Solid wood kitchen worktops area a great addition to any kitchen, but it is important to know how to look after your worktop for it to last. In this article, we will be taking a look at how a solid wood upstand can not only complete the look of your kitchen, but also resist moisture and help reduce grime and dirt marring the quality of your solid wood worktop.
What does a wood upstand do?
Kitchen upstands run along the back of the kitchen worktops where the wood work surface meets the kitchen wall. It provides a neat way to hide the gap between the wall and the end of the square edged worktop required for the wood to expand and also hides any unevenness between the worktop and the wall.
Common Worktop Problems
One of the common issues with upstands for both joiners and DIYers is the risk of trapped moisture, which over time will lead to mould and an undesirable black line along the bottom of the upstand. Traditional methods of installation is to use silicone where the worktop meets the upstand. Although simple, this method is prone to water damage – especially if the glue is not waterproof.
Alternative Ways of Fitting an Upstand
Basically, you are trying to create the best seal possible between the solid wood worktop and your wood upstand. The following techniques will help achieve this!
First of all, make sure you use a completely waterproof glue to join the wood worktop to the upstand and also cramp them together to create a tight seal. The traditional method of simply gluing the upstand on top of the worktop is therefore not the best method even though it appears to be the easiest.
Secondly, sink the upstand into the edge of the work surface (see fig. 1) to create an even tighter seal. The join will fit much more securely than if you stuck the edge of the upstand onto the top of the wood worktop.
Finally, to stop any water retention in the join, fit a rounded or triangular fillet so the water does not get trapped.
Fig. 1: Sink the Upstand
Done properly, an upstand can make any kitchen worktop look amazing and blend into the rest of the room much easier. However, you need to plan ahead when using wood worktops in a kitchen environment – remember that wood and water generally do not mix very well. Consult your joiner or kitchen fitter and ask them how they are going to ensure a tight fitting solid wood kitchen worktop.
