Swapping your old benchtop to a new one is a great way to refresh your existing kitchen space on a budget. Read our guide below to help you consider if your benchtop is suitable to be replaced.
There are a few things that you will need to consider before you start planning for your benchtop swap. As all kitchens are unique, a proper inspection of the space will help determine whether your space is suitable. Read about the common considerations below.
The most suitable type of benchtop for a benchtop swap is an independent laminate or timber top that is screwed from the underside of cabinet support rails into the benchtop. It should not be glued or be a part of the kitchen cabinetry structure. Any benchtop with the substrate screwed from the top cannot be replaced easily. All stone or acrylic benchtops are always glued down. A simple way to see if this applies to you is to look underneath your existing benchtop for a screw head. If you can’t see the screw head then this means your benchtop has been glued to your cabinetry which will make it very difficult to remove.
Kitchen Benchtops Auckland, Nz
Replacing your benchtop with the same thickness top will make life a lot easier when it comes time to installing the new benchtop. If the new benchtop is thicker than the old then you would need to notch out the back section of the benchtop which runs along the wall to ensure it fits neatly under the splashback or tiles. The same thickness or smaller top should slide into place easily but you need to make sure the gap isn’t too big so as to not be able to seal it with silicone. benchtops range from 20mm thick laminates to 50mm thick bamboo so there will be a suitable option for most kitchens. Check out our product pages to find a top that’s suitable for you.
Older houses may have moved over time causing your benchtop to warp or become uneven, which could make it difficult to fit the new benchtop. It’s easy to check whether your kitchen has warped by running a spirit level over all of the benchtops.
You will need to consider if you would like to keep your old splashback or whether you will update this as well. If you are wanting to keep your splashback then you will need to evaluate your tiles and how tightly they are laid on top of the benchtop. Thin rows can be at risk of popping out if due care is not taken as can excessive force when trying to remove the top later on.
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Once you’ve decided to go ahead, you can move onto selecting colours. Remember to make sure the colour you have selected is the right thickness to replace your existing top.
When it comes time to change over your benchtop, each case will vary so it is important to take it slowly. Here are a few things to remember:
In short, yes, you can replace a kitchen benchtop. The most suitable benchtops for DIY replacement are independent laminate or timber top designs that are screwed in from underneath the cabinet support rails. Keep in mind, any benchtop with the substrate screwed from the top cannot be easily replaced.
Paint Your Benchtop For A Modern Kitchen
You can revamp a kitchen bench by simply replacing the benchtop instead of the entire structure. This will ensure that you can breathe new life into your space without undertaking extensive work. Having a stone benchtop in your kitchen is simply wonderful. From the beauty of natural or engineered stone to the hardiness and durability of the material, nothing can stand up to the quality of a stone benchtop.
Both natural stone and engineered stone benchtops are made up of hard and long-lasting minerals. However, a ton of activity happens in the kitchen, there’s a lot of traffic around and past most benchtops and the benchtop itself sees a LOT of action.
So, despite your best intentions and the care and maintenance you invest into your stone benchtop, chips, cracks, stains and burns are possible, even if they’re unlikely and unfortunate.
What Is The Process For Kitchen Benchtop Replacement?
The even better news: Quick, professional benchtop repairs is just a phone call away. If you need your damaged benchtop appraised or work to be done, give us a call on (02) 8585 2999.
Even if the unsightly chip, crack or stain doesn’t bother your inner perfectionist designer, benchtop damage–especially in the kitchen–can be more than an aesthetic flaw.
Food and liquid can get into the cracks or chips causing bacteria or mould to grow, and more stainage. Even dirt and moisture can get trapped and cause more damage. All of this can be hard to clean and get worse over time.
How To Fix Chip On Kitchen Benchtop?
The longer you leave damage both the worse it can get and the more difficult (and costly) it will be to repair when you eventually decide you need to do it.
Colour-matched epoxy resin (or resin with specifically added colour pigments to match the stone) is used to patch chips or fill in cracks.
UV lights (often in combination with a special UV glue) and additional adhesives can also be used to help fix certain cracks or chips depending on their nature, placement and severity.
Care For Your Timber Kitchen Benchtop
If you’re attempting to fix small cracks or chips, you’ll need to ensure you clean the area with an ammonia-based cleaner and nylon brush beforehand, and dry it thoroughly before applying the epoxy resin and allowing it to set for 24 or so hours.
Long answer: Definitely no. Super glue will not only fail to repair your benchtop, it could damage the stone further and will not hide the original damage in even a best case scenario.
If one side of the cracked benchtop has sunk or dropped, then it will need to be lifted and kept in place with a clamp while it is being repaired. Additional reinforcement and support might be provided to ensure the benchtop does not tilt again or put too much strain on the repaired crack.
Burnt Laminated Benchtop. What Would You Do?
If additional reinforcement is needed, the repairers will make sure it is not visible but rather contained underneath or within the benchtop (depending on your specific kitchen).
Professionally supplied and installed stone benchtops all come sealed for resistance against stains from food or liquid spills. Overly acidic foods can still cause a stain if left unattended for too long.
Discolouration can also occur to stone benchtops that are not properly maintained and cared for over a long period of time. The use of harsh chemical cleaners or acidic detergents can cause more harm than good and shouldn’t be used for getting rid of stains.
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Burn marks can happen to a stone table if a very hot pot or pan is placed directly on the benchtop. While unsightly and damaging, most burn marks can still be removed and the benchtop restored by a professional.
Using a combination of stain removal polish and cleaner, as well as specialist sandpaper, benchtop repairers can often remove burn marks and have your benchtop looking just about as good as new.
If a piece of your stone benchtop does break off, try to find and store any of the pieces you find. Small chips can be fixed with as closely a colour-matched epoxy resin as possible, but the best way to restore large breakages or chips is by reconnecting the different pieces instead of having to source new stone that matches the benchtop you have.
My Sink Is Falling Out Of My Granite Benchtop
That’s an overview for how stone benchtops are repaired, but the truth is that though there are plenty of detailed DIY instructions online, the most reliable and long-lasting way to repair stone is to get the professionals to do it. ESPECIALLY if the damage is extensive or left unattended for a long time.
We’d be happy to take a close inspection of your benchtop and walk you through all of the repair options available. Just give the Euro Marble team a call today.
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How To Recoat Timber Benchtops
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