Corian Question

I'm replacing a cooktop and the new unit has a bracket that needs to be secured to the countertop surface on the inside of the cutout. Can the bracket be screwed into corian, or does it need to be glued? If it can't be screwed, what kind of adhesive can be used to secure the metal bracket to the corian?

TIA

Corian installers have special adhesives they use, and when the bond, they are permanent. As for screwing the bracket to the Corian, you would need plenty of thickness as the corian has little or no of the sufficient density (without thickness) to hold a screw well.

Ask a kitchen top supply company for the adhesives.

Robert

What do you mean by "plenty of thickness"? The screws would have to go into the inside of the cutout (ie sideways into the cut portion).

Hmmm... my biz is remodeling/repair. While it >certainly< doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, I have never seen a range top that that screws sideways into the thickness of the top. They have many arrangements like thumbscrews, clips, compression clamps, etc. that are installed from underneath and compress an installation ring or the actual top to the countertop as a means of attachment.

If I understand you correctly, you are saying this:

countertop attachment screw [----------------- {>>>>>>> [ thickness of top [_________________

Yes? No? How thick is your top?

Robert

Yes. There is a bracket that is screwed to each side, and then you drop in the cooktop and it snaps into it. The counter is 1 1/2" thick.

Leave it to Gaggenau to invent something new and completely unnecessary. They've made it so that if the cutout isn't exact it isn't going to fit. The previous model that I'm replacing has a simple clamp. I called them and they said it was a drop-in replacement. Sure.

NEVER screw into solid surface unless you use a special brass insert. And most definitively NEVER screw into it from the edge...it WILL crack.

If a cook-top won't sit there on its own... you need another solution. The bottom clamps are also never used. The top and bottom of the cut-out must be sanded smooth and rounded over gently. The inside of the cook-top hole must be lined with aluminum heatsink-type tape and the inside corners must be relieved by a 1/2" x

Rob

A quick check with the "solid surface" countertop guy reveals he has had to do this with other applications.

If you have the screw(s) they sent, then use them. If you are on your own, use a 2" screw (yup... 2" !) to connect.

According to him, you MUST predrill to the correct size for your screw, and use a thick shank (#12s maybe?) pan head sheetmetal screw.

Remember that your adhesive/sealer that you put around the top will also do a lot to hold the top in place. It sounds like this is some kind of retainer/trim ring to keep the top from falling through.

And if I had a nickel for every "drop in" that didn't...

Robert

See above post dated: Jul 27, 11:39 pm. Essentially, I agree with your post, but I also understand that every single top is not engineered the same, making it impossible to think every installation is exactly the same. I do understand the point about Corian being Corian, though.

If I am understanding him correctly, and I might not, he has something that is specifically designed/engineered and intended to be installed in this manner. It may take into account the heat shielding (as opposed to a heatsink which delibertately draws heat) into its design, and so therefore be designed to be installed as per their own supplied instructions.

nospam wrote:

Actually, the instructions say to use the screws unless you have a granite top, in which case you should use adhesive. There is no mention of corian of course, and their customer service people are morons (didn't even know the warranty). I am worried about it cracking if I screw into it; its probably not worth the risk.