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| Home > Kitchen Improvement > Kitchen Countertops: Installation and Repair of a Corian Countertop | ||||
Kitchen Countertops: Installation and Repair of a Corian Countertop | ||||
| Kitchen countertops are a very important part of your kitchen. This is the place where you do most of your kitchen activities and keep your stuff. Naturally, this countertop has to be solid, sturdy and at the same time decorative and good looking so that it also adds to the beauty of your kitchen. No doubt, it is essential, therefore, to look for materials which fit the above mentioned categories, while also adding to the decor, style and providing functionality to the kitchen. There are several materials which are considered and used for kitchen countertops. Some of them are: Marble, Quartz, Laminate, Granite, Wood, and Solid Surfaces. Corian is a brand of solid surfacing material which can be installed as a kitchen countertop. It has different features such as being resistant to stains, scratches, heat, mold and mildew, and burns. It is non porous and has a seamless appearance. And it is also renewable and repairable. Corian kitchen countertops come in a variety of shades and colors to suit your kitchen decor style. Corian is a registered trademark of the Du Pont Co. and has become quite popular since the 1970s. It is sold only through licensed distributors and sellers and is usually available for $60 to 80 per square foot and is quite expensive to buy. Installing a Corian countertop Most countertops have to be professionally installed. However, there are several people who like to do such tasks themselves. This particular market has been captured by people who make different 'Do-It-Yourself Kits'. Corian kitchen countertops are no exception. A variety of kits are available in the market. Therefore, to purchase one of these Do-It-Yourself Kits, one must submit the plan drawings and cabinet dimensions and the color and patterns preferences to the manufacturers of these kits. Then you get a kit that includes sheets of materials which are cut to an approximate size with cutouts for sinks etc. and matching backsplash strips. The areas around the sinks are also reinforced. The kit also includes a tinted two-part epoxy and a modified caulk gun for seaming and an installation video. It is recommended that one works with these materials outdoors, and wear a particle mask. Also it is recommended that one use dust extraction to take care of the dust and the shavings that arise from the cutting process. As the first step to install the Corian kitchen countertop, make sure that the older installation of the countertop has been removed. Don't begin work on your new countertop till you have removed the old one, else it can get quite messy. Adjust the levels of the cabinets which are under the countertop so that they are flat at the same level. Different materials have different load-bearing capacities. Ensure that the cabinet materials which you have used can bear the load of the Corian solid surface material. When the cabinet layouts include an island or a peninsula with some inches of counter overhang, attach a 3/4th inch thick plywood to the cabinet tops. The plywood should be such that its front edge fits neatly over the edge of the plywood, while the bottom face of the plywood should be flush with the bottom of the countertop edging. You can attach corbels to the cabinet frames for additional reinforcement. Begin with a section which contains the seam support strip at one end. Lay the first sheet in position and fit it against the wall. Scribe and contour the back edge with a belt sander and mark a cutting line on one end for trimming purposes. You can use a masking tape and draw lines on the masking tape and then cut the sheet to ensure accuracy while cutting. Now make cutouts for the sink after cutting the section lengthwise and scribing the back end. The kit usually includes a template for the sink cutout. Clamp the template to the countertop section so that it is aligned with the location of the sink location. Cut through the sheet using a router and a straight bit. Once you have all your sections cut out to size, you must seam them with the epoxy and bond them to the cabinet tops using silicone. While joining two surfaces next to each other, first clean the surfaces of the joining edges with denatured alcohol and then apply a layer of tinted epoxy to the strip. Do not remove the squeezed out epoxy, as this will reduce the amount of curing time and will weaken the bond. Rather, you can sand it off after it dries. Use power sanders to smoothly sand the seams after the epoxy glue dries off. After all the sections are in place, install the backsplash, the sink and the faucet and hook up the range. Secure the backsplash strips to the wall using silicone-caulk adhesive. Keep the remaining pieces of the material in case you need to conduct repairs in the future. Caring for and Repairing Corian countertops Corian countertops do not require to be sealed when they are not in used because of their resistance to mold and mildew. Normally when they do need cleaning, soap and water or regular household cleaners will do the trick.If, on the off chance that you do get scratches on the surface of the countertop, you can simply buff them out by lightly sanding the surface. By:Madhavi Ghare |
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