fix the countertop in the kitchen, in the bathroom you will be able to do everything without problems.
Now for you, installing countertops on a kitchen set is not a problem. After all, you know how to fix the countertop to the wall and how to make the installation itself.