{"id":27438,"date":"2026-09-20T19:39:40","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T17:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/?p=27438"},"modified":"2026-10-27T18:26:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T17:26:22","slug":"made-to-measure-worktop-joints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/guides\/made-to-measure-worktop-joints\/","title":{"rendered":"A made-to-measure worktop: where does the joint sit, and how is the cut-out cut?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A made-to-measure worktop is not taken off by eye with a paper template, but measured in a 3D site survey to about 1 mm tolerance.<\/strong> Last updated: September 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list kk-1min\">\n<li>From about 3.2 m of run length a ceramic slab in the common formats needs a joint.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>The workshop drawing puts the joint at a carcass joint, never over a cut-out or between hob and sink.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Cut-outs, joint and overhang are fixed before cutting: a ceramic slab cannot be recut on site.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>An island always gets its own slab. Most islands fit into one large slab without a seam.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kitchen buying guide \u00b7 Module 6: Surfaces | Previous step: <a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/guides\/slim-worktop-12-mm\/\">Slim worktop: 12 mm<\/a> | Next step: <a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/guides\/kitchen-splashback-materials\/\">Splashback<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/assets\/blog\/arbeitsplatte-massanfertigung-fugen\/arbeitsplatte-massanfertigung-fugen-praezision.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/assets\/blog\/arbeitsplatte-massanfertigung-fugen\/arbeitsplatte-massanfertigung-fugen-praezision.webp\" alt=\"A precisely made kitchen: joints, edges and an illuminated recess line up exactly\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" loading=\"eager\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Precision from the site survey: joints, edges and the illuminated recess line up exactly (project in Cologne).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What made to measure means: the 3D site survey to about 1 mm tolerance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Made to measure means that the worktop is measured digitally in the finished, fitted room, in a 3D site survey to about 1 mm tolerance, instead of by eye with a paper template. Measuring is done only once the carcasses are standing and the walls are real, because hardly any kitchen wall is exactly square. A survey device captures the actual angles as well as projections and recesses. The cut-out positions for hob and sink come from the appliance and electrical plan, the joint position from the carcass layout. From that comes a workshop drawing to which the slab is cut once. A ceramic or stone slab cannot be recut on site, which is why the by-eye template is the most expensive point of a kitchen: a wrong cut-out means a new slab, not a correction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Material<\/th>\n<th>Maximum slab size<\/th>\n<th>Joint needed from<\/th>\n<th>Cut-out rule<\/th>\n<th>Edge at the cut-out<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td data-label=\"Material\">Dekton (Cosentino)<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Maximum slab size\">320 x 144 cm<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Joint needed from\">from about 3.2 m of run length<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Cut-out rule\">internal corner 5 mm radius, edge polished, gap 2 mm, 50 mm from the edge, supported around the perimeter<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Edge at the cut-out\">polished<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td data-label=\"Material\">Neolith (TheSize)<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Maximum slab size\">320 x 160 cm<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Joint needed from\">from about 3.2 m of run length<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Cut-out rule\">internal corner 5 mm radius, edge polished, gap 2 mm, 50 mm from the edge, supported around the perimeter<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Edge at the cut-out\">polished<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td data-label=\"Material\">Laminam<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Maximum slab size\">324 x 162 cm<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Joint needed from\">from about 3.2 m of run length<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Cut-out rule\">internal corner 5 mm radius, edge polished, gap 2 mm, 50 mm from the edge, supported around the perimeter<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Edge at the cut-out\">polished<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td data-label=\"Material\">Natural stone (granite)<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Maximum slab size\">block-dependent, mostly smaller than ceramic<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Joint needed from\">earlier depending on the block<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Cut-out rule\">internal corner rounded, edge eased, supported around the perimeter<\/td>\n<td data-label=\"Edge at the cut-out\">eased or polished<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dekton, Neolith and Laminam are brands of the same material, sintered stone. They differ in slab format, not in the material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/assets\/referenzen\/sanierung-frankfurt\/images\/aufmass-grundriss.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/assets\/referenzen\/sanierung-frankfurt\/images\/aufmass-grundriss.jpg\" alt=\"Made-to-measure worktop: 3D survey floor plan with measured wall lengths and angles\" width=\"1198\" height=\"726\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The 3D survey records every wall with its real angles, projections and recesses before any slab is cut (Frankfurt renovation).