# DIY Laminate Countertop?



## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

I'm laminating my own countertop for my workshop. My question has to do with how to mount the backsplash. I've seen two methods described online.

One is the top is full width going back to the wall and the backsplash sits on top of the counter. Presumably screwed from below.

The other is the backsplash mounts to the back edge of the top with screws going in horizontally.

This second approach would seem stronger because the horizontal screws would be going into the built up 1 1/2" edge thickness of the top. Versus, screw up through the top into the 3/4" thick backsplash.

However, what I don't like about attaching the backsplash to the edge of the top, is it is the backsplash that will be resting on the back of the cabinet. Therefore the back edge of the top is supported by the screws going through the backsplash. Of course the top is supported everywhere it crosses the sides of the various cabinet cases.

I doubt it really matters, but since the backsplash is laminated then attached, the joint is caulked, but not glued. If it were particle board glued to particle board, it would be very solid.

Just looking for opinions.


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

Is there a sink? If not, why a backsplash for workshop?


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

Yes, there is a sink.


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## JBrow (Nov 18, 2015)

clin,

The one reason I can think of for mounting the backsplash on top of the countertop is protecting the back edge of the countertop from water. A ¾" backsplash will keep any water that strikes the backsplash and runs down the backsplash to the countertop ¾" from the back edge of the countertop. This second line of defense may offer a little more protection should the caulk fail. But since you are building this for your shop, I am sure you will be pretty careful with water around the sink - water is probably not going to set very long at the back edge. Therefore, it probably does not matter all that much which way you go.

There is a third mounting method. The backsplash could be mounted both on top of and against the back edge of the counter top at the same time. This would be done by rabbeting the backsplash. This method would allow the backsplash to be glued to the back edge of the countertop reinforced with screws.


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

Nice!

Could you pocket hole from back side of back splash?



> Yes, there is a sink.
> 
> - clin


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

Put a bead of silicone on the bottom of the splash, and a few dabs of construction adhesive on the back, and stick it in place. Cut a few stick of scrap wood sticks to wedge the splash tight to the counter, using the ceiling or wall cabinets for the sticks to push against.
Scrape up the excess silicone, and clean what's left with lacquer thinner. When it's dry, you'll never be able to get it off.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

> clin,
> 
> The one reason I can think of for mounting the backsplash on top of the countertop is protecting the back edge of the countertop from water. A ¾" backsplash will keep any water that strikes the backsplash and runs down the backsplash to the countertop ¾" from the back edge of the countertop. This second line of defense may offer a little more protection should the caulk fail.
> - JBrow


Hadn't thought about the straight down run of water off the backsplash. At least if the backsplash is mounted on top, the joint is horizontal and gravity isn't trying to help. Though capillary action may make that a moot point either way.

Also, the backsplash would be mounted with caulk in the joint, not just added after the fact to the inside corner. I think the idea is to have this caulk ooze out and be the same caulk that the runs in the corner. With the backsplash screwed on, hard to see anyway that would ever fail and allow water down it.

And, it is a utility sink in a workshop. Might go days or even weeks at a time and not get used. Unlike a kitchen or bath where it is used multiple times daily.



> There is a third mounting method. The backsplash could be mounted both on top of and against the back edge of the counter top at the same time. This would be done by rabbeting the backsplash. This method would allow the backsplash to be glued to the back edge of the countertop reinforced with screws.
> 
> - JBrow


I was thinking something similar. But rather than cutting rabbets, you could stagger the doubler on the back to create the effect of a rabbet cut in the top. though this still give you a vertical joint first, then horizontal.



> Nice!
> 
> Could you pocket hole from back side of back splash?
> 
> - hotbyte


Pockets holes is a darn good idea. The cases have about a million pocket screws already. What's a few more. In then end, I'm not sure how much stronger it really will be. But if nothing else, the screw could be quite long and would go into the meat of the back edge of the top. Screw won't pull out.

By the way, my concern for strength is really just until the thing gets mounted. Wouldn't take much of a bump to cause a failure of material where a screw goes edgewise into a 3/4" piece of particle board.



> Put a bead of silicone on the bottom of the splash, and a few dabs of construction adhesive on the back, and stick it in place. Cut a few stick of scrap wood sticks to wedge the splash tight to the counter, using the ceiling or wall cabinets for the sticks to push against.
> Scrape up the excess silicone, and clean what s left with lacquer thinner. When it s dry, you ll never be able to get it off.
> 
> - Ger21


I agree another way to go. Though I do lean towards a more immediate an positive attachment.

All of these are fair points and ideas. In the end, my gut tells me, it just doesn't matter. It's just the engineer in me is always looking for the best way, even if another 10 ways are good enough.

I may also build up some test examples. May give me a better sense of how strong or weak a method is.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

I've never seen one screwed in that I've ripped out. Always just siliconed in place.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

I always made mine 1 1/2" thick with a rabbet at the top so that it's easy to scribe to the wall, because walls are never straight. I screw them on from the bottom after the top is attached.
I would also put about a 1 or 2 degree angle at the bottom so that when you screw it to the counter top the angle helps suck it tight against the wall. (Silicone or siliconized caulk on the edge first)


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## chiseler (Dec 20, 2015)

> Put a bead of silicone on the bottom of the splash, and a few dabs of construction adhesive on the back, and stick it in place. Cut a few stick of scrap wood sticks to wedge the splash tight to the counter, using the ceiling or wall cabinets for the sticks to push against.
> Scrape up the excess silicone, and clean what s left with lacquer thinner. When it s dry, you ll never be able to get it off.
> 
> - Ger21


I have done it both ways,but found Gerry's way the easiest,except I take it one step further,and put a 1/4" groove in the counter top,and a 1/4"x1/4"tongue on the splash just in case the top isn't dead nuts flat/straight,and I have installed hundreds of counter tops over the years,and I've also found that phenoseal works best.It not only seals out the water when dry it's also an adhesive that cleans up nicely with water while it's still wet.If the wall is bad I'll glue a strip of 1/4"x 3/4" strip of soft wood on the back of the splash before laminating(splash ends up 1"plus thick),and scribe it to the wall.

good luck Scott


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

I meant to add that the shops I've worked at have made and installed thousands of backsplashes over the years, always with just silicone. Have never seen a failure.


