I need to install a small section of counter top in a corner. This is
in a house about an hour away from my workshop. My plan was to buy an
off the shelf section at Loews, cut it to fit, bring it up and install
it. I thought I would take all the measurements, then cut the straight
piece I buy at a 45 (or whatever angle it works out to as it is an old
house) and then bring it up and install it. Can you cut this stuff
with a table saw or will the laminate chip off? I can't see any other
way of doing it as it has the back splash on it.

-Jim

You can use a table saw, just get a laminate cutting blade (yes it is a
special blade).

S

"jtpr" wrote in message
oups.com...
I need to install a small section of counter top in a corner. This is
in a house about an hour away from my workshop. My plan was to buy an
off the shelf section at Loews, cut it to fit, bring it up and install
it. I thought I would take all the measurements, then cut the straight
piece I buy at a 45 (or whatever angle it works out to as it is an old
house) and then bring it up and install it. Can you cut this stuff
with a table saw or will the laminate chip off? I can't see any other
way of doing it as it has the back splash on it.

-Jim

*And* be sure the line you're planning on cutting is free of staples
(especially since you mentioned the backsplash). They work wonders on your
brand spanky new laminate blade.

jc

"mrsgator88" wrote in message
t...
You can use a table saw, just get a laminate cutting blade (yes it is a
special blade).

S

"jtpr" wrote in message
oups.com...
I need to install a small section of counter top in a corner. This is
in a house about an hour away from my workshop. My plan was to buy an
off the shelf section at Loews, cut it to fit, bring it up and install
it. I thought I would take all the measurements, then cut the straight
piece I buy at a 45 (or whatever angle it works out to as it is an old
house) and then bring it up and install it. Can you cut this stuff
with a table saw or will the laminate chip off? I can't see any other
way of doing it as it has the back splash on it.

-Jim

You may want to consider purchasing two pieces that are already cut to 45
degree.
The straight cuts are much easier to make.
Most home centers sell it this way.
You can buy matching end caps to finish the ends.

You can use a circular saw wilth a fine carbide blade cutting from the back
side.
Do a test cut on a waste end with the blade you have.
Purchase a fine tooth if you need to.

I set the blade to cut through the material by just 1/4".
Make a straight edge by cutting two pieces of 1" x 6" material, one the
width of the counter top and one the width of the backsplash.

Screw the two pieces together making a 90 degree angle. |________

Screw the straight edge to the back side of the counter top and
backsplash.(don't screw throught the top)
Offset the straight edge by the distance from the saw plate to your blade.
Cut the top following the straight edge.

You can make the counter fit the angle in the house by scribing it.
Place the assembled counter top in place
Using a compass, scribe along the wall marking the backsplash overhang.
Use a belt sander to sand to your line.
Hold the sander at an angle so that the formica edge protrudes and makes
contact with the wall.

Done it many times, hope it works for you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"jtpr" wrote in message
oups.com...
I need to install a small section of counter top in a corner. This is
in a house about an hour away from my workshop. My plan was to buy an
off the shelf section at Loews, cut it to fit, bring it up and install
it. I thought I would take all the measurements, then cut the straight
piece I buy at a 45 (or whatever angle it works out to as it is an old
house) and then bring it up and install it. Can you cut this stuff
with a table saw or will the laminate chip off? I can't see any other
way of doing it as it has the back splash on it.

-Jim

Do what Tom said.

"You may want to consider purchasing two pieces that are already cut to
45
degree.
The straight cuts are much easier to make.
Most home centers sell it this way.
You can buy matching end caps to finish the ends....snip"

Tom,

Thank you for all the info, it will make life a lot easier.

In rec.woodworking jtpr wrote:
: I need to install a small section of counter top in a corner. This is
: in a house about an hour away from my workshop. My plan was to buy an
: off the shelf section at Loews, cut it to fit, bring it up and install
: it. I thought I would take all the measurements, then cut the straight
: piece I buy at a 45 (or whatever angle it works out to as it is an old
: house) and then bring it up and install it. Can you cut this stuff
: with a table saw or will the laminate chip off? I can't see any other
: way of doing it as it has the back splash on it.



