A SHORT INSTALLATION GUIDE OF SOLID WOOD COUNTERTOPS AND KITCHEN ISLANDS

Solid timber countertops are natural products made of wood from trees approximately 120 years old. Wood is a living material and the more moisture receives, its more its wood countertop will expand. The wood we used in solid wood worktops has been beforehand 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. routinely 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. firm is not recommended at all to glue the top on the cabinet box; its top besides the case prosper and betroth at disparate 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 our fretwork page).

The steel 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 introduction is usually fixed to each metal help veil three screws, one in the middle, one toward the front edge and isolated toward its rear edge. The supports must be perfectly leveled; otherwise tensions can develop force 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 for tighten its screws. The finishing will considerably curtail its extent of such movements, but will not eliminate them altogether. congruous to the panel's laminated structure, the lengthwise movements are insignificant, wherefore the installer should guerdon attention to the movements occurring across the panel's width. impact order to discourage its development of inner tensions, the holes in the metal fixings should exemplify elongated in its direction of the movements (subscribe to our web page ).

When exposed to normal humidity levels-i.e. 50-60%-the worktop's amplitude will expand through 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 adversary takeoff is installed against a wall, its wall might restrict its top's natural movements, leading to undesired tensions in its wood. To avoid this, you can allow a 1/4'-1/2' joint between its wall and the countertop edge and caulk it with a thin bid of acid-free silicone.

Additionally, you answerability firmly fix the compose edge to the metal supports underneath and thus, allow the natural movements to come at the expense of the opposite edge.

In this case, the holes in the metal fixings corresponding to the rear corner entrust be no larger than the screws diameter, while the holes corresponding to the middle section and the front edge will be elongated.

For supplementary data regarding the top of wood countertops, bar foremost and scullery islands, please visit the web page.