Help! Repairing new crack in oak kitchen worktop

[dave163]

A crack in our solid oak kitchen worktop, fitted around five years ago has just developed. It extends back around 12 inches from the Belfast sink, and the first 6 inches or so looks quite deep, whilst the rest is superficial but looks like it could open up further. It isn't a failure of stave glue as it's in the middle of a stave. The worktop is carefully kept dry and oiled every couple of years with Osmo so it's rather disappointing and quite sudden.

Replacing the worktop or removing to glue and clamp it really isn't an option so what's the best compromise repair in terms of ease of use, preferably one that doesn't require sanding down the entire worktop again afterwards - I've sanded it down a couple of times in the past when reapplying Osmo and it knocks the kitchen out of use for days which isn't ideal just before Christmas. I also don't want to do anything that might make it worse, or make a subsequent repair more difficult if Plan A doesn't work out.

Options from a quick Google include using
- "Plastic wood"
- flood with epoxy glue that's been dyed with a drop of wood stain
- melt and dribble in coloured wax (as used in repairs to laminate floors)
- silicone sealant (possibly oak coloured)

What would be my best course of action?

 

[^woody^]

If you can't get underneath to insert some butterfly/bow tie ties, then one at the end may do.

Diagonal dowels from the top may be the another option, and flaunt the imperfection.

PVA if you can clamp it up, or PVA and saw dust if you can't. Or route a strip in.

 

[matlob]

drill a hole at the end of the crack before you fill

 

[Notch7]

Looks like a crack along the glue line to me

If you have a solid wall opposite, you might be able to use a length of say 100 x 50 timber, something to spread the load and a wedge to apply the pressure to close up the gap.

Dont forget to unscrew anything holding the worktop.

To repair use some glue, say PU or D4 pva - try and force as much into the crack as you can using the glue bottle, then blow hard with a straw or a new uncut nozzle from a sealant tube - to force it hard in.

If you can close up the gap by wedging from an opposite wall, I would open up the crack by banging a timber wedge in from the end, to get more glue in.


I guess if you have access you could fit a worktop bolt from below - they need a 35mm drill bit and something to cut a slot (a row of 12mm drill holes would do)

 

[dave163]

Thanks - no way of getting the worktop out, no way to clamp across its width and no access under it as the cupboards have their own "roof" that the worktop sits on. Is PVA glue better than epoxy glue or any of the many types of wood filler for this sort of thing? I probably won't get it in all the way along the crack in any case so will probably have to run in a bit of wax at the far end.

 

[BlueLoo]

Stop the crack from propagating.
Drill a clean hole with a sharp bit.

Clean out the crud i the crack and then glue and clamp.

Finish with whatever this is finished with (oil?)

Consider under counter reinforcing if possible.

Use sacrificial holes for clamping. Dowel after use.

 

[big-all]

my thoughts
wood glue doesnt just sit on the surface it tends to go into the grain so re gluing will be hit and miss as its glue on glue
Similar to woody but with screws 2 or 3 at an angle into the groove right to left drilled and countersunk into the groove with as little encroaching into the surface as possible and filled make sure the rh side has a hole fully with a drill 1mm bigger than screw so it pulls together
just be aware to get the correct angle the screwhead may need or make a channel on the groove opposite edge also the worktop may pull up on the lh side as you tighten the screw so may need a wooden block and a hammer or even wedge up on the rhs but dont go too mad as its impacting onto the sink

 

[Notch7]

no access under it as the cupboards have their own "roof" that the worktop sits on

Just drill through that too, or cut a square out

 

[Mike13]

Like the other say, that is a glue line that has broken as the wood has dried out slowly. it is much too straight and vertical to be a shrinkage break within the wood.
It needs a sash cramp to pull the front and back together or it will always be loose and try to crack more.

 

[big-all]

Like the other say, that is a glue line that has broken as the wood has dried out slowly. it is much too straight and vertical to be a shrinkage break within the wood.
It needs a sash cramp to pull the front and back together or it will always be loose and try to crack more.

indeed iffyou follow the crack back you can see unusually the staves join either side off the crack about 12mm different on each side

 

[DAZB]

As the OP mentioned he cannot clamp it although there is a little used old fashioned method that is effective at this type of end grain situation and that is to use Pinch Dogs, readily available and i would definately pre-drill first as the last thing you want is to split it elsewhere. Get plenty of glue in the crack, mark the locations and then pre-drill for the dogs ( i would go with 3 or 4 inch versions so you are not anywhere near the split) and gently, very gently tap them in and keep an eye on it moving together. If it needs bigger pilot holes then drill them and just take it easy.
If all goes to plan and it nips up you could then hammer in a wiggle nail / corrugated edge fastener to hold it there for good.
Good luck and if you take it steady it could work well.

 

[dave163]

Thanks, liking the idea of the dog clamp though they don't seem readily available other than in packs of several. And ill have to avoid smashing the sink if i hammer it in! Not sure a pin or screw would be aesthetically acceptable. Would there be any way of screwing a clamp or even a small block of wood of some sort onto the end grain jutting out over sink, either side of the crack, and tightening them together whilst the glue dries?

As before, I'd appreciate advice on the most appropriate glue, PVA or epoxy both for longevity and least mess. If at all possible I don't want to have to send down and restain the worktop after repair as the wife will kill me if the kitchen's out of use next week.

 

[robinbanks]

the cupboards have their own "roof" that the worktop sits on

Cut a hole in it with a hole saw or multi tool. A 40mm oak worktop doesn't need support from a bit of 10mm chipboard

 

[big-all]

Thanks, liking the idea of the dog clamp though they don't seem readily available other than in packs of several. And ill have to avoid smashing the sink if i hammer it in! Not sure a pin or screw would be aesthetically acceptable. Would there be any way of screwing a clamp or even a small block of wood of some sort onto the end grain jutting out over sink, either side of the crack, and tightening them together whilst the glue dries?

As before, I'd appreciate advice on the most appropriate glue, PVA or epoxy both for longevity and least mess. If at all possible I don't want to have to send down and restain the worktop after repair as the wife will kill me if the kitchen's out of use next week.

Underneath is the only option that isnt a full bodge others are to some degree butt all repairs will show between just about acceptable to bl00dy awfull its your choice

just hope for a functioning top that may look ok and work for a few more years

 

[robinbanks]

Would there be any way of screwing a clamp or even a small block of wood of some sort onto the end grain jutting out over sink, either side of the crack, and tightening them together whilst the glue dries?

Depending on how far from the room facing edge the split is, you could certainly look to pre drill the worktop from edge face towards wall, and install a partly threaded screw that will pull the sides together as it tightens. If you drill a recess hole big enough to accommodate the head (and you can shave the head down if needed rather than making a massive hole in the edge face) and deep enough that you can install a plug of wood over the screw head then you won't see it, and if you can get a good grain match with the plug it will blend in well

Look up plug cutters (just need some scrap oak; try a local woodworking shop?), the rest is hopefully obvious

Blue is the plug covering the screw head which is pulling the sides together. Same idea as the other mentioned methods of pulling the sides together
Belfast sinks and wooden tops; terrible combination