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cut-outs done right: radius, gap, margin and support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cut-out for hob and sink is the place where a ceramic slab cracks, not the surface, and it is made safe with four rules. First the internal corner: rounded, never 90 degrees; the radius the corner gets is set by the appliance or sink manufacturer, so that the appliance fits and no stress cracks form, about 5 mm for BORA, 20 mm for Blanco. This radius is at or above the slab material&#8217;s minimum of 5 mm for Dekton, Neolith and Laminam, because stress concentrates at a sharp corner. Second the cut edge: polished, so that no micro-cracks from sawing remain. Third the thermal gap: the hob sits with at least 2 mm of air to the slab, so that the glass can expand without pressing against the edge, and the margin to the slab edge stays at least 50 mm wide. Fourth the support: the cut-out is supported from below around its full perimeter, otherwise hairline cracks form under the weight of the appliance. These four points belong in the workshop drawing, not in the hands of the fitter on site. Why ceramic fails at the cut-out and not in the surface is a matter of fabrication, not a material fault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where the joint sits: a planning decision, not chance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The joint never sits over a cut-out and never in the main work zone between hob and sink, but at a carcass joint, where two base units meet. A joint becomes necessary from about 3.2 m of run length, because the largest standard format ends at around 320 cm (Dekton 320 x 144 cm), apart from the narrow Neolith 360 x 120 cm; so a 4-metre run gets a seam, and where it lies is decided in the 3D site survey, not on site. A cleanly planned joint sits in a place where you rarely work, runs over a carcass edge and is bonded as a butt joint, so that it barely shows. The mitre is a different matter and not a joint: it joins slab and edge strip at a 45-degree angle into a solid look and serves the appearance of the edge, not the length of the run. Our stance on the joint is an honest one: we do not claim a seamless slab where the format does not allow it, but place the seam deliberately at the least conspicuous spot. A planned joint is a sign of care, not a defect, and it sets the made-to-measure worktop apart from the randomly pieced-together slab on site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Worktop for a kitchen island: its own slab, structurally calculated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The worktop for a kitchen island is always its own, single slab, not an extension of the run, and its overhang is calculated structurally, not just drawn for looks. An island of 240 x 100 cm fits into one large slab without a joint (Dekton 320 x 144, Laminam 324 x 162 cm), so that no seam runs across the most visible surface of the kitchen. The seating overhang is the critical spot: up to about 30 cm of ceramic overhang the slab carries without an additional steel substructure, and that is included in the fixed price. A steel substructure, such as a steel cross-member with a support spacing of no more than 1,200 mm, is only added beyond about 30 cm. How big the island may be for your room and which services have to be in place before the screed is in the guide <a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/guides\/planning-a-kitchen-island\/\">Planning a kitchen island<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What made to measure costs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Made to measure is not a separate surcharge but sits in the price per metre of the slab, which on the German market for ceramic is \u20ac350 to \u20ac900 per linear metre, fabricated and fitted. Cutting to size, cut-outs, edge working and the planned joint are included in it. The complete kitchen slab at Kolev is around \u20ac3,000 to \u20ac7,500 incl. VAT depending on length and island, made through our stone partner without our own markup. Which figure applies to which material is in the comparison <a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/guides\/kitchen-worktop-materials-and-cost\/\">Which worktop: comparison and cost<\/a> and, for ceramic, in the free <a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/guides\/ceramic-worktop-cost\/#rechner\">cost calculator<\/a>. This guide here settles the execution, not the price. The kitchen itself starts at \u20ac14,999 incl. VAT including planning, delivery and installation, but the slab is added as a separate line item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How we do it at Kolev<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Kolev the slab is drawn from the 3D site survey, to about 1 mm tolerance, and the joint is fixed in the workshop drawing before the slab is cut. The first 3D survey of the room is carried out by our partner POS Group as soon as the walls and ceiling are finished. I checked how precisely it all fits in the end on one U-shaped kitchen: over around 5 m, the diagonal was only about 1 mm off the plan. The cut-outs get rounded internal corners to the appliance or sink manufacturer&#8217;s specification, at least 5 mm to the slab&#8217;s own minimum, polished cut edges, a thermal gap of at least 2 mm and a margin of at least 50 mm to the slab edge, supported around the full perimeter. The seating overhang carries up to about 30 cm without an additional steel substructure and within the fixed price, beyond about 30 cm on a steel cross-member with a support spacing of no more than 1,200 mm. The carcass comes from our Manufaktur, our own production facility, the slab from our stone partner, delivered and fitted on our behalf. The warranty under the statutory provisions stays with us. The stone partner fits the stone slab after a second site survey, usually about two weeks after the cabinet installation. Until then we put temporary worktops in place. A compact laminate we fit ourselves. The workshop drawing with the joint position is archived permanently, so that a cut-out or a splashback can later be remade to the same dimensions, as long as the finish is available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From what length does a worktop need a joint?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From about 3.2 m of run length, because the largest ceramic format ends at 320 cm: Dekton measures 320 x 144 cm, Neolith 320 x 160 cm, Laminam 324 x 162 cm. Shorter runs and most islands fit into one large slab without a seam. Only beyond that does a joint become necessary, and its position is a planning decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where is the joint placed in a ceramic worktop?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At a carcass joint, where two base units meet, never over a cut-out and never in the main work zone between hob and sink. That way the joint sits in a place where you rarely work, and bonded as a butt joint it barely shows. It is fixed in the 3D site survey, not on site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does a 3D site survey mean for a worktop?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The digital measuring of the finished, fitted room to about 1 mm tolerance, instead of a paper template by eye. Measuring is done only once the carcasses are standing, because hardly any wall is exactly square. From the real angles, the cut-out positions and the joint position comes the workshop drawing to which the slab is cut once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can the slab for a kitchen island be made without a joint?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, an island up to about 320 x 144 cm fits into a large Dekton slab without a joint. Larger formats are possible with Laminam up to 324 x 162 cm. The overhang for stools is the critical point: up to about 30 