My kitchen has a Corian countertop that I built and installed before it was required to take the course in order to buy materials and work with the stuff. My old cooktop has died and I have bought a new one that is overall 1/2″ – 3/4″ narrower than the old one. I would like to “shrink” the hole by 1/4″ on each side. I have scraps of Corian and assume that would be the best (most heat-proof and water-proof) way to do this, but I don’t know how to attach it. Suggestions?
Sue
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Replies
The same way you did the seams when you laid the original?
I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone,
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone;
I can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone,
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here. (Phil Ochs)
Unless things have changed, I can't buy the glue without being certified by Corian, and I'm not.
Actually anyone can buy Corian.In fact DuPont touts it for arts and crafts applications.It is that you are limited in sizes to small to be practical for counter tops unless you are a certified installer.
Here is a place that sells it in small sizes and also the adhesives.http://www.coriartspecialties.com/And many local fabricators also sell cutoffs and I suspect that many would also sell adhesive.Also if you google on -solid serface adhesives- you will find other sources.Also there are stainless steel (and probably other finish) trims are available exactly for this reason..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Hmmmm.... thanks. It would be the adhesive I need. I was hoping to do this tomorrow, but it may need to wait until I can get the "stuff." I thought I remembered there was some common adhesive that would do the just as well as the trade name product. This will not be visible - will lie under the lip of the cooktop. Sue
Back then, corian recommended just use silicone for seams. We have re-furbed alot of siliconed tops. Some that we installed long long ago. Nothing wrong with it, but they have developed a better system since then.
Edited 11/5/2009 8:50 pm ET by rnsykes
"sing silicone"? Is that a typo? Do you mean just silicone out of a caulk gun? I think I need this to be a little more firm. It's probably not necessary to be structural, but if I bother doing at all it should carry some of the weight of the cooktop. I see there's a Liquid nails for granite/marble/engineered stone. I don't know if I can find it locally, but how about that?
yeah, that was a typo. I don't recommend that at all. But back in the early days of corian, when sheets were 3/4" thick and weighed way too much, the tops were seamed with silicone. They eventually came out with the seaming adhesive that they use to make seamless tops.
A few things. seaming it in with corian adhesive would be best. You can buy it, but the adhesive comes in two part tubes. They require a very expensive dispenser. Not sure if they sell it to hobbyists any differently. If you can find an older shop, they may have some of the old style adhesive laying around. It used to come in two tubes that you would squirt into a bag, then clamp into a jitter bug sander to agitate them. Then you would squeeze it onto the tops by hand. It would go about 3 feet and then run out. Doing a 12' long top with that was alot of fun. Surprisingly this was how DuPont wanted you to do it. It sucked. But we still have some of that stuff laying around and everyone once in a while we'll pull some out and use it. If you could find some, that would be perfect for your application. The second thing is that around the cooktop, you should really have two layers (thickness). Unless you are using the older 3/4" corian. The newer cooktops radiate alot of heat, and the expansion and contraction often cracks the tops at the corners of the cut out. I'm not guaranteeing it, but it's just something to think about. It's a shame you aren't closer, we make alot of repairs like this.
This is 3/4" Corian. I know I did have some of their seam-filler/adhesive, but it would be probably 20 years old, and I assumed it wouldn't be any good. I'm not sure I could find it. Even if you were closer, I couldn't afford to pay someone else to do this. I really don't think the filler piece is all that important, but I want something there, at the very least so that the cooktop can't slide around in the opening. I thought I might as well do it right while I'm at it. Sue
I have at least one unused batch of seam fill, it's white if that matters. I doubt it has a shelf life.
I use it as filler for guitar inlay work, mixed with pearl dust.
You are welcome to it if you want. Email me where to send it.
It is the 2 part..I used to mix it by clamping on an orbital sander and vibrate for 45 seconds.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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Thats what I was talking about. I can remember going to DuPont for training when this stuff came out, and having them tell us to put it in the jitter-bug sander. They also though it was crazy to use pneumatic sanders.
Yeah. I did the schooling thing too. The biggest issue back then was guys not making inside corner cuts radiused and the tops would break there.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
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Thanks for the offer -- I'll check the basement first and see if I can find mine. I'd really like to get this done over the weekend so I can get the cooktop hooked up. How does the adhesive/sealer come now? I have friends at the lumberyard, and the yard does Corian fabrication. Does the sealer come in a delivery system such that they could give/sell me a little for this repair? and, yes, the cooktop will definitely cover the existing opening. I actually need to make the opening bigger front to back, so that will be the right size, it will just be about 1/2"-3/4" too wide overall. I don't like the idea of the cooktop just resting on a small bit of the edge. It would certainly be easier, though, if I didn't have to worry about that -- what do you guys think?
