We've just had a new kitchen installed in our extension. The worktop is
a speckled black laminate (Duropal). After just a few days I'm already
regretting a dark colour - it's impossible to clean as it shows every
smear from every wipe and every crumb.

More worryingly, there appear to be areas where the finish is "dull"
(even though it's not a gloss finish), an effect like I'd expect you'd
get if it were rubbed with wire wool. I have tried good old elbow
grease and a few kitchen cleaners (Mr Muscle, Bar keepers Friend etc)
to no avail. I also tried some EvoStick glue remover, thinking it may
be some kind of residue, but still no joy.

Does anyone have any tips before I either accuse the fitter (who was a
disgrace) of damaging it, or challenge the supplier suggesting it may
have a manufacturing fault?

wrote:
We've just had a new kitchen installed in our extension. The worktop
is a speckled black laminate (Duropal). After just a few days I'm
already regretting a dark colour - it's impossible to clean as it
shows every smear from every wipe and every crumb.

More worryingly, there appear to be areas where the finish is "dull"
(even though it's not a gloss finish), an effect like I'd expect you'd
get if it were rubbed with wire wool. I have tried good old elbow
grease and a few kitchen cleaners (Mr Muscle, Bar keepers Friend etc)
to no avail. I also tried some EvoStick glue remover, thinking it may
be some kind of residue, but still no joy.

Does anyone have any tips before I either accuse the fitter (who was a
disgrace) of damaging it, or challenge the supplier suggesting it may
have a manufacturing fault?

Send the manufacturer or place of purchase an email/snail mail for a rep of
the firm to make a visit to your home,informing them your not happy with
the worktop and how its performing in the cleaning side.
You cant blame the fitter as the surface his not down to his
(alledged)incompetance.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

The message k
from "The3rd Earl Of Derby" contains these words:

You cant blame the fitter as the surface his not down to his
(alledged)incompetance.

Unless the fitter made a mess of it and used something like Vim to get
rid of the mark.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Guy King wrote:
The message k
from "The3rd Earl Of Derby" contains these words:

You cant blame the fitter as the surface his not down to his
(alledged)incompetance.

Unless the fitter made a mess of it and used something like Vim to get
rid of the mark.


I'd try white spirit or, failing that, meths. Wipe on with clean tissue
and see if anything is coming off. A lot of cleaning products contain
chalk or phosphates, both of which can leave a haze on coloured surfaces.
Anything that removes contact adhesive will probably have a strong
solvent, which may attack the surface.

wrote:
We've just had a new kitchen installed in our extension. The worktop is
a speckled black laminate (Duropal). After just a few days I'm already
regretting a dark colour - it's impossible to clean as it shows every
smear from every wipe and every crumb.

More worryingly, there appear to be areas where the finish is "dull"
(even though it's not a gloss finish), an effect like I'd expect you'd
get if it were rubbed with wire wool. I have tried good old elbow
grease and a few kitchen cleaners (Mr Muscle, Bar keepers Friend etc)
to no avail. I also tried some EvoStick glue remover, thinking it may
be some kind of residue, but still no joy.

Does anyone have any tips before I either accuse the fitter (who was a
disgrace) of damaging it, or challenge the supplier suggesting it may
have a manufacturing fault?

The supplier is likely to say that it wasn't damaged when it left their
premises, I would be astounded if they said otherwise. I don't know what the
fitter will say but he is unlikely to admit to causing damage. Without any
evidence of who caused the damage you may need to cut your losses and
arrange replacement with a lighter colour that doesn't smear or show crumbs.

Phil Anthropist wrote:


The supplier is likely to say that it wasn't damaged when it left their
premises, I would be astounded if they said otherwise. I don't know what the
fitter will say but he is unlikely to admit to causing damage. Without any
evidence of who caused the damage you may need to cut your losses and
arrange replacement with a lighter colour that doesn't smear or show crumbs.

Thanks all. I've tried all the above, except meths. My feeling is that
it was the fitter. He's made an awful job. I told him off one night for
scratching the top - there are some deep gouges - which he caused by
putting his electric cutting machinary directly on the work surface.
Would you believe, he used it as his workbench, unprotected. I have a
feeling he may have tried, and spectacularly failed, to remove some of
the scratches.

Replacing it is waaay beyond our means. Now if only there was a way to
restore the "glaze"...which I don't suppose there is?

It has rather taken the shine off our new kitchen (can't believe I'm
joking about it!)

The message . com
from contains these words:

It has rather taken the shine off our new kitchen (can't believe I'm
joking about it!)

What's the option? The cat's probably learned not to hang around for a
kicking!

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

wrote:

Thanks all. I've tried all the above, except meths. My feeling is that
it was the fitter. He's made an awful job. I told him off one night for
scratching the top - there are some deep gouges - which he caused by
putting his electric cutting machinary directly on the work surface.
Would you believe, he used it as his workbench, unprotected. I have a
feeling he may have tried, and spectacularly failed, to remove some of
the scratches.

Replacing it is waaay beyond our means. Now if only there was a way to
restore the "glaze"...which I don't suppose there is?

Brasso will polish out fine scratches. I have used 400 grade
wet-and-dry sandpaper lubricated with water, to get rid of deep
scratches. But you'd have to be careful not to cut right through the
patterned layer on top of the laminate, as it will be a different
colour underneath.

