We make kitchen countertops made ​​of artificial stone with their hands

Opting for the manufacture of countertops made of artificial stone with his hands - the original version is available and kitchen design.

kitchen countertop must be resistant to various influences, reliable and beautiful, and the stone meets all requirements.

Artificial stone exists in various forms, sizes and compositions similar to natural rocks.

artificial material is made from different blends with different additives.

But before choosing the material for the manufacture of kitchen surfaces should be aware of the pros and cons, as well as production technology.

Features and types of artificial material

Artificial stone - a composite material consisting of fillers, pigments, mineral and polymer resin bonding.It depends on the type of resin material.

acrylic resin sheet manufactured stone that withstands temperatures up to 200 ° C.

For this reason, a material often used in the bathroom, where there is no exposure to hot objects on the surface.

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Stone polyester resin over a heat-resistant, can withstand temperatures up to 600 ° C.

Manufactured stone as follows: of the individual components of the liquid mixture is prepared, which is later applied on the basis of particle board, or a mixture is poured into a special form.

liquid Artificial stone can be made with your own hands.

main advantages of artificial stone are:

• low cost;
• water resistance;
• strength;
• long life;
• variety of colors;
• maintainability;
• environmental friendliness;
• easy maintenance.

As with any building material, artificial stone has a flaw high propensity to scratches, abrasions and other injuries.

of work stages

Countertops made of artificial stone is easy to do with their hands.

• sheet artificial stone;:

  following materials needed for manufacturing

• waterproof plywood 0.3 cm thick, serving as a substrate, it is not recommended to buy chipboard and fiberboard, as under the influence of water the material swells and destroys masonry structures;
• two-component adhesive.

From the Tools required:

• sander;
• jigsaw;
• end or a circular saw;
• drill;
• router.

Installation of artificial stone countertops begins with measurement locations for future furniture.

After the measurement and determination of all the details you need to do the drawing.

Now stone sheet should be cut into parts:

1. countertops.The optimal length - 76 cm and a width of 60.5 cm;
2. bands to the ends of the height of 3.6-3.8 cm;
3. skirting or baseboard trim height of 4-7 cm.

Next you need to make cut-outs for the sink and hob.Then, a router is necessary to process the edge detail and drilled.

The next step is to process the profile.Then you need to turn the countertop is not the face, and a router to make a recess in the form of slots at the edge of a depth of 2 mm.

Now plywood cut into strips 8 cm wide, which will form the skeleton.

If a 0.3 cm thick stone, the frame must be intact, otherwise, the structure will not sufficiently rigid.

Before installing edge, pre-need to make countertops degreasing liquid alcohol or acetone.

The next step is the design of worktops, which is wrapping the edges of the frame and plywood.

for pasting glue is necessary to squeeze in a plastic bag, cut the corner of the package and squeeze the glue on the edge or in the grooves.The edges should be tightly pressed against the counter.

All actions must be performed quickly before the glue dries.When the glue is completely dry, the excess removed with a chisel.

Surface perimeter need to glue plywood strips with silicone adhesive so as to obtain a frame at a distance of 2 mm from the edge.

If the countertop of the two parts, for example, has an L-shape, the place where two elements must also be glued to plywood strips.

now pasted over the place you need to press firmly and leave for 8 hours.After that you need to remove excess silicone.

Further, where a plywood frame extends from the edge of 2 mm, it is required to put the silicone in an amount such that the frame and the silicone layer were identical.

then sander must be sanded plywood.Now the countertop must be placed face up and round the edge of a router.

cutouts for sink and hob from the back side must be strengthened.To do this around the holes pasted strips from the remaining stone.

surface countertops must be sanded to a semi-matt effect.

Now you only trim skirting round, and can be done installing countertops.Thus it is made plain rectangular table top.

If you want to make an L-shaped countertop, the ends must be milled mirror.Table top of this form consists of two parts, which are connected in a straight line.

For this junction, both elements must be milled at the same time - this is the mirror milling.This method allows you to make a joint virtually invisible.

Production presented on video.

Video:

How to make a liquid stone?

liquid stone - a material that in any interior looks quite noble and elegant example in the photo section.

In addition, this type of countertops can be made with your own hands.

For the manufacture of liquid rock to have to mix the following components:

• clay;
• hot melt adhesive;
• fiberglass;
• epoxy gelcoat;
• pasta of different colors;
• calcine;
• chemical resin;
• acetone;
• filler;
• hardener.

countertops can be made in two ways: forward and reverse.

Photo:

direct method takes a little time and is carried out as follows: sheets of MDF or particle board cut blank corresponding sizes.

ready solution for spraying: 60% of the gel coat, 40% filler and 1% hardener.The resulting composition is sprayed onto the workpiece via a layer 2 mm gun.

After drying the surface is necessary to make sanding.

Making reverse way more time consuming, but consumes less material.It will take two pieces of MDF that size should be 0.5 cm longer countertops.

Video:

blanks stick together, and they cut out holes for the sink and hob.Then stacked on the workpiece table.

Next chipboard or plywood cut strips are glued along the contour of the workpiece melting.Harvesting is a template for the matrix.

Thereafter, the workpiece is removed and a 0.5-year-cm seam allowance is cut.Now the space between the sink and countertop smeared clay.

Edge also daubed with clay, and then the special pattern is shaped.

From inside the matrix to be processed with a wax release properties and leave for 15 minutes to soak composition.

composition of liquid sprayed across the stone structure.After half an hour the stone has hardened and is necessary to lay fiberglass, increasing strength.

Now you need to pour the ground, consisting of a resin and includes: an accelerator - 6%, color pigment - 1.5%, calcite - 80%, curing agent - 1%.The preform is placed in a die and pressed.

need to remove excess primer.Countertops should be left for 2 hours to pour the soil.Next, on the surface of the second layer is applied to the soil.

then milled edge, the surface is polished, and installing countertops.Detailed installation of liquid stone countertops presented on video.

repair technology

No one thing is impossible to protect against damage and worktop made of artificial stone is no exception.

However, the biggest advantage of such a surface is that repairs can be made with your own hands.Repairs may be required during the formation of scratches, cracking, blistering, chipping, stains.

damaged area is first degreased In the formation of cracks.And then you need to expand a little crack.Then the crack to fill a two-component adhesive.

Video:

Thereafter, the grinding and polishing the surface.Repair of cracks in it terminates.

repair shallow scratches and small spots is polishing sandpaper defects of different grain, starting with the largest.

Then, using a drill with a nozzle made of felt polishing surface.

However, this repair occurs only if the stone sheet was thick enough.

Repair blisters and stains his hands in the following manner: a router cut the defect, from the remnants of the stone cut out of the sheet patch that you want to lubricate the glue and glue to the damaged area.

Thereafter, the grinding and polishing countertops.

must be borne in mind that any repairs of the artificial stone countertops reduces the strength characteristics of the surface, so it is better initially to choose quality materials from reliable manufacturers.