Fablon to cover dented worktops in van

[soldlisa04]

Hi - has anyone used fablon to cover their existing worktops in their caravans? We have a couple of dents where things have fallen out of cupboards and my Mum suggested using Fablon.

Has anyone used it? Is it easy to apply and does it do the job?

Any thoughts/advice much appreciated.

Thanks. Lisa.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

We bought a used van a few years back and the kitchen bench had a couple of fillings (slightly smaller than a small finger nail) where things had dropped from the overhead cupboard. The fillings were a creamy colour and quite well done, so blended in reasonably well. In retrospect I would still prefer the fillings to Fablon.

 

[Sproket]

Have a look here at Caravan worktop repairs

 

[mogarage]

The only fablon I am familiar with is a sticky vinyl sheet on a roll - which isn't particularly durable and wouldn't provide a permanent repair. Some time ago we successfully repaired a caravan table by covering it in a matching formica sheet - which is durable.

 

[Jaydug]

IMO Fablon would look horrible - and it wouldn't last long before the edges started lifting. Most caravan worktops are two sheets of Formica-type plastic with a corrugated cardboard section holding them apart. Some years ago when a coffee jar fell from the overhead locker and the worktop was severely damaged, I found a 6 inch square tile with a nice pattern on it. I put the tile over the damage and marked around it. The line was then carefully cut, the cardboard infill taken out and the tile glued into the hole so that all was level. When dry, the small gap was grouted.

 

[Gafferbill]

.......you can buy small tubes of filler which is used to carry out car bodywork repairs. The type that come with a catalytic hardener in a separate tube.
The filler can be coloured using a small quantity of suitable paint to match original surface.
Carefully sand off flush by hand using wet and dry paper when the filler has hardened.

 

[Mogwyth]

Ours has a repair in the worktop that we didn't notice until I was wiping the side down at the weekend, they have used a clear epoxy resin, which has resulted in a near invisible repair.

 

[Dustydog]

Lisa.
I had a fablon covered top years ago. It was yuk.
If the dents haven't broken the surface then I may be tempted to leave well alone or use one of the filler systems mentioned by the other forumites.

 

[Ian4624]

My daughter has a similar problem with the 1994 Abbey she bought. She has bought some self adhesive floor tiles from Homebase. They are quite thin so won't need any extra edging strip but seem substantial enough to cover the small damaged area. They are available in various effects. She has chosen one with a wooden tile effect. Eight tiles will cover the entire surface. We haven't actually started the job yet though so don't know how successful it may be. (or not)

 

[chrisn7]

You can buy materials specifically designed for worktop repair even from B&Q. Fablon is ok to cover a shelf or drawer bottom i.e a single surface. If your worktop has a vertical front edge though it is almost impossible to wrap around the sharp edge satisfactorily - the Fablon has a tendency to retain a radius, so this finish doesn't look professional. Its also not durable enough as a worktop surface.

There is another approach I have used too: I had a damaged surface over a chest of drawers, rather than the main one in the kitchen, so simply unscrewed it from the cabinet. Measure in 2 dimensions where the damage is, then turn over and mark the location on the underside. Use a hole saw to cut the bottom layer away, then cut away the bits of cardboard honeycomb, to reveal the damage. See if you can press it back into shape, but it will probably spring back. So, add some original Araldite to the underside of the damage, then a small wood block, finally clamping through the hole and block to a a flat surface and leave overnight to set. No need to bother with the hole which won't be seen...

 

[SteveC2]

Fablon will be horrible on a work area.

We had a ding on the side dinette table a few years ago that was about 6-8mm deep and ran about 25mm or so. I bought a worktop repair kit that consisted of a two part white polyester filler compound with a selection of colouring additives. I experimented a few times before committing. The original top was a sort of mottled grey/white marbling effect and by mixing the polyester but incompletely mixing in the colouring I was able to get a similar effect. I rubbed it down carefully with increasingly fine grit wet & dry on a small block, used wet. You can't see the repair unless you know it's there.

It was while we were having a new kitchen fitted at home and the fitter got it for me. Sorry I can't remember the name.