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How to repair this kitchen bench?

Hi everyone, first post here,

i have a lovely wooden kitchen that is in need of fixing. There are large cracks between the different planks, and overall the surface needs refurbishment. The wood is African Mahogeny I think, and the whole thing sits on top of ply (all done prior to me owning.

I will clean out the terrible filler that is there. Then I am considering replacing with some sort of wood filler or epoxy. The exact colour doesn’t matter, there are heaps of stains elsewhere. I would favour epoxy but I’m just worried about it leaking a lot under the wood / on top of the ply base. I’ve also considered putting a filter at the base of the cracks to seal, like No-More-Gaps, then use epoxy on top as I like the look.

For the surface, after sanding etc, I was thinking of using Cabot’s Benchtop clear.

any thoughts?

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MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @AlexH1. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about filling and re-finishing a benchtop.

Using a sealant like No-More-Gaps or Sikaflex 11FC at the base of the cracks is a sensible idea to prevent leaks from occurring. To further reduce the risk of leaks, applying a first coat of epoxy to plug up any gaps is a clever technique. By painting the inside of the joint with a small brush using a small amount of epoxy, it minimizes the chances of leakage, as there's less pressure from the larger volume of epoxy trying to push out of the gaps.

Trimming the end of one of the boards at the mitre joint to create a more uniform width for the gap will help enhance the overall look of the repaired joint, making it more visually appealing.

Using Cabot’s Benchtop clear is certainly an option, or you might like to consider Feast Watson 1m² Glass Finish if you like the epoxy look. It will leave a thick, durable and high-gloss surface on the timber.

What you've suggested certainly sounds like it will work and will dramatically improve the look of your benchtop. Remember your PPE when sanding the bench, and apply your epoxy and coatings, including a face mask, safety glasses and gloves.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Ari

I can second @MitchellMc ’s recommendation of FW glass finish. I used it on timber restaurant tables - it looked great and lasted well. It’s also worth looking at the FW stains - a small amount goes a long way.

This is going to be a great looking renovation for not too much effort!

Painting the wall a nice light colour and having a look at the cupboard doors will be gamechangers - that central post is great.

@AlexH1 I’d love to see a close up of what the cupboard doors look like.

Good luck - Ari

AlexH1

Thanks for the feedback. The doors are quite interesting, but not at all practical for keeping dust etc out. The current plan is to change them for white at some stage, with a more major redo.

The house is rammed earth, so the orange walls won’t change, and the central Post is actually metal clad in wood, with power wires inside.

I had a go at some small cracks this weekend with No More Gaps base, then epoxy on top. Still some leakage so will need a second go, and I will close a lighter colour. Could I also just use some wood putty at the base of the cracks? A little less messy to work with.

When we do the bigger redo, we would like to get rid of the tiles behind the sink. Would it be practical to seal the rammed earth wall, perhaps with epoxy, to act as its own splash back?

MitchellMc

Hi @AlexH1,

Yes, you could use wood putty in the cracks to seal them.

Mitchell

helsbren

I agree with your idea about filling across the bottom of the crack then using an epoxy as it will give a much better look to the wood. Ensure the filler will be able to withstand the very high heat it can let off after it is mixed.

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