My parents recently invested in some new kitchen worktops. I came home to see them one evening and the moment my foot stepped through the door my dad popped his head out from inside the living room and excitedly declared that they had done it; they had bought a new kitchen worktop! Naturally I was excited for them – this has been long overdue but then reality started to sink in. Tentatively I asked my dad the question I was dreading the answer to “Who’s installing your new worktops dad?”……..”ME” he replied with a massive grin on his face. My heart sank. My dad loves getting involved in home DIY and give him his dues, he isn’t too bad but he is definitely a man that learns from his mistakes and I feared that this too would be of a similar status.
In an attempt to prevent this from happening, I hurried in to work the following morning and spoke with the workshop as soon as I could. Dad is always helping me out when I need it so I saw that an opportune moment had arrived – daughter to the rescue!
Many horror stories can occur when worktops are not installed correctly as it can cause the worktops to bow. To ensure this is avoided at all costs it is best to follow some simple steps. Firstly, installation depends on the timber and how it has been finished. It is recommended that the boards are oiled immediately following delivery. Unlike flooring, worktops do not need to acclimatize. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to store the worktops it is best that they are laid flat in a warm and dry environment.
If your worktops have been pre-oiled then they have had the best start possible. Upon delivery it means that they can be installed straight away. The only oiling required is a couple coats of finishing oil.
For un oiled worktops the process can vary a little as you will need to apply at least 6 coats of oil on both sides prior to installation. Every millimetre of timber surface needs to be sufficiently oiled and it is imperative that this is done evenly. The boards should be flipped between coats to reduce problems such as bowing. One the pre-oiling is complete the worktop can then be installed and as we the pre-oiled board the finishing coats can then be applied.
If any cuts are to be done on site this will need to be done with a very sharp tool as our timber is extremely hard and then the edges will need to be re-oiled.
In regards to fixing the worktops, they need to be securely fixed to the units or other structure that they are going on. Usually this is done by screwing from the underneath to the kitchen carcasses. Alternatively you can use slotted expansion brackets which allow the timber to move slightly. These are available from most DIY hardware stores.
When it came to the weekend of installation I returned to my parents armed with all the above information ready to be a helpful daughter. Walking through the kitchen door I shouted out to my dad only to find him standing back from the worktops admiring his handy work. He had already completed the installation and it was clear that my help wasn’t needed, he had done a fantastic job and their kitchen looked incredible. As I stood there looking upon the scene of a proud father I realised that I had been wrong to doubt my dad and his abilities. He had done all the research himself, spoken to necessary fitters and had clearly done a wonderful job. It was in this moment that I felt roles reversing – it was my turn to let go of my dad – he was more than capable of doing these things himself, he didn’t need me to hold his hand as such. It was then that I walked over to my dad, putting what I’d learnt in the bin on the way, and put my arm around him complimenting him on his work before asking him “Tea?”
How do you know you can’t do something if
you don’t try?
