RV countertop repair in Winston Salem, NC part2

RV countertop repair in Winston Salem, NC.
Hello subscribers and new readers. Sorry I kept you waiting a little longer than I meant to. Let's talk about this Vendura countertop repair.

As you probably know, I almost always do my countertop repairs on site with the countertop still installed. Because it is relatively simple to remove the countertop, and because I have to be able to access the bottom of the countertop, I chose to remove it.

One of the problems that contributed to the cracking I believe, is the fact that the particle board substrate is completely tight to the backside of the drop edge. For this reason, I am going to cut a relief into the particle board and give it some clearance from the drop edge.

First I make a rough cut with a skill saw.


Next, I finish the relief cut with a Dremel tool.


Now its time to cut away at the particle board so I can break the piece of countertop off. The countertop and the particle board are glued together as one piece so it takes a little bit of doing. I need to leave as much of the particle board in tact as I can because that ensures a stable and secure installation with no gaps in support.


Now, I flipped the top over so it would be right side up, and I have removed the broken piece of countertop. What looks like a crack near the back is actually a "soft seam" and we I am not doing any repairs to that.


I re-attached the broken piece of countertop an it's ready to be re-installed.



There it is. All fixed up and ready to hit the road.



These pictures should go into the post about how lighting effects solid surface countertops. You can plainly see just how different this countertop looks from different times of daylight and then with the lighting inside the Winnebago.


RV countertop repair by Complete Solid Surface Refinishing in beautiful Winston Salem, NC!

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RV Countertop Repair. Winston Salem, NC

RV countertop repair in Winston Salem, NC.

This countertop is in a Winnebago. It's nice too. I entertained the thought of making the customer take me on vacation with them next time they hit the road as payment for services rendered.

Of course I have bills to pay and vacations with customers don't get my bills paid. Besides who in their right mind wants to drag the countertop repair man along on a family vacation. I'll stop babbling again. Here's the story.

There is a crack in the countertop coming from the cutout for the gas stove. This is a Vendura solid surface countertop. Winnebago use this brand in their RV's. It is a 1/4" thick product instead of the usual 1/2" thick that most solid surface materials.

This product is also laminated directly to a full sheet of particle board, or maybe melamine. Being a repair specialist I have some knowledge about things that are just a bad idea. This is one.

Like Wilsonart SSV, this material is laminated to a full piece of underlayment. Both the solid surface material and the wood will expand and contract. SSV will do it because of temperature changes and the wood will do it because of humidity changes. With both things swelling and shrinking for two different reasons, something has to happen in order to relieve the stress that is caused when this happens. That something is normally to crack. I picture the countertop going, "AHHH, that feels better."

Another thing that contributes to countertops cracking in RV's is because the countertops are usually screwed extremely tightly to the cabinets. As the RV is on a steel frame, when it is traveling and manipulating throught its daily journeys the frame will bend and twist. Not like a tornado got a hold of it but still it twists ever so slightly. Unfortunately for the countertops, that is all it takes to cause a stress relieving crack to form.

This ended up being a very complicated repair to talk about so I will have to break up this story in two or three segments. Like the Shamwow guy says, "I can't do this all day!"

I will be posting the full story here in a few days (And here it is) so be sure an check back soon!
Don't forget you can subscribe to the blog and get an email when the post is up.

RV countertop repair by Complete Solid Surface Refinishing in beautiful North Carolina!

Greensboro NC - Solid Surface Repair- Acetone Burns

Here they are finally. The pictures that I promised in my last post. As you can see, acetone can have a very damaging effect on solid surface countertops. I hope you can see too, all the actual melting and smearing of the material. You can click on these pics and see them up close.

This is what we ended up with after some extensive and vigorous belt sanding followed up with some more vigorous orbital sanding. It isn't totally without some scarring but it is very tough to see.

The homeowner was extremely happy and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Don't forget, keep the acetone away from your countertops.



Another countertop saved by Complete Solid Surface Refinishing in beautiful North Carolina.

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