Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | May 23, 2003 02:10am | #1

    Narrow T&G boards, under 3 inches wide, glued down to a plywood backing shouldn't have any major problems with expansion since the joints will be able to open up if the wood shrinks, but of course you can't glue the edges of the boards together.  If the T&G is very dry when you glue it down, leave a small gap between the boards to allow for expansion when the boards pick up moisture in a damper setting or time of the year.  The plywood should be well braced from underneath to prevent the whole assembly from taking on a bow.  No finish short of fiberglassing the top like a boat hull will seal the surface so completely that you won't have moisture problems.

   While it is possible to do what you describe, it is not an especially good idea for kitchen counter tops.  No matter what finish you use, the cracks at the joints will open and close, filling with grunge, and the soft wood will dent very easily.  On a pine kitchen counter no finish will last very long before it needs refinishing.  Within a year a pine counter surface will probably look terrible in the heavily used areas.

   I would be very careful to fully explain to your client the drawbacks of using pine or even hardwoods as a kitchen counter material.  If the counter doesn't hold up they shouldn't be blaming you later.

   Hope this helps, John W.

1. 
   art | May 23, 2003 06:13am | #3

   Thanks John, My suspicions are confirmed.  Art

2. 
   notDusty | May 23, 2003 06:09am | #2

             Art ,    "Will it create expansion problems?"

       Yeah probably , maybe you could fasten the fronts of the top down but let the back float under a back spash , to hide the seasonal movement . Lastly to make this into a more serviceable countertop consider cutting off the T&G and just glue the seams up . Use wider boards to start if you have to . It seems like there would be less places for bacteria to be .                 

                             good luck

3. 
   mike4244 | May 23, 2003 11:01pm | #4

   Art, about 8 years ago I built a double sink vanity and top from pine. Finished it with varathane. Still looks good today. I had not used Varathane before, went on very thick. Had to scrape down between coats as I heavy brush marks. Then thinned the third coat before applying, this worked good. I applied 2 coats underneath and five on top.Similar to epoxy finish, but no mixing except when thinning, seems to impervious to water.

   Mike

4. 
   ron61 | May 24, 2003 12:51am | #5

   I would talk them into looking at some laminate samples I'm sure you could find something that looks rustic and do a pine band- hell I even think you can get knotty pine looking  laminate.

    It would be a lot cleaner and it would not swell.

   I don't think pine would make a very good top for kit. cabs.

1. 
   art | May 24, 2003 01:25am | #6

   Thanks everyone, sounds like it's time to consult the customer.   Art

1. 
   clampman2 | May 24, 2003 04:48pm | #7

   Art,

   Contrary to popular belief, and the marketing departments of Dupont and other solid surface tops, a microbiologist researching bacterial growth at either the U of Michigan or Wisconsin discovered when growing bacterial cultures on Corian, Gibraltar, Formica etc, and wood countertops in order to determine the best ways to kill them, discovered that he could not grow the bacteria on wooden tops. In fact, the bacteria would not only not grow on the wood tops, existing cultures of bacteria placed on wood tops were killed off by something in the wood at a very rapid rate.

   This was reported by "Woodshop News" a number of years ago.

   I called the University to talk to the researcher personally, and discovered that he had moved to a university in California. We played phone tag for about 6 months, and I finally hooked up with him.

   Needless to say, his research has shifted to the " Why" and many others have duplicated his findings.

   I had wanted to write a detailed article about his research, and hoped to get it published in one of the magazines - As it is truly big news from my point of view - but, sadly, Life intervened.

   So, the "Hospital Safe" countertops provide good homes for Salmonella and E. Coli, while raw (unfinished) wooden tops (apparently regardless of species) literally exterminate them.

   Do not glue the t and g.

   Clampman

   Edited 5/24/2003 10:02:25 AM ET by clampman

1. 
   art | May 24, 2003 05:18pm | #8

   Thanks for the info.  Art

2. 
   KenDolph | May 28, 2003 04:00pm | #9

   I have given out the fruits of the same research many times.  You forgot 3 important things.  The Salmonella et al only grows on Corian and others when they are left there.  When cleaned, the bacteria is gone.  In the wood the chicken guts albeit bacteria free, are still there.  If the wood is finished, all bets are off.  So if you can live with an unfinished wooden countertop with last weeks clean chicken guts embedded, more power to you.  Unfinished wood is great for cutting boards, for the reasons that you brought up.

   I hpe this helps.

   Ken 

1. 
   wrick2003 | May 29, 2003 04:34am | #10

   it would seem that asking them to sign a release for that choice of C/T would STEER them into choosing another material.

   good luck     rg