Anyone DIY'd runnels in solid surface countertop?

15 years ago

I really, really want runnels next to my sink. We'd like to DIY our counter. If you have installed runnels, or even looked over the shoulder of someone who has, I'd like to hear about it.

DH is good with a router. We're thinking that running the router down a sloped surface (a board cut at a slant type of thing) set on the counter would give us the angle into the sink that we'd need. Once the runnels are routed, do they need to be sanded down or polished in any way?

Does anyone have probs with water standing on the "non-runnel" part between the runnels, or does it naturally go where you need it to go?

Thanks for your help!

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Comments (4)

shortyrobyn
15 years ago
Don't know anything about this. Except that "solid surface" countertops may not look the same 1/2" down as they do on top. I'd definitely test the concept on a small piece of the material I had before cutting into your countertops. Robyn
davidro1
15 years ago
Water stands on flat surfaces, and begins sliding when the slope is greater than 1/8"per foot. I would have a polisher polish down a flat sloped section inside your counter. I don't like runnels because in general there IS still water on the flat part, and runnels themselves are so narrow that I think they tend to hold onto water too, when it's a small quantity of water. They work with "big water" but I don't wash and rinse that much.
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aliris19
15 years ago
Davidrol -- that's an interesting suggestion. Am I understanding correctly that you'd take a whole section parallel to the sink and just make that whole section slope down toward the sink's edge? Like a beach I suppose? You wouldn't happen to have photos of such a thing, would you? Boxerpups? (the photo expert) Anyone with experience of this? Thanks!

Another thing that sounds good about this is you could maybe make a small lip at the edge of this beach that would contain the water? And although I really haven't the first knowledge of how countertops are made or sanded, it sounds as if it might be easy-ish to do, not requiring special routers and all?
davidro1
15 years ago
Images are out there, but it might take a while to find them. Maybe "flat sloped drainboard countertop"...

http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg091520316352.html

The slope is minimal because otherwise it looks too much. One could slope it more...

http://www.thathomesite.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg042156024880.html

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg051021584694.html

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg081212041511.html