These tops were built for a clients dining room . The base cabinets are Hickory and were existing , just the veneer Hickory tops had failed.
The right side was just under 15' and the Left side was at 13' , so I designed and chose a method to allow some movement and be realistic on how long a board I can seam and handle .
I did get a few 13' pieces of Walnut for the back splash , but still had to splice the one side .
They wanted durability so I applied a Post Cat Satin Clear finish that layed out like silk on that Walnut .
thanks for looking
Viewer Comments:
Geoff, I needed to unify the sections as one and decided to run a continuous edge band all the way around. End grain was not in the design this time , sorry.
You disregarded most of that good advice you got on how to build these things! You've asked for trouble with the mitered frame around the breadboards. That's a lot of cabinets in a dining room, I don't have half that many in my kitchen. They look good, for now.
Jason , there are many ways to do things , the edge banding is long grain to long grain and the main panels have space to move without disturbing the ends. The cabinets were existing and not made by me . Sounds like you need some cabinetry in your kitchen .
I really like the countertops. I'm doing the same in my kitchen. I must however agree with Jason. There's a chance that those mitres will fail due to wood movement. Are those bread board ends and transition peice glued solid? Your taking a chance when you edge band solid wood. Just my two cents... They look real nice.
Mike , the end and transition pieces are 3 1/2" wide .Here in S.W. Oregon we have little humidity to begin with so we can get away with more .These tops would not do well in Florida but I'll bet my bottom dollar these will have little or no ill effects from movement here .
There are splines glued into the long grain but floating in the end grain but attached with screws from the end grain to the splined pieces with elongated holes to allow it to move .I have banded solid ends up to 24" and honestly have never had a failure due to movement .The edge band across the front and ends are glued solid .My guess the 3 1/2" piece of Walnut could move 1/32nd + or - .The main panels can grow by about 3/8" as space was left to move to the back wall and the tops are only screwed down across the front edge and the back splash will cover any movement.Thanks for looking
no...sorry you wouldnt even get away with that in arizona.looks great now,but it will fail.countertops shouldnt even have the breadboard ends im guessing that will fail as well
Show me how you would make those two 13 foot long tops .Your making an estimated guess ,mine is based on what you see .
ok. i would have first of all used quartersawn material.then i would have made it into 1/4 thick veneers .glued it onto a stable substrate.would have finger jointed the (grain matched material) at the ends to allow for length.told the client they needed end grain to minimize stress and wood movement.i would have mitered the tops together instead of a butt joint to have more glue surface area while using rail bolts to atach them together.as a side not if you used veneer and a good subsrait you might have gotten away with the mitered edge banding.it wasnt an estimated guess it was a life lesson that i have learned through trial and alot of errors and i mean alot of errors.sorry if i ofended but i hate to see some one waste good walnut
How exactly did you apply the end pieces, before the edge banding? What was the moisture content of the Walnut? If you don't mind me asking.
I think you'll be fine. They look good man. As long as the temperature is well controlled in the house
Collin , It has been 5 years since the tops were built and installed .I saw them about a year ago and they looked unchanged .
The temp is maintained .thanks for looking
