Installing a kitchen worktop: complete installation, measurements and cutting
Fitting a worktop is the step that turns a kitchen into a real kitchen. It is also the one that intimidates beginners most, because of the cuts at wall corners and the sink cut-out. Yet with precise measurements, the right tools and a little method, an attentive DIYer can achieve a result worthy of a kitchen fitter in one day. The essential thing is never to measure too short: it is always better for the worktop to rub slightly than to leave an unsightly gap.
Choosing the right material
- Laminate: the most common, from 25 to 60 euros per linear metre, easy to cut but fragile to impacts on the edges
- Solid wood (beech, oak, bamboo): warm, from 40 to 120 euros per metre, needs oiling or regular finishing
- Composite or resin: robust and waterproof, from 60 to 150 euros per metre, can be planed like wood
- Stainless steel: very heat-resistant, from 100 to 250 euros per metre, suited to professional kitchens
- Quartz or stone: the most premium, often fitted by a professional because of the weight and the cutting
For a first purchase, laminate offers the best balance between price, ease of cutting and finish. Worktops sold in shops are generally delivered in standard lengths (2, 3 or 4 metres): you cut them to the exact size at home. Solid wood is more attractive but requires regular maintenance and a more careful cut to avoid the fibres splintering. If your budget allows, composite offers flawless watertightness at the joints.
Taking the measurements before anything else
Take all your measurements with a tape measure and note them on paper, several times. Measure the length of the cabinet or the space between the two walls at three different heights: walls are never perfectly plumb and you will keep the shortest measurement. Then think about the return of the worktop against a perpendicular wall, the sink cut-out and the space for the hob. Always leave an overhang of about 1.5 to 2 cm on the front of the cabinet for a clean finish, and think carefully about the exact position of the sink before cutting anything.
The necessary tools
- Jigsaw with fine-tooth wood blades, ideally laminate-specific
- Tape measure, square, level and soft-lead pencil
- Drill-driver, wood screws and a joint paste or neutral silicone sealant
- Fine sandpaper and a file to deburr the cut edges
- Dust mask, safety glasses and protective gloves
- Battens or spacers to support the worktop while gluing
Fitting and fixing the worktop
- Check the level of the cabinets and adjust their feet if necessary before any fitting.
- Lay the worktop on the cabinets and check the uniform overhang, leaving it to protrude 1.5 to 2 cm at the front.
- Mark with a pencil the area to cut for the sink and the hob, transferring your measurements precisely.
- Cut the cut-outs with the jigsaw following the line, starting from a pilot hole drilled with a drill bit.
- Apply adhesive or sealant to the top edge of the cabinets before fitting the worktop.
- Fix the worktop from inside the cabinets with L-brackets or angled screws, without going through the surface.
- Fit the hob and the sink, then apply a silicone seal at the backsplash and the walls.
Joining two worktops
On a length over 3 metres or around a corner, you will need to join two pieces of worktop. For a corner join, use the metal joining plates supplied with the worktops, or specific L-brackets, pulling the two panels tightly together. Always place the hob on the preparation side to avoid cutting the worktop in two under a fragile element. Once the join is made, apply a bead of silicone sealant along the joint and smooth it with your finger.
The mistakes to avoid
- Measuring only once and cutting short: the most costly mistake, because a too-short worktop is unusable
- Forgetting to drill a pilot hole before cutting the sink opening, which splinters the laminate
- Fitting an unsealed worktop near a sink, which causes the board to swell
- Tightening the screws to the point of making the worktop surface bulge
- Neglecting the level of the cabinets, which causes sloping surfaces and joints that crack
Installing a kitchen worktop represents a significant saving compared with a kitchen fitter, and the result is often better if you take your time on the measurements and the cutting. Allow half a day's work for a straight worktop with no return, and a full day with a corner. If your worktop is stone or quartz, or if your kitchen has several returns and complex corners, do not hesitate to call in a professional: cutting these materials requires specialist tools and a mistake is paid for at a high price.