Worktop with upstand, are they made?

[Chris Green]

I seem to remember that one used to be able to get (kitchen) worktops
with a 'built-in' upstand at the back. Am I imagining it or were
there such things? ... and more to the point can one get one now?

It would make replacing the (small) worktop in the galley on our boat
so much easier.

I'm thinking of something where the back of the worktop simply curves
up into a few inches high splashback. There's only space for a couple
of inches and making it all of one piece of laminate would make a lot
of sense.

Any ideas anyone?

[Timatmarford]

Post by Chris Green
I seem to remember that one used to be able to get (kitchen) worktops
with a 'built-in' upstand at the back. Am I imagining it or were
there such things? ... and more to the point can one get one now?
It would make replacing the (small) worktop in the galley on our boat
so much easier.
I'm thinking of something where the back of the worktop simply curves
up into a few inches high splashback. There's only space for a couple
of inches and making it all of one piece of laminate would make a lot
of sense.
Any ideas anyone?

Not been in that market for a while. Boss insisted, and paid for! a
Corion worktop from J Lewis. Magical installer, no visible joints
including the lap over the window cill.

[Chris Green]

Post by Timatmarford

Post by Chris Green
I seem to remember that one used to be able to get (kitchen) worktops
with a 'built-in' upstand at the back. Am I imagining it or were
there such things? ... and more to the point can one get one now?
It would make replacing the (small) worktop in the galley on our boat
so much easier.
I'm thinking of something where the back of the worktop simply curves
up into a few inches high splashback. There's only space for a couple
of inches and making it all of one piece of laminate would make a lot
of sense.
Any ideas anyone?

Not been in that market for a while. Boss insisted, and paid for! a
Corion worktop from J Lewis. Magical installer, no visible joints
including the lap over the window cill.

I think Corion may be out of my budget range and I'm not at all sure
I'd get an installer who'd be willing to work on my (quite small)
boat! :-)

[TimW]

Post by Chris Green
I seem to remember that one used to be able to get (kitchen) worktops
with a 'built-in' upstand at the back. Am I imagining it or were
there such things? ... and more to the point can one get one now?
It would make replacing the (small) worktop in the galley on our boat
so much easier.
I'm thinking of something where the back of the worktop simply curves
up into a few inches high splashback. There's only space for a couple
of inches and making it all of one piece of laminate would make a lot
of sense.
Any ideas anyone?

I don't recall ever seeing a laminate work surface post formed
seamlessly into an upstand. I saw some where you had a rear edge you
could cut off and reposition but a long time ago. I have never seen
laminate surfaces with a core of anything other than chipboard which is
barely suitable for a domestic kitchen and you wouldn't waste your time
with it on a boat.

I don't know if you can do it yourself but laminate, plywood, corian
(and equivalents) colour matched filling adhesive, plastic nosing etc
will all be available somewhere. Otherwise there are people (firms) who
prepare surfaces in corian, laminate, stainless steel, wood, glass etc.
and will take your order and your money happily if you are able to
specify what you want by drawing or template.

Laminate is not hard to work on flat surfaces. Glue it onto plywood with
contact adhesive and trim with a router.
Corian type materials are cut and routered with tungsten tipped tools,
glued with the matching adhesive. Quite a lot of work in abrasive
smoothing and polishing.
Plenty of small workshops do stainless fabrication for commercial
kitchens and the like. It's often backed with ply.
Wood if you can do woodwork - iroko or mahog or something.

TW

[Chris Green]

Post by TimW

Post by Chris Green
I seem to remember that one used to be able to get (kitchen) worktops
with a 'built-in' upstand at the back. Am I imagining it or were
there such things? ... and more to the point can one get one now?
It would make replacing the (small) worktop in the galley on our boat
so much easier.
I'm thinking of something where the back of the worktop simply curves
up into a few inches high splashback. There's only space for a couple
of inches and making it all of one piece of laminate would make a lot
of sense.
Any ideas anyone?

I don't recall ever seeing a laminate work surface post formed
seamlessly into an upstand. I saw some where you had a rear edge you
could cut off and reposition but a long time ago. I have never seen
laminate surfaces with a core of anything other than chipboard which is
barely suitable for a domestic kitchen and you wouldn't waste your time
with it on a boat.

Well the existing chipboard and laminate one has lasted for at least
20 years (we've owned the boat for about 15 years now and the galley
certainly wasn't new when we bought it). There's nothing really wrong
with the worktop now but I'm modifying a cupboard at one end and the
shelves behind it so the obvious thing to do is to replace it.

