Fitting a kitchen worktop: DIY or get a fitter?
A straight run of laminate worktop is well within reach of a confident DIYer. Corners, sink cut-outs and solid wood are where it gets expensive to get wrong. Stone and quartz are not DIY at all.
Guide · The Honest Fix
Straight laminate runs: DIY. Mitred corners and wood: only if you’re handy. Stone and quartz: hire.
Tools and materials
- Tape measure, pencil, long spirit level and a combination square
- Circular saw or track saw with a fine-tooth blade, or a jigsaw with a laminate (downcut) blade
- For corners: a worktop jig and a 1/2-inch router with a long cutter (can be hired)
- Clamps and a straight edge
- Drill-driver, worktop connecting bolts and fixing brackets
- Matching edging strip and an iron, or end caps
- Silicone and a waterproof sealer for cut edges
- Dust mask, eye and ear protection
- A second person to lift
What the job involves
Fitting a worktop means measuring and cutting it to length, joining lengths at corners, cutting holes for the sink and hob, fixing it down to the base units and sealing it against water. The materials vary a lot in how forgiving they are:
- Laminate: a chipboard core with a plastic face. Cheapest and the easiest to cut, but the core swells permanently if water gets into a cut edge.
- Solid wood: heavy and moves with humidity. It needs oiling on every face and fixings that let it expand and contract.
- Compact laminate, quartz, granite and other stone: templated, cut and fitted by specialists. They need specialist tools, and mistakes can’t be fixed.
Step by step: a straight laminate run
1. Measure twice, then check the walls
Walls are rarely straight or square, especially in older houses. Hold a straight edge along the wall and check the corners with a square. You may need to scribe the back edge to follow the wall, or rely on an upstand or splashback to cover small gaps.
2. Mark and cut
A saw chips the face its teeth come out of. Circular saws and standard jigsaw blades cut upwards, so turn the worktop face down and mark and cut from the underside. With a downcut jigsaw blade or a track saw, cut face up. Put masking tape over the cut line to reduce chipping, and clamp a straight edge as a guide.
3. Seal every cut edge
Any cut edge that will be hidden still needs sealing with silicone or a waterproof sealer, particularly around the sink and dishwasher. Visible ends get an iron-on edging strip or end cap.
4. Cut-outs for the sink and hob
Use the template supplied with the sink or hob, check it against the units underneath, and keep well clear of joints and edges. Drill a hole in each corner, then cut between them with a jigsaw. Support the offcut so it doesn’t drop and tear the laminate. Seal the cut edges before the sink or hob goes in.
5. Fix it down
Check the base units are level first. Fix the worktop from underneath through the unit brackets, using screws short enough that they can’t come through the top. Fit a moisture barrier strip on the underside above the dishwasher.
6. Corners and joins
A corner can be joined with a metal jointing strip (easy, but visible) or a router-cut mason’s mitre (neat, but needs a jig, a powerful router and practice). Mitres are cut left- or right-handed. Practise on an offcut before cutting the real thing. Join with worktop bolts and a waterproof sealant in the joint.
7. Seal along the wall
Fit upstands or a splashback and seal along the back edge with silicone.
Safety and regulations
- Gas hobs: by law, connecting or disconnecting a gas hob must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Electric hobs and ovens: these usually need their own circuit from the consumer unit. In England, installing a new circuit is notifiable building work under Part P. Wales has its own, broader rules, and Scotland and Northern Ireland use different systems again. Wherever you are, use a registered electrician who can certify the work.
- Before drilling or fixing upstands, check for hidden pipes and cables. Cables often run vertically above and below sockets.
- Dust: cutting chipboard and MDF makes fine dust. Wear a proper dust mask (FFP2 or better) and cut outside if you can.
- Routers and saws: clamp the work, keep both hands on the tool and wear eye and ear protection.
- Lifting: a 3m length of worktop is heavy and awkward. Get a second person.
Stop here: call a pro if…
- The worktop is stone, quartz, compact laminate or any material that has to be templated.
- You need a mason’s mitre and have never used a router and jig.
- The base units aren’t level, are damaged, or move when pushed.
- The hob needs a gas connection or a new electrical circuit.
- Moving the sink means moving the waste or water pipes.
- A single length costs more than you’re prepared to lose on one bad cut.
DIY or Hire?
Straight laminate runs: DIY, with care. If you can cut accurately with a guided saw, it’s very achievable and will save a fair amount on labour.
Corners, wood and full kitchens: think carefully. One wrong mitre on an expensive length can cost more than the fitter. Fitters do these joints every week, have the jig and router set up, and work fast.
Stone and quartz: hire. The supplier will normally template, make and fit them as part of the price.
Common mistakes
- Measuring off the wall without checking whether it’s square.
- Cutting from the wrong side and chipping the visible edge.
- Leaving cut edges unsealed around the sink or dishwasher, so the chipboard swells.
- Cutting a mitre the wrong hand.
- Putting the sink cut-out too close to a joint or the front edge.
- Fixing solid wood down tight so it can’t move, causing cracks or lifting.
- Screwing up through the units with screws that are too long.
FAQs
Can I use a jigsaw for the whole job?
For cut-outs, yes. For long straight cuts, a circular or track saw with a guide gives a much straighter, cleaner edge. Jigsaw blades tend to wander in thick worktop.
How much overhang should a worktop have at the front?
Enough to cover the doors and throw drips clear of them, typically around 10–25mm beyond the door fronts. Check your units and door thickness before cutting.
Can I fit a new worktop over the old one?
Not usually. It raises the height, interferes with appliances and the sink, and traps any damp underneath. Take the old one off.