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## WesternRevival (Feb 14, 2015)

Half Lap joint. Glue and screw both horizontally and vertically.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> Put a bead of silicone on the bottom of the splash, and a few dabs of construction adhesive on the back, and stick it in place. Cut a few stick of scrap wood sticks to wedge the splash tight to the counter, using the ceiling or wall cabinets for the sticks to push against.
> Scrape up the excess silicone, and clean what s left with lacquer thinner. When it s dry, you ll never be able to get it off.
> 
> - Ger21


 KIS +1


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

> Put a bead of silicone on the bottom of the splash, and a few dabs of construction adhesive on the back, and stick it in place. Cut a few stick of scrap wood sticks to wedge the splash tight to the counter, using the ceiling or wall cabinets for the sticks to push against.
> Scrape up the excess silicone, and clean what s left with lacquer thinner. When it s dry, you ll never be able to get it off.
> 
> - Ger21


Works if it's for yourself, but…
Does that mean an extra trip back to the customers to remove the scrap sticks?
Or do you ask the customer to finish the job for you?


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## chiseler (Dec 20, 2015)

> I meant to add that the shops I ve worked at have made and installed thousands of backsplashes over the years, always with just silicone. Have never seen a failure.
> 
> - Ger21


I've used silicone in the past,and the "only "reason I prefer phenoseal is because it's easier to clean up than silicone,and in 38 years I've yet to see" it" fail.but you are right in saying silicone is a great adhesive,just a PITA to clean up oozage afterwards


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

> Put a bead of silicone on the bottom of the splash, and a few dabs of construction adhesive on the back, and stick it in place. Cut a few stick of scrap wood sticks to wedge the splash tight to the counter, using the ceiling or wall cabinets for the sticks to push against.
> Scrape up the excess silicone, and clean what s left with lacquer thinner. When it s dry, you ll never be able to get it off.
> 
> - Ger21


This is the way most all commercial/residential shops install back splashes with the exception of a few using Smart Clips.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Wow - a lot of overthinking and work being suggested for a splash. A garage one at that.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

> Wow - a lot of overthinking and work being suggested for a splash. A garage one at that.
> 
> - dhazelton


exactly…Answered in #5 and many still overthink it…


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I'll throw in my smart assed question. Why not just use a top with an integrated splash?
Bill


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

> I ll throw in my smart assed question. Why not just use a top with an integrated splash?
> Bill
> 
> - Bill White


Because he said he was making it.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

> I ll throw in my smart assed question. Why not just use a top with an integrated splash?
> Bill
> 
> - Bill White


Because I want a square front and not the common round over front. So that leaves out off-the-shelf BORG tops. Custom top was more expensive than expected and in another thread exploring top options, there was a loud chorus of "It's easy, just do it yourself." so I decided to do just that.

And aside from all this talk about the backsplash, it appears it will be easy. Just several ways to skin the proverbial cat. It seems clear that just sticking it down is probably the most common professional way. That's even what I had in my head before looking on the internet to see what others do.

But, this is a one-off for myself, speed and efficiency of getting the job done are not a factor. Like I mentioned before, I lean strongly to having firm mechanical connections.

In the end, I'm going with the original idea of screwing the backsplash to the back of the top. Top is already fabricated (not laminated yet), so the choice is now a done deal. I.E., the depth of the top is now short by the thickness of the backsplash.

Ultimately the reason I decided to use this approach was the top itself doesn't have to be scribed to the wall AND then the backsplash scribed to the wall as well. Of course the backsplash covers over the top to wall joint, and this only needs to be scribed at the exposed ends. But what the heck, I'll just avoid that altogether.

Thanks again for all the input. While I stayed with my original idea, I still appreciate the various methods and issues with each approach that were pointed out.


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

You still want to use silicone in the joint before screwing it down, or water can get in and cause damage.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

> You still want to use silicone in the joint before screwing it down, or water can get in and cause damage.
> 
> - Ger21


Of course. I'd put a bead in the joint before joining, no matter what method was used.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

Followup:

I went ahead and built and laminated the countertop. I did mount the backsplash to the back of the top. This went just fine and I believe it will hold up well over time.

However, I can see that it is more work than necessary. Though probably no more than mounting to the top and screwing up into the backsplash.

Because I was screwing into the edge of particle board, I had to take great care to drill full depth pilot holes. Otherwise the particle board would split. I did some test on scrap so had it figured out before I actually did it.

One interesting point was the bead of silicone caulk I put between them before screwing the backsplash on. I put about a 3/16" dia bead about 1/4 the way from the top. Since the top was doubled up 3.4" particle board, that put the bead about 3/8" from the top and 1 1/8" from the bottom of the edge.

When I tightened the screws, it seemed like almost all the caulk came out the top. I was concerned that I may have somehow angled the backslash while attaching it, forcing the caulk up and out. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that caulk squeezed out the bottom as well. Not as much, but some. I guess given the laminated backsplash surface and the rather crisp edge of the particle board top, there was minimal gap to fill.

FYI I used 1 1/2" long #10 wood screws. I find bigger screws with large coarse threads seem to hold best in particle board. I placed these about every 6". This ensured the backsplash pulled tight to the top throughout the length of the joint.


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