Post by TimW
I don't know if you can do it yourself but laminate, plywood, corian
(and equivalents) colour matched filling adhesive, plastic nosing etc
will all be available somewhere. Otherwise there are people (firms) who
prepare surfaces in corian, laminate, stainless steel, wood, glass etc.
and will take your order and your money happily if you are able to
specify what you want by drawing or template.

Yes, I'm sure one can make a good job of adding an upstand, I was just
hoping that an 'all in one piece' one might be possible. I got a
quote for a Corian one, it's in the £2500 to £3000 sort of ball park
which seems a bit silly for a 2.4 metre straight worktop in a boat that
only cost 19k euros to start with! :-)

[TimW]

[...] I have never seen

Post by Chris Green

Post by TimW
laminate surfaces with a core of anything other than chipboard which is
barely suitable for a domestic kitchen and you wouldn't waste your time
with it on a boat.

Well the existing chipboard and laminate one has lasted for at least
20 years (we've owned the boat for about 15 years now and the galley
certainly wasn't new when we bought it). [...]

a 2.4 metre straight worktop in a boat that

Post by Chris Green
only cost 19k euros to start with! :-)

Aha! This is not the kind of boat or galley I had imagined. Not a small
seagoing yacht with a tiny galley liable to be drenched in brine.
TW

[Chris Green]

Post by TimW
[...] I have never seen

Post by Chris Green

Post by TimW
laminate surfaces with a core of anything other than chipboard which is
barely suitable for a domestic kitchen and you wouldn't waste your time
with it on a boat.

Well the existing chipboard and laminate one has lasted for at least
20 years (we've owned the boat for about 15 years now and the galley
certainly wasn't new when we bought it). [...]

a 2.4 metre straight worktop in a boat that

Post by Chris Green
only cost 19k euros to start with! :-)

Aha! This is not the kind of boat or galley I had imagined. Not a small
seagoing yacht with a tiny galley liable to be drenched in brine.

No, it's an 11 metre, steel 'cabin cruiser' that potters around (at
times) on French rivers and canals. :-)

[alan_m]

Post by Chris Green
Well the existing chipboard and laminate one has lasted for at least
20 years (we've owned the boat for about 15 years now and the galley
certainly wasn't new when we bought it). There's nothing really wrong
with the worktop now but I'm modifying a cupboard at one end and the
shelves behind it so the obvious thing to do is to replace it.

Laminated chipboard should still be suitable if all the visible
chipboard surfaces are completely sealed against water ingress before
fitting. Seal along the whole length of the back, around any cutouts,
and perhaps the underside of the front edge where any water dripping
from the front edge may travel back under the edge.

[Theo]

Post by TimW
I don't know if you can do it yourself but laminate, plywood, corian
(and equivalents) colour matched filling adhesive, plastic nosing etc
will all be available somewhere. Otherwise there are people (firms) who
prepare surfaces in corian, laminate, stainless steel, wood, glass etc.
and will take your order and your money happily if you are able to
specify what you want by drawing or template.
Laminate is not hard to work on flat surfaces. Glue it onto plywood with
contact adhesive and trim with a router.
Corian type materials are cut and routered with tungsten tipped tools,
glued with the matching adhesive. Quite a lot of work in abrasive
smoothing and polishing.
Plenty of small workshops do stainless fabrication for commercial
kitchens and the like. It's often backed with ply.
Wood if you can do woodwork - iroko or mahog or something.

ISTM there isn't a whole lot of difference in having a wood profile glued
into a wooden top, which is already made of glued strips of wood to get the
width. Maybe you'd make the profile oversize and route a channel in the
top, so that the outward joint with the profile is vertical rather than
horizontal. Kind of like this, with whatever curvy upstand profile you felt
like:

+----+
/ |
/ |
------+---- |
| |
+-----------+
|
------------------+


If you were to keep the joint tight (biscuits/dominos?) you might not notice
it to be there.

You could potentially do that with chipboard too, maybe even a contrasting
wooden strip if you were feeling brave.

