Joining Miters on Laminate Counter Top

[rlamb007]

Hello,
Getting ready to install formica counter tops from the big box store.
The tops with have a 45 degree miter that normally is just glue and held with bolts.

I am thinking about using Festool Dominos to place along the miter to help with alignment.

Has anyone done this before, and what are your thoughts?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[antss]

It'd be great as long as your top's ends aren't captured by walls.

If that's the case , you won't have enough space to get the dominos in and slide the tops together without leaving a significant gap at one or both walls.

For an island or peninsula situation it'd be fine.

 

[rlamb007]

Thanks for the info.
I do have one end free, and other is pinned.
It is a small installation so putting it together and sliding it in place should work.

My thoughts the dominoes would really help to keep everything line up nice.

 

[Bob D.]

I had a similar situation with a U-shaped counter and both sides trapped by walls.
I wanted to use dominos but didn't see how I would have the room to put it together.
Ended up using biscuits and to top it off I could not use the draw bolts because the lazy
susan corner units were completely closed in and no access to the draw bolts.

Didn't have any seaming clamps so I made my own for less than $25 each which worked
for me since its a one time job. I don't do countertops usually.

 

[azfrankp]

Personally I wouldn't do it.  I've installed a lot of counter tops in my day and the purpose of the miter bolts is to have some adjustment to make sure the top surface is perfectly smooth.  Neither biscuits or Dominos give you that option. Believe it or not you can feel less than 1/500th of an inch. That difference is possible between two different pieces because the glue thickness may be slightly heavier in one versus the other and unlike wood, there is no sanding smooth.

My process is to put a heavy coat of glue on one piece.  Put the miter bolts in place and snug down.  Use a rubber mallet to tap the top surface until it's perfectly flat then tighten the bolts.  When dry, the joint will almost be stronger than the wood itself.  Good luck.

 

[leakyroof]

It'd be great as long as your top's ends aren't captured by walls.

If that's the case , you won't have enough space to get the dominos in and slide the tops together without leaving a significant gap at one or both walls.

For an island or peninsula situation it'd be fine.

. This is the thing that puzzles me about the incoming RTA connector kit for the Domino 700. The Counter Top joining connectors look interesting, but can't be installed and tightened unless the top has been pulled away from where it's going to sit on the lower cabinets for the installing of the connectors. Has anyone else watched Peter P.'s video on the system to see what I'm talking about? Am I missing something... [blink]