I dunno about the newer stuff. Probably automix nozzles.
hey, we have the same Bday, and I am from Pa orig. Whata coinky dink.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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If your cooktop is larger than the hole, I wouldn't worry about it. You can glue something to the underside to keep it locked in place, but the larger hole will allow more of the heat to dissipate before being absorbed by the top. But if the cooktop won't cover the hole, you really should repair it.
Is the seam goin to support the weight of the cook top & full pots of boiling water @ 8.33lbs per gallon?
Adhesives rarely like heat, & Corian doesn't like heat.
I have seen Corian sinks fall into the cabinet cause someone dumped a pot of boiling water into the sink.
I would dowel the piece to help support the weight, you could also use a biscuit joiner & make biscuits out of scrap Corian.
Edited 11/5/2009 9:35 pm ET by plumbbill
Gorilla glue will bond corian very well. I've used it a few dozen times in a pinch with good results.
If you have any doubts glue up 2 small pieces of scrap. Lightly dampen 1 piece, put glue on the other, clamp overnight. After it's dry beat the snot out of it with a hammer. The corian will crumble before the glue line breaks. buic
Edited 11/5/2009 10:30 pm ET by BUIC
I like the Gorilla glue idea. Also, I see there's a Liquid Nails for composite tops, but don't know if I can find that anywhere locally. Biscuiting sounds good, but on a 1/4" piece? I don't know about that.
If you are doing adding a 1/4 x 3/4" slice glue it. Then after the glue sets drill through it horizontially and put in a couple of screws.You can even tap it and muse machine screws..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
I can do that. I thought the metal screws might create a stress point, lead to cracking there? I also realized that I have room underneath, I think, so I could glue a bigger piece underneath the edge, overhanging a bit, then fill in the 1/4" with support below as well as edge to edge. Sue
Your concern about stress points is well founded, especially around a cutout.
The glue line will be stronger then the corian, if you follow the bottle directions for a non porous material.
Reinforcement will be unnecessary. buic
PS - I can't help you with the liq. nails, never tried it.
Edited 11/6/2009 9:58 am ET by BUIC
I'm into the project now -- took the old top out, so I'm committed. I did find a couple of packets of very old joint adhesive, so I'll probably try to use that, at least on top where, I guess, I'd prefer it look like I know what I'm doing. Gorilla glue or Liquid nails for anything below.Next question -- the metallic tape that I put around the hole -- where do I buy more of that, and what's it called? I have the appliance folks coming next week to hook up the gas, would they carry that with them, or is that the carpenter's job?Sue
If you mean the alum. tape, Lowes would have it at the section where the HVAC duct fittings are. That is Duct tape.
BTW, you can find it at Harbor Freight for 1/3 the cost, but it's junk, the adhesive, isn't sticky enough.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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I don't know if that is the same tape or not.But the last time I got it the local Lowes had it by the fabric duck tape in the painting department..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
I hadn't noticed it there, being as I don't buy duct tape. I got miles of Olive Drab and black Mil Surplus and Gorillia Tape.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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you can buy scraps and adhesive on ebay. If you need 1/4" on each side, the over lay on the CT "should" hide the seam.
Rip the stips to 3/4" and clamp with plastic packing tape. To try and stay "incompliance" laminate a piece under the edges where the joint is. Double thicknes is what you want. Radius corners are "required" but do what you have to. Use aluminum duct tape fro the home stores and have toi over hange the edge on the top and drop down 2 widths (approx 3")
I had a crack repaired in our Corian countertop recently. The crack was at an unsupported portion running behind our slide-in stove. The crack is indeed gone, but the seam is quite visible even though he used a scrap piece from the original install.
You may want to lay on a 1 1/2" border piece on top of the old opening rather than trying to butt-join a 1/2" extension. A slight color difference where the Corion "steps up" will not be noticeable in the same way that a re-painted wall does not show difference in color when the transition is in a corner.
I think I'll be okay. I found some "metallic tape" at the lumber yard today that should work. I do have radius-ed corners. I have adhesive. I've cut the depth bigger, so the cooktop actually does fit in the hole now -- I just need to make it a little narrower on the sides. The cooktop will cover whatever I add in. I'm good to go! Thanks for all the help! Sue