My new (1 yr old) formica counter top is seperating along the brown
seam line. The seam line is on the top of the backsplash, - where the
upright or vertical backsplash meets a finish strip of formica laid
across the top of the backsplash.

The seam is opening up, apparently from water, and I'd like to know how
to seal it to prevent any further damage. I don't see how it could be
squeeezed back together again, unless it was removed and then put in
glue clamps, which is a lot of work. A backsplash should not be so
easily affected by water.

Thanks for your help.

marybeth wrote:
My new (1 yr old) formica counter top is seperating along the brown
seam line. The seam line is on the top of the backsplash, - where the
upright or vertical backsplash meets a finish strip of formica laid
across the top of the backsplash.

The seam is opening up, apparently from water, and I'd like to know how
to seal it to prevent any further damage. I don't see how it could be
squeeezed back together again, unless it was removed and then put in
glue clamps, which is a lot of work. A backsplash should not be so
easily affected by water.

Thanks for your help.

Heavy duty Liquid Nails and something heavy on top of it while it
cures. A weight, or dumbell, etc.

marybeth wrote:
My new (1 yr old) formica counter top is seperating along the brown
seam line. The seam line is on the top of the backsplash, - where
the upright or vertical backsplash meets a finish strip of formica
laid across the top of the backsplash.

The seam is opening up, apparently from water, and I'd like to know
how to seal it to prevent any further damage. I don't see how it
could be squeeezed back together again, unless it was removed and
then put in glue clamps, which is a lot of work. A backsplash should
not be so easily affected by water.

Thanks for your help.

Rig something to apply pressure while the glue sets. Me, I'd use a 2x4
(maybe more than one) from an opposite wall and a couple of shims. Maybe
some supports to hold up the 20-foot long 2x4 concoction. It only has to
work for an hour or so.

Suppose the opposite wall is ten feet away. Two 2x4s, held together by a
couple of C-Clamps can give you the length need to bridge the glue-area to
the opposite wall.

marybeth wrote:

My new (1 yr old) formica counter top is seperating along the brown
seam line. The seam line is on the top of the backsplash, - where the
upright or vertical backsplash meets a finish strip of formica laid
across the top of the backsplash.

The seam is opening up, apparently from water, and I'd like to know how
to seal it to prevent any further damage. I don't see how it could be
squeeezed back together again, unless it was removed and then put in
glue clamps, which is a lot of work. A backsplash should not be so
easily affected by water.

Thanks for your help.

Probably should run a thin line of silicone caulk on the seam, or keep
water off of it. I have the same problem with a very old counter in
bathroom. I painted the exposed particle board and put sil. caulk over
it. It doesn't seem to take much water to start particle board
expanding, so no seam should be allowed lengthy standing water. I used
to have a kitchen countertop that sloped ever so slightly lower toward
the back, so that spills could run and collect under stuff standing on
the back of the counter. Eventually caused the mitered seam on the
corner to start bulging.

On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 12:44:25 -0600, "HeyBub"
wrote:

marybeth wrote:
My new (1 yr old) formica counter top is seperating along the brown
seam line. The seam line is on the top of the backsplash, - where
the upright or vertical backsplash meets a finish strip of formica
laid across the top of the backsplash.

The seam is opening up, apparently from water, and I'd like to know
how to seal it to prevent any further damage. I don't see how it
could be squeeezed back together again, unless it was removed and
then put in glue clamps, which is a lot of work. A backsplash should
not be so easily affected by water.

Thanks for your help.

Rig something to apply pressure while the glue sets. Me, I'd use a 2x4
(maybe more than one) from an opposite wall and a couple of shims. Maybe
some supports to hold up the 20-foot long 2x4 concoction. It only has to
work for an hour or so.

Suppose the opposite wall is ten feet away. Two 2x4s, held together by a
couple of C-Clamps can give you the length need to bridge the glue-area to
the opposite wall.


If you've got C clamps, why not clamp one of the boards to the
fron lip of the counter, and thus avoid having 2x4s across your
room? Out of curiosity, is the substrate under the formica
plywood, press-board, or wood?

marybeth wrote:
snip
A backsplash should not be so
easily affected by water.

Thanks for your help.

You are quite right. However, most Formica is bonded to 'crumble board'
and once water damage occurs, no amount of gluing will save your
counter top. Odds are you need to shop for a replacement and soon.
If your budget is adequate, consider having a cabinet shop make you a
new countertop. If you ask them to use a high quality plywood it will
last for many years. This is typically how commercial installations are
done. One advantage is that the whole top is far more dimensionally
stable so unusual designs (and heavy sinks) can be accommodated with no
worries about butt seams springing leaks. HTH

Joe