Joiner broke worktop by hacking grooves with a saw

Help1234

Hello,

We are having a kitchen fitted. We have an oak worktop and we asked our joiner if he could put in 5 drainer grooves next to the sink. He spent about 3 hours doing this then came to tell me his saw had broke while he was doing it and caused damage to the wood in the process which wasn’t repairable. I have therefore ordered a new worktop. He’s due to start again with it tomorrow but I am worried. The grooves he created before this happened are extremely deep and not completely equal/identical. I have since googled this and have seen people create much better grooves - the kind I am after not using a saw but instead using this sander thing called a router.

I am really worried what should I say to him? Should I ask him to buy this equipment? Im sure he will refuse or make me pay for it. I’m stuck currently with half a kitchen in place.

pramsay13

3 hours?
What kind of saw was he using?
I assume oak worktops aren't particularly cheap so you should make sure you will be happy with the quality of work.
Why not show him the kind you mean on a screen and see what he says?
If he can't manage get him to fit the workshop and get someone else in to do the grooves later.

z1a

Yep, definitely a router needed, can't imagine how he thought it would look good with any kind of saw.

Doozergirl

Any carpenter should have a router. I'm amazed that he doesn't. Where did you find him?

Oak worktops are a royal pain, you know. I wouldn't be draining anything anywhere near them or you'll be buying yet another worktop.

Aylesbury_Duck

Yes, the two questions that came to my mind were: A saw to create drainage grooves? And: An oak draining board?

Ruski

He should also use a jig to give a slope to the grooves otherwise they'll just keep standing water in them

I assume you have an undermount sink / belfast sink : drip grooves should also be cut into the underside of the worktop around the aperture - has he done this??

HTH

Russ

Help1234

OK I think our plan is just get him to finish the kitchen and not put any grooves in this new worktop.

Please can you clarify what you mean by:
Drip grooves should also be cut into the underside of the worktop around the aperture.

I!!!8217;m not sure what this means or how to check but I expect the answer is no.

flashg67

Agree - I'd ask him to leave it alone. Can't believe he tried to cut them by hand. I'm just an averagely keen DIYer and I have a router - sure it wasn't more than £30. Does need a jig to slope the grooves too.

Google 'worktop drip groove' will give you the general idea. You may have seen them on exterior window sills too

Help1234

Here are the pics

Doozergirl

Was he trying to dig for Australia?

System

wow, I'm pretty awful at diy, but I reckon I could have had a better go than that!