Installation and design of countertops
While, Satoshi Yamauchi Woodworks does not offer installation services of wood countertops, there are a few things you should check with your installer. We as manufacturers of wood counters, on a few occasions found that homeowners and contractors forget to check and consider the following points:
– When should we decide on the size of the countertop?
We like to make sure that whatever we are making is made to the correct spec. That means it’s best to take measurements once the area is ready for installation (the area where the countertop will be installed). That could mean once the walls are up, once the island kitchen cabinets are installed, or once the old countertop is taken out. It all depends on your situation.
– Please consider wood movement. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
Most contractors are aware of wood movement. However some may not be so familiar. If they are not aware of wood movement or you are in doubt, please let the contractor become aware that wood will move over time in different environments and ask to take certain precautions. This means using large mount holes with screws + washers, allowing air flow on the bottom side too (do not place wood counter over a solid surface which may prevent air flow), and avoiding glueing down the countertop to a substrate. If the wood countertop is installed in a way that wood movement is restricted, you may end up with a cracked countertop, which is the last thing you want.
– What is the installation method?
Each environment is different. Please consult your contractor to determine the best installation method that would work in your situation. Certain installation method may or may not affect the design or fabrication of the countertop. That is precisely why it is important that the installation method is determined by a professional installer, PRIOR to fabrication. If you are replacing an old countertop with a new wood countertop, installer may want to demo the existing countertop to see what’s underneath it to determine the best installation method. We would be happy to go over the project with your contractor too.
– If the installer decides that metal mounting brackets are necessary for the install, will the brackets be visible?
Some brackets are pretty thick or you may have a bar height counter which could make the brackets visible to the viewer. You may prefer for the support brackets to be sitting flush to the bottom of the counter (notched into the counter). It would be good to ask ask whether your installer would take of this notching (every installer is different). If the installer prefers to the fabricator to notch out the back of the wood, as long as the exact location of the support bracket is decided (precise measurement required). We can router out the support bracket attachment areas as long as the exact locations are specified.
– Will the contractor take out and dispose the old counter?
If you are replacing an old countertop and requiring for a new countertop to be installed, often what homeowners forget is to price out “demo” and “disposal”.
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