Worktops

In short

1. 01A worktop takes water, heat, knocks and cutting, so it is chosen by how the kitchen is used.
2. 02The most common is particleboard with laminate. With postforming the laminate is bent over the front edge, so there is no joint where water is most often spilled.
3. 03Common thicknesses are 38 and 28 mm, and the range depends on the manufacturer. The depth is most often 600 mm, and there are deeper worktops for islands.
4. 04A compact laminate worktop is thin (e.g. 12 mm) and waterproof, and a sink can be undermounted beneath it.
5. 05Stone and quartz are templated by the stonemason once the cabinets are in place. The cabinets underneath must be level and strong enough.
6. 06The weakest spots are joints and cut-outs. The edge of a cut-out is sealed, and the joint between two worktops is glued and pulled tight with connectors.