Hello to all! I’m deep into a bathroom remodel for a client who wants to save / reuse her existing Corian countertop with sink already undermounted / laminated in place. The old vanity was a site built unit which I had to break up to get out. The counter in question is larger than needed for the new vanity, it is 25″ wide x 59-1/2″ long. I will need to both rip and crosscut the counter to make it fit the new vanity. Vanity / counter fits into a corner so the left end and back (which I will cut) are against walls and my actual cuts will be concealed by a Corian backsplash. The backsplash strips will also be cut. I am planning to cut this material using a circular saw and shooting board, the shooting board which I have prevents the saw foot from contacting / scratching the counter surface. The undermounted sink forces me to cut from the top of the counter.
Any sage advice for this situation? Slow, shallow back cut first, then finish the cut is what I am thinking. I only get one chance. Also any blade recommendations – 40 tooth carbide is my thought.
Replies
How thick is the countertop? When I worked in a cabinet shop everything was cut on the 12" tablesaw but thinner materials were sometimes trimmed in place with a 3 1/4 hp router. No chance of the surface chipping that way. But it was kind of slow going and created a ton of dust.
John,
Actual Corian appears to be 1/2" thick. Rear edge and left end are "backed" with 1/2" plywood, which I will replace as most of the existing plywood will be lost in the trimming operation. Front edge and right end (which I will NOT be cutting) appear to be 2 layers of the same 1/2" laminated together. I have not really measured - might be 5/8" thick. Thanks for the reply.
Jim
JTC1
Triple chip carbide blade will do the trick.
Jon
Edited 4/13/2005 6:25 pm ET by WorkshopJon
He's only cutting 7' and it doesn't even have to look good.
Me, I'd use some old, half shot blades.
Do it outside.
People's dreams are made out of what they do all day. The same way a dog that runs rabbits will dream of rabbits. It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.
- Barbara Kingsolver
Cut it with a router. Thats the way the fabrication shop cuts it.
FWIW if a saw blade touches it the warrantee is void. Not that you would care about the warrantee at this point
Cut it with a router. That's the way the fabrication shop cuts it. "
Not to doubt you Maverick, but why would they do it that way?
That's not how we cut sheathing, plywood, or any other sheet mtrl. for that matter.
WSJ
Our fabrication shop always used the tablesaw, triplechip blade. For seam cuts, final trim with a router was a little smoother, probably due to not moving the stock. We only used router cuts for the sinks.PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Cut it anyway you want, and if you scratch it, sand it with the orbital with real fine grits...(you will have to do the whole thing to get it to match) ..
I dont know why. But I have a good friend who owns a corian dealership. He has given me countertops to go that I would fit. He told me touch it with anything but a router and forfeit your warrantee.
In the past I have run corian over a table saw with no problem. If you have a choice why would you use a circular saw? You'll get a much smoother result from a router.
Yep, you're right....you can use a circular saw to rough it (ideally using a solid surface blade which are available), but pretty much everything should be finished with a router, and any seaming has to be done with routers.....drilling should be done with a holesaw, and then all .....ALL....the tool marks sanded away. That's what they teach in any fabrication school/course (certainly was when I certified). The idea is that any toolmark can be a stress riser....if the countertop is stressed, that's where a crack will start. And there is a manual full of other do's and don'ts from every manufacturer, available to trained fabricators. Disregard them and it may come back to bite, farther down the road.cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, N.S
Thanks to all of you for the advice.
I cut the counter today with a Freud Avanti 40 tooth blade and my shooting board. Easy cutting, lots of fine dust. I had enough waste material to make a trial cut - this combination worked just fine without any shallow backcutting - set up the board and go!
The resulting cuts are better (smoother) than the "certified DuPont fabricator" did just before he stuck on the tag with the serial number, his cuts fell off with the trimmings, the tag is still there.
Jim
Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil and good light!
Yes, you can use a circ saw to cut it. be sure and use a carbide tipped blade, and be sure it is sharp. When cutting with a saw, the saw could make the top chip, and when the top chippes even a little bit, it causes a stress point that can lead to later problems. I use a 40 tooth carbide blade. also, be sure to use a straight edge if possible. If you are worried about chipping it, cut 1/4" larger than the desired scribe line and use a belt sander with 80 grit paper to finish it off.
The best way to do it is to use a router. get a 3/8" x 1 1/2" bit, set up a straight edge, and cut away.
You can sand out any surface scratches with a random orbital sander. Start with an 80 grit if the scratch is excessive. Move up to 150, then 220. you can also attach a scotch brite pad to your sander if it is velcro backed and "wet-sand" the top to bring back its original luster.
what ever you do, do it ouside, with eye and hearing protection...please. You'll thank me later.
good luck!
"knowledge without experience is just information." Mark Twain