Unless you have a nice big sliding table I wouldn't try this on a TS.
A circular saw would work better -- flip the countertop
over so the laminate side is underneath. You'll have to do it in two
gos -- once for the main counter, once for the backsplash.
I recommend cutting the backspash first. You can attach a jig to the back of the
countertop & backspash to guide the saw.

-- Andy Barss

All the other advice is good- I'd only add this bit:

If you're mating 45* angles, which is how I read it, it's a good idea
to use biscuts or splines all along the joint. It'd save you a lot of
trouble when it comes to installing, especially if the tops of the
cabinets are out of plane at all.

If you have the option, you might want to rough cut it a little
oversized, and then sand down to your mark with a belt sander or use a
router to make the final pass. I've never chipped it with the router
or sander, but I've done it with a saw, even with the laminate blade.

All the above comments seem quite helpful ... I would add my two bits
though.

I am no countertop expert; but, I did a countertop a few weeks ago.
What I did was to go to Home Depot and buy the tops with backsplashes
already cut at 45 degrees. I then took these tops to a professional
countertop shop and had them "tie" them together. They cut an
elaborate series of notches (3) along each edge and tied them together
with mechanical "clamps" after applying appropriate glue. These clamps
were on the underside, and were covered over with a 3/4 inch thick
piece of particleboard. This gave me a very secure joining of the two
pieces at the corner. I paid about $100 for the total work ... joining
of 4 separate pieces of countertop (two L-shapes. They came out just
perfect. Yes, the corners of my walls were pretty close to right
angles before I started. In my case the expense was well worth it.

Bob

On Tue, 16 May 2006 13:29:19 GMT, "Tom H" wrote:

You may want to consider purchasing two pieces that are already cut to 45
degree.

Unless his walls are unusually square he may find that the precut 45s
won't fit his corner properly.


Greg Guarino

Thus the recommendation to scribe and sand.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Greg Guarino" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 16 May 2006 13:29:19 GMT, "Tom H" wrote:

You may want to consider purchasing two pieces that are already cut to 45
degree.

Unless his walls are unusually square he may find that the precut 45s
won't fit his corner properly.


Greg Guarino

I wouldn't use biscuts or splines in particle board.
If you buy with 45 degree cuts they should have the notches on the underside
to bolt them together.
Home centers sell the bolts.
I always put caulk between the joints to keep water out.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
wrote in message
ups.com...
All the other advice is good- I'd only add this bit:

If you're mating 45* angles, which is how I read it, it's a good idea
to use biscuts or splines all along the joint. It'd save you a lot of
trouble when it comes to installing, especially if the tops of the
cabinets are out of plane at all.

If you have the option, you might want to rough cut it a little
oversized, and then sand down to your mark with a belt sander or use a
router to make the final pass. I've never chipped it with the router
or sander, but I've done it with a saw, even with the laminate blade.

On Wed, 17 May 2006 15:06:32 GMT, "Tom H" wrote:

Thus the recommendation to scribe and sand.

I'm perfectly willing to bow to greater experience. Here's my logic.
You can tell me where itr's wrong.

I'm familiar with the concept of scribing to deal with a wall that's
not straight. I even did it once at home. But this is not a matter
of waviness. I dusted off some very old Trig brain cells just now.
Suppose the wall angle is 89 degrees. I calculate that this would make
the 90 degree corner of two 60" countertops sit away from the wall by
almost .4" (note the decimal point). 88 degrees would make it .7".
It's late and I haven't rechecked my math, but it feels about right.

Are those reasonable amounts to make up via scribing and sanding? I'm
mostly thinking about what the top of the backsplash would look like.

Greg Guarino

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Greg Guarino" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 16 May 2006 13:29:19 GMT, "Tom H" wrote:

You may want to consider purchasing two pieces that are already cut to 45
degree.

Unless his walls are unusually square he may find that the precut 45s
won't fit his corner properly.


Greg Guarino