A kitchen Worktop is one of the most used components in any kitchen, and if you’re looking for a helpful guide on How to Repair a Swollen Worktop Joint, you have come to the right place.
Usually, the most common reason a worktop joint can get swollen is due to water damage. Furthermore, worktops near your sinks are at risk of being in contact with water easily, so they are much more prone to Water Damage.
Best Kitchen Worktops
Investing in the right worktop for your kitchen is crucial as it is one of the most hardwearing areas in the entire kitchen space.
Depending on your budget, you’ll be able to find worktops made from various materials in different price ranges. The most popular and common materials for kitchen worktops are- Solid Wood, Granite, Laminate, Glass, Quartz, Stainless Steel, and composite stone.
Solid Timber Worktop is one of the most common material styles of Kitchen Countertops. Having your kitchen countertop made with Solid Timber would make it look classy and organic while being durable. However, timber worktops are also at high risk of getting water damage.
On the other hand, a Quartz worktop will be more exquisite and look sparkly. Furthermore, a Quartz worktop would be easier to clean while being stain and scratch resistant at the same time. However, a Quartz worktop would also cost more than a Solid Timber one.
How to Repair a Swollen Worktop Joint
If your kitchen worktop joints are swollen, it’s likely due to water damage, and the worktops near and around your sink are at high risk. While repairing your damaged worktop joints, you can also try removing the water stains, as they would make your newly restored worktop look bad.
So let’s look at the steps for repairing swollen cabinets
- Firstly, you must remove your sink; since your worktop is swollen around the sink area. While removing your sink, be careful not to damage the laminate of your worktop any further.
- Remove the damaged plastic laminate from the wood. For this step, you’ll need a few flat-headed screwdrivers. Use one screwdriver between the laminate and the wood, and follow up by prying a second screwdriver beside.
You need to follow this step until the entire thing comes off. Make sure you’re careful and do not move too fast since plastic laminate is delicate and can break easily.
- Use a grease pencil to mark the swollen joints and parts of your worktop after removing your sink. You need to mark both ends of the parts and use a straightedge to check if you marked the right spot.
After using straightedge to ensure the grease pencil marks are on the right spot, you
need to shift the mark on the inner side of your worktop, where your sink used to be.
- Then you need to use a wood-cutting blade and an oscillating tool to cut across the marked section of the worktop. Cut the area parallel to the swollen surface, about one-fourth inch in height.
- While cutting you need to make sure the cut is as straight as possible, and do not tilt the blade upwards, as there is risk of the blade going through the top of the worktop. Only cut as deep as the bulge of the swollen parts.
- The next step is to clamp down the bulge of the swollen parts of the worktop. Depending on the width of the swollen area, you might need multiple clamps.
- Once you’re done clamping down the bulge of the swollen parts of the worktop, place painter’s tape on it, get gorilla glue, and use water to activate it.
- Put a little water inside your marked section and add some glue. Use Putty knife to settle the bond inside.
- Use your straightedge and clamp to tighten the slot, follow-up by wiping away the excess gorilla glue.
For the glue to settle in, you must leave the clamp and straightedge on the affected for a couple of hours. Once the glue is set in, you can remove the painter’s tape and reattach your sink.
Getting Water Stains Out of Your Worktop
Besides knowing how to repair a swollen worktop joint, knowledge of fixing water stains would help since the risk of stains is much higher than swollen worktop.
Besides causing your worktop to get swollen, water damage can also have stains on the surface of your worktop. Stains can be of two types- surface stains and deep stains.
Surface stains are relatively easy to get off. If the stain on your worktop is white-colored, they are surface stains. You need to rub a pad of wire wool with lemon oil on the stained surface of the worktop to get them off.
For deep stains, you need to take the following steps:
Sanding- Use sandpaper to sand the finish of your countertop in the direction of the grain. Use this using light pressure, as extra pressure might damage the finish.
Bleaching- After sanding, blot some bleach on it; you must keep repeating this until the stain is completely removed. If the stain is too deep, you might need to leave the bleach overnight for optimum results.
Cleaning- After sanding and bleaching, you need to clean the surface for the final touch. Wait for your worktop to dry correctly, and then use food-safe oil on the surface.
Can laminate worktops be repaired?
Yes, laminate worktop joints can be repaired, but the process is entirely different from repairing wooden worktops. You need to use a laminate repair paste for the job while ensuring the paste is right for your worktop (high-gloss or textured).
Can you repair a blown worktop joint?
You can repair a blown worktop joint, but it would take an expert hand and would require you to cut it short. However, repairing a blown worktop joint is temporary, and it would be optimal just to get a new one.
Final Thought
Water Damage can cause your worktop joint to get swollen; it just takes some work to fix it. The alternative is to get a new worktop, which can be expensive. However, if your countertop is made of stainless steel, granite, or quartz, the risk of water damage goes down tenfold.
If you follow our guide correctly, now you know how to repair a swollen worktop joint properly, to prevent it from happening again you just have to be extra careful about water damage.