Theo
(interested because having a sloped/curved upstand might be a good way
to avoid it collecting dirt/water)

[Chris Green]

Post by Theo

Post by TimW
I don't know if you can do it yourself but laminate, plywood, corian
(and equivalents) colour matched filling adhesive, plastic nosing etc
will all be available somewhere. Otherwise there are people (firms) who
prepare surfaces in corian, laminate, stainless steel, wood, glass etc.
and will take your order and your money happily if you are able to
specify what you want by drawing or template.
Laminate is not hard to work on flat surfaces. Glue it onto plywood with
contact adhesive and trim with a router.
Corian type materials are cut and routered with tungsten tipped tools,
glued with the matching adhesive. Quite a lot of work in abrasive
smoothing and polishing.
Plenty of small workshops do stainless fabrication for commercial
kitchens and the like. It's often backed with ply.
Wood if you can do woodwork - iroko or mahog or something.

ISTM there isn't a whole lot of difference in having a wood profile glued
into a wooden top, which is already made of glued strips of wood to get the
width. Maybe you'd make the profile oversize and route a channel in the
top, so that the outward joint with the profile is vertical rather than
horizontal. Kind of like this, with whatever curvy upstand profile you felt
+----+
/ |
/ |
------+---- |
| |
+-----------+
|
------------------+
If you were to keep the joint tight (biscuits/dominos?) you might not notice
it to be there.
You could potentially do that with chipboard too, maybe even a contrasting
wooden strip if you were feeling brave.
Theo
(interested because having a sloped/curved upstand might be a good way
to avoid it collecting dirt/water)

Yes, re the last bit (... avoid it collecting dirt/water) that's
exactly my reason for asking the question. On a boat it's quite often
that the boat's trim means that water collects at the back of the
worktop and easy to clean plus smooth/impermeable would be a 'good
thing'.

[Theo]

Post by Chris Green

Post by Theo
+----+
/ |
/ |
------+---- |
| |
+-----------+
|
------------------+
If you were to keep the joint tight (biscuits/dominos?) you might not notice
it to be there.
You could potentially do that with chipboard too, maybe even a contrasting
wooden strip if you were feeling brave.
Theo
(interested because having a sloped/curved upstand might be a good way
to avoid it collecting dirt/water)

Yes, re the last bit (... avoid it collecting dirt/water) that's
exactly my reason for asking the question. On a boat it's quite often
that the boat's trim means that water collects at the back of the
worktop and easy to clean plus smooth/impermeable would be a 'good
thing'.

I suppose the problem with my picture is that water could collect above the
vertical joint, get into it and push it apart. I wonder if there's a way to
mitigate that. In a kitchen you could angle the worktop slightly so water
drains forwards, but on a boat the roll is going to be variable so that
won't work. Impermeable glue will help, but still water can get at it
through the sides. wood. Maybe a surface coating that makes a smooth
finish such that the joint is not exposed, one which will stretch to account
for movement in the wood?

Theo

[Chris Green]

Post by Theo

Post by Chris Green

Post by Theo
+----+
/ |
/ |
------+---- |
| |
+-----------+
|
------------------+
If you were to keep the joint tight (biscuits/dominos?) you might not notice
it to be there.
You could potentially do that with chipboard too, maybe even a contrasting
wooden strip if you were feeling brave.
Theo
(interested because having a sloped/curved upstand might be a good way
to avoid it collecting dirt/water)

Yes, re the last bit (... avoid it collecting dirt/water) that's
exactly my reason for asking the question. On a boat it's quite often
that the boat's trim means that water collects at the back of the
worktop and easy to clean plus smooth/impermeable would be a 'good
thing'.

I suppose the problem with my picture is that water could collect above the
vertical joint, get into it and push it apart. I wonder if there's a way to
mitigate that. In a kitchen you could angle the worktop slightly so water
drains forwards, but on a boat the roll is going to be variable so that
won't work. Impermeable glue will help, but still water can get at it
through the sides. wood. Maybe a surface coating that makes a smooth
finish such that the joint is not exposed, one which will stretch to account
for movement in the wood?

Being a river/canal boat the issue isn't that extreme. :-) However it
does surprise me that it's not something that there isn't a standard
answer for. Even in an ordinary kitchen one often sees dirt building
up in that corner at the back of the worktop. Silicone mastic or
whatever is the usual solution but surely a one piece surface would be
a much better solution.

[Theo]

Post by Chris Green
Being a river/canal boat the issue isn't that extreme. :-) However it
does surprise me that it's not something that there isn't a standard
answer for. Even in an ordinary kitchen one often sees dirt building
up in that corner at the back of the worktop. Silicone mastic or
whatever is the usual solution but surely a one piece surface would be
a much better solution.

