Kitchen Worktop Options

[tanneja]

@joth thanks for the above.  Just to be clear, are you saying the sink is in the sapienstone island, or on separate stainless steel counter top area?

 

The counter top yard we visited said sapienstone was most at risk of chipping from taking pots and plates in and out of the sink.

 

We have fallen head over heels for a 12mm one.  When you say it fits onto birch ply, how to do intend to finish the sides?

[joth]

2 hours ago, tanneja said:

Just to be clear, are you saying the sink is in the sapienstone island, or on separate stainless steel counter top area?

This sink is a separate area, against the wall. That's 6mm steel worktop (a friend's company is laser cutting for us), with a cut out for recessed steel basin, all sat on birch ply carcuses.

 

The island will be Sapienstone Malm Black, with a bora Pure X hob recessed in it but no other cut outs or changes of material so it should just look like one big slab of black.  The edge will be polished and Arris edge detail, with the  exposed18mm ply edge underneath it set back in slightly. The overall effect will be rather like https://koivu.co.uk/kitchen/woodford-kitchen-grey/ but topped in Sapienstone rather than quartz.

http://www.nerostein.co.uk/ will fabricate it (in Estonia)  to the kitchen designer's CAD drawing and ship over.

 

Sounds wonderful!? Lets hope it all works out.....! Good luck with your plans.

 

 

[Mr Punter]

@joth can you post up photos when complete.  Do the birch ply carcases have exposed edges and inset doors?  Maybe do a new thread.

[tanneja]

Thank you @joth, we fell for the Calcatta Macchia Venta.  So far we had considered it being combined with a handleless Luca DIY kitchen, but that might not be the best combo now seeing the pictured link, and hearing how you plan to detail your sapienstone.

 

Will your cabinets be custom made, or an available range from somewhere?

Edited September 3, 2020 by tanneja

[joth]

3 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

@joth can you post up photos when complete.  Do the birch ply carcases have exposed edges and inset doors?  Maybe do a new thread.

yes x 3

2 hours ago, tanneja said:

Thank you @joth, we fell for the Calcatta Macchia Venta.  So far we had considered it being combined with a handleless Luca DIY kitchen, but that might not be the best combo now seeing the pictured link, and hearing how you plan to detail your sapienstone.

 

Will your cabinets be custom made, or an available range from somewhere?

 

Everything is bespoke and a lot of laminated birch ply with exposed edges. Not a look we would have chosen originally, but we're renovating a 1960s building and got pulled right into the mid centuary look.

 

 

[JamesP]

I made some concrete worktops for the kitchen and utility, 40mm depth, two with under mount sink.  Kitchen sink worktop is 3.6m, utility 2.4m and the island 1.2m x2m with hob.

Major challenge was the weight but they are in. Tiles are temporary. I had a quote for 5.4K so thought I would give it a go.

 

[PeterW]

@JamesP love the Makita radio ..!! What aggregate did you use and did you have to polish or diamond grind them.? Were they cast in situ..?

[JamesP]

8 minutes ago, PeterW said:

@JamesP love the Makita radio ..!! What aggregate did you use and did you have to polish or diamond grind them.? Were they cast in situ..?

I made some formas using 18mm matt white melamine. Cast in the garage and then moved across to the house. I purchased a cheap 4' wet grinder off the bay which has worked surprisingly well. Started with a 30, 50, 100 and finished with a 200 using copper bonded  diamond grinding/polishing pads.

I did a few tests with different aggregate but went with bagged 20kg Blue Circle High strength 40N for consistency across the 3 worktops.

Our Pure DAB gave up after 20 years so Makita for the win.

[Onoff]

You didn't use silicone on the internal corners to produce a rounded top edge?

 

Any mesh used?

[JamesP]

@Onoff

I siliconed all the internal corners, used reinforcing mesh and some glass fibres.

 

Edited September 3, 2020 by JamesP

[Onoff]

35 minutes ago, JamesP said:

@Onoff

I siliconed all the internal corners, used reinforcing mesh and some glass fibres.

 

 

Nice. I couldn't see the edges on my phone.

 

Did you vibrate the mix.

Edited September 3, 2020 by Onoff

[JamesP]

20 minutes ago, Onoff said:

 

Nice. I couldn't see the edges on my phone.

 

Did you vibrate the mix.

I tried using  a soft mallet, tapping on the sides and an orbital sander. Tiny air bubbles appeared around the edges. After grinding I used a PVA / cement mixture to coat the surface to fill any holes then went over again with the grinder / polisher.

[CC45]

9 minutes ago, JamesP said:

I tried using  a soft mallet, tapping on the sides and an orbital sander. Tiny air bubbles appeared around the edges. After grinding I used a PVA / cement mixture to coat the surface to fill any holes then went over again with the grinder / polisher.

Hi James,

 

very impressive - any chance we could have a blow by blow 'how to' account - we really like what you've done....

 

CC

[JamesP]

5 hours ago, CC45 said:

Hi James,

 

very impressive - any chance we could have a blow by blow 'how to' account - we really like what you've done....

 

CC

I will put something up on my self build blog and let you know.

[Onoff]

I like using this stuff for pretty much anything mortar or concrete related. On the back of the container is says it has de aerating properties which I'd agree with. Takes much less tamping and you don't get the bubbles you would without it. I wonder if this would assist? 

 

https://www.everbuild.co.uk/product/202-integral-liquid-waterproofer/

 

Guessing you used a black dye? 

 

What did you seal it with?

 

@Construction Channel, didn't you do similar?

[JamesP]

2 hours ago, Onoff said:

I like using this stuff for pretty much anything mortar or concrete related. On the back of the container is says it has de aerating properties which I'd agree with. Takes much less tamping and you don't get the bubbles you would without it. I wonder if this would assist? 

 

https://www.everbuild.co.uk/product/202-integral-liquid-waterproofer/

 

Guessing you used a black dye? 

 

What did you seal it with?

 

@Construction Channel, didn't you do similar?

I used a Bostik concrete sealer applied with a small roller. a few coats. I did not use any dye, the colour is straight out of the bag.

I will try the waterproofer you recommend for  some smaller worktops for a pantry. I know, I know...... 

[Construction Channel]

10 hours ago, Onoff said:

I like using this stuff for pretty much anything mortar or concrete related. On the back of the container is says it has de aerating properties which I'd agree with. Takes much less tamping and you don't get the bubbles you would without it. I wonder if this would assist? 

 

https://www.everbuild.co.uk/product/202-integral-liquid-waterproofer/

 

Guessing you used a black dye? 

 

What did you seal it with?

 

@Construction Channel, didn't you do similar?

Pretty much, i used white cement and lime instead of dye. Also i cast it in situ so i had to polish the top afterwards. Came out ok but definately not perfect. Looks pretty good though. 

 

[ryder72]

On 27/08/2020 at 11:06, tanneja said:

Thank you for this warning @ryder72.  Can you suggest any more durable worktop materials that can get us close to the finish of these mix of Sapientstone finishes?  Ideally we had planed for sections of both of these worktops.  We are particularly struggling with something that comes close to Black Diamond in terms of the white and gold veins:

 

https://www.sapienstone.com/collections/black-diamond

https://www.sapienstone.com/collections/calacatta-macchia-vecchia

Unfortunately no. Sapienstone is a porcelian top so it will have the same properties as the other brands.

[LeeVanCleef]

Just to follow up on this, we went for granite in the end. A multitude of colour choices beyond that too which was another time consuming decision. Time will tell how it performs (only installed the other day)

[eandg]

On 03/09/2020 at 20:16, JamesP said:

I made some concrete worktops for the kitchen and utility, 40mm depth, two with under mount sink.  Kitchen sink worktop is 3.6m, utility 2.4m and the island 1.2m x2m with hob.

Major challenge was the weight but they are in. Tiles are temporary. I had a quote for 5.4K so thought I would give it a go.

 

 

Looks really good and will keep an eye out for the 'how to'; how much of a saving did you make on the £5.4k quote then?

[eandg]

Re: laminate, has anyone used Formica? One of the standard options offered by Plykea and others of that ilk. 

[JamesP]

30 minutes ago, eandg said:

 

Looks really good and will keep an eye out for the 'how to'; how much of a saving did you make on the £5.4k quote then?

The cost of melamine, bagged concrete, sealer, wire mesh, PIR board, grinder and discs was about £650. And a few boxes of beer for the heavy lifters.

[eandg]

1 hour ago, JamesP said:

The cost of melamine, bagged concrete, sealer, wire mesh, PIR board, grinder and discs was about £650. And a few boxes of beer for the heavy lifters.

Brilliant - definitely looking forward to the blog update now!

[joth]

On 03/09/2020 at 12:29, Mr Punter said:

@joth can you post up photos when complete.  Do the birch ply carcases have exposed edges and inset doors?  Maybe do a new thread.

 

It arrived today! I do have photos, looks great, but feeling too embarrassed by all the crap surrounding it to post publicly. I'll share some when it's all finished -- ping me again in a decade ?

[Mr Punter]

14 minutes ago, joth said:

It arrived today! I do have photos, looks great, but feeling too embarrassed by all the crap surrounding it to post publicly. I'll share some when it's all finished -- ping me again in a decade ?

 

Not good enough I am afraid.  There is plenty of time to finish this and tidy up during lockdown.  I will give you another 2 weeks, then I expect some photos.