Thanks everyone for advice on glues etc for various purposes.

(b.t.w. the water getting to the underneath of the old worktop was not
all through bad seals, though some probably was - some of it was at the
front, e.g. if overenthusiastic washing-up (not by me :-) led to water
trickling off the front of the worktop. & of course once the chipboard
has started to deteriorate, it sucks up every drop - this is the main
thing I want to "head off at the pass" by varnishing the underneath)

--
Jennifer * * * * original music: www.single-bass.co.uk *
* * everything else: www.uncharted-worlds.org *
* * * * * * intuition . imagination . integrity *
* * * * * * * * * love counts more than gender *