I suppose you could make something like that out of fibreglass, like one
piece shower trays. Not sure how robust it would be for hot pans and
dropped knives.

Or rolled stainless steel, as has been mentioned. Maybe there's something
for commercial kitchens, where cleanliness is a big deal?

Theo

[alan_m]

Post by Chris Green
Silicone mastic or
whatever is the usual solution but surely a one piece surface would be
a much better solution.

Possibly not in the marketplace because it requires a perfectly plumb
back wall for a decent finished look?

When applying the silicone see this video

A triangular profile joint is preferable.

I highly recommend the fugi profile type tool as shown in the video.
Actually there are alternative makes that are equally effective. Mine
came from Lidl and cost under a fiver.

[Fredxx]

Post by Chris Green
I seem to remember that one used to be able to get (kitchen) worktops
with a 'built-in' upstand at the back. Am I imagining it or were
there such things? ... and more to the point can one get one now?
It would make replacing the (small) worktop in the galley on our boat
so much easier.
I'm thinking of something where the back of the worktop simply curves
up into a few inches high splashback. There's only space for a couple
of inches and making it all of one piece of laminate would make a lot
of sense.
Any ideas anyone?

You can get island worktops with the same visible edge on both the front
and back.

These are deeper than the usual 600mm and so you could cut the rear 100m
or so off and attach to the main surface to make an upstand?

[Chris Green]

Post by Chris Green
I'm thinking of something where the back of the worktop simply curves
up into a few inches high splashback. There's only space for a couple
of inches and making it all of one piece of laminate would make a lot
of sense.

Just as a follow-up to this thread I've found that the magic name for
a worktop with an upstand as I want is a 'coved upstand'. They tend
to be aimed at medical and other environments where cleanliness is
particularly important but you can find them from some (usually
stupidly expensive) kitchen worktop suppliers.

I've sent out a few enquiries and I'm waiting for replies.

[Theo]

Post by Chris Green

Post by Chris Green
I'm thinking of something where the back of the worktop simply curves
up into a few inches high splashback. There's only space for a couple
of inches and making it all of one piece of laminate would make a lot
of sense.

Just as a follow-up to this thread I've found that the magic name for
a worktop with an upstand as I want is a 'coved upstand'. They tend
to be aimed at medical and other environments where cleanliness is
particularly important but you can find them from some (usually
stupidly expensive) kitchen worktop suppliers.
I've sent out a few enquiries and I'm waiting for replies.

Thanks, that's very handy to know.

Searching on that, somebody made a jig to route out a coved upstand in
Corian:
https://www.reddit.com/r/specializedtools/comments/sdb2ft/this_coving_router_i_use_to_create_coved_upstands/

Looks like they set the upstand and a piece of beading in some kind of
cement (the same stuff they make the Corian out of?). Then they route out
the beading to create a curved edge. It looks like you can't see the cement
in the finished product.

This post describes how they work Corian:
https://www.reddit.com/r/specializedtools/comments/sdb2ft/comment/hucc60f/

Theo

[Andy Burns]

Post by Chris Green
Just as a follow-up to this thread I've found that the magic name for
a worktop with an upstand as I want is a 'coved upstand'. They tend
to be aimed at medical and other environments where cleanliness is
particularly important but you can find them from some (usually
stupidly expensive) kitchen worktop suppliers.

Does stainless appeal?

<https://alcoengineering.co.uk/stainless-steel-worktops-with-rear-upstand-and-mdf-core.html>

[Chris Green]

Post by Andy Burns

Post by Chris Green
Just as a follow-up to this thread I've found that the magic name for
a worktop with an upstand as I want is a 'coved upstand'. They tend
to be aimed at medical and other environments where cleanliness is
particularly important but you can find them from some (usually
stupidly expensive) kitchen worktop suppliers.

Does stainless appeal?
<https://alcoengineering.co.uk/stainless-steel-worktops-with-rear-upstand-and-mdf-core.html>

Thanks, though stainless steel doesn't *really* appeal it might be OK
and the price isn't too silly.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Post by Andy Burns

Post by Chris Green
Just as a follow-up to this thread I've found that the magic name for
a worktop with an upstand as I want is a 'coved upstand'.  They tend
to be aimed at medical and other environments where cleanliness is
particularly important but you can find them from some (usually
stupidly expensive) kitchen worktop suppliers.

Does stainless appeal?
<https://alcoengineering.co.uk/stainless-steel-worktops-with-rear-upstand-and-mdf-core.html>

Shit that's bloody nice...