On 2006-09-05 13:09:01 +0100, said:

We've just had a new kitchen installed in our extension. The worktop is
a speckled black laminate (Duropal). After just a few days I'm already
regretting a dark colour - it's impossible to clean as it shows every
smear from every wipe and every crumb.

More worryingly, there appear to be areas where the finish is "dull"
(even though it's not a gloss finish), an effect like I'd expect you'd
get if it were rubbed with wire wool. I have tried good old elbow
grease and a few kitchen cleaners (Mr Muscle, Bar keepers Friend etc)
to no avail. I also tried some EvoStick glue remover, thinking it may
be some kind of residue, but still no joy.

Does anyone have any tips before I either accuse the fitter (who was a
disgrace) of damaging it, or challenge the supplier suggesting it may
have a manufacturing fault?

Have you paid? All of it? Did you pay by credit card?

If you haven't, then the discussion is with the supplier of the worktop
and perhaps the fitter.

If you have, then it is with them plus the credit card company.

You've paid for a pristine new worktop and should not have to be
messing around to achieve what should have been delivered in the first
place.

I would suggest writing to both parties (letter by special delivery
requiring signature) and say that the result is unacceptable and ask
what they propose to do. There is no need to make accusations.
Certainly it would be unwise to say that you have attempted to clean it.

On 2006-09-05 19:07:03 +0100, said:


Phil Anthropist wrote:


The supplier is likely to say that it wasn't damaged when it left their
premises, I would be astounded if they said otherwise. I don't know what the
fitter will say but he is unlikely to admit to causing damage. Without any
evidence of who caused the damage you may need to cut your losses and
arrange replacement with a lighter colour that doesn't smear or show crumbs.

Thanks all. I've tried all the above, except meths. My feeling is that
it was the fitter. He's made an awful job. I told him off one night for
scratching the top - there are some deep gouges - which he caused by
putting his electric cutting machinary directly on the work surface.
Would you believe, he used it as his workbench, unprotected. I have a
feeling he may have tried, and spectacularly failed, to remove some of
the scratches.

Replacing it is waaay beyond our means. Now if only there was a way to
restore the "glaze"...which I don't suppose there is?

It has rather taken the shine off our new kitchen (can't believe I'm
joking about it!)


This is unacceptable. You should not have to do any of it. If you
are certain that the fitter did some of the damage, take some good
quality photos and forward them to him with a covering letter asking
how he proposes to address the problem.

Tell him that if that involves replacement of the worktop, then that is
what he will have to do at his cost.
Also, I suggest that you don't allow it to drag on. Put a time limit
of 14 days for a response and indicate that you will take further
action if the matter isn't addressed.

If nothing is forthcoming then the action would be to withhold payment
until he does fix the problem. If you have already paid, then the next
action after non-performance would be to obtain an estimate for the
replacement of the worktop and send that to him indicating that there
will be a court action if necessary. That does not have to be a
complicated or expensive procedure either if the amount is under £5000.

wrote:

We've just had a new kitchen installed in our extension. The worktop is
a speckled black laminate (Duropal).

Duropal's quite decent, so it should be fixable. Which finish did you
get? The High Gloss or the Semi Matt ? The matt is tougher, but if
you ever do scratch it it's a nightmare to try and match the sheen
again. The gloss will buff out well from almost any damage, if you go
at it correctly. Treat it as a car paint job and rub it out with
something like T-cut (Brasso is a bit soft). If it's really bad, then
you might want a powered polisher and some proper compounds - talk to a
car paint place.

First of all though, get the fitter to 'fess up to what he did to it.
Name and shame too please - far too many careless crap kitchen fitters
in the business.

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2006-09-05 19:07:03 +0100, said:


Phil Anthropist wrote:


The supplier is likely to say that it wasn't damaged when it left their
premises, I would be astounded if they said otherwise. I don't know what the
fitter will say but he is unlikely to admit to causing damage. Without any
evidence of who caused the damage you may need to cut your losses and
arrange replacement with a lighter colour that doesn't smear or show crumbs.

Thanks all. I've tried all the above, except meths. My feeling is that
it was the fitter. He's made an awful job. I told him off one night for
scratching the top - there are some deep gouges - which he caused by
putting his electric cutting machinary directly on the work surface.
Would you believe, he used it as his workbench, unprotected. I have a
feeling he may have tried, and spectacularly failed, to remove some of
the scratches.

Replacing it is waaay beyond our means. Now if only there was a way to
restore the "glaze"...which I don't suppose there is?

It has rather taken the shine off our new kitchen (can't believe I'm
joking about it!)


This is unacceptable. You should not have to do any of it. If you
are certain that the fitter did some of the damage, take some good
quality photos and forward them to him with a covering letter asking
how he proposes to address the problem.

Tell him that if that involves replacement of the worktop, then that is
what he will have to do at his cost.
Also, I suggest that you don't allow it to drag on. Put a time limit
of 14 days for a response and indicate that you will take further
action if the matter isn't addressed.

If nothing is forthcoming then the action would be to withhold payment
until he does fix the problem. If you have already paid, then the next
action after non-performance would be to obtain an estimate for the
replacement of the worktop and send that to him indicating that there
will be a court action if necessary. That does not have to be a
complicated or expensive procedure either if the amount is under £5000.


try https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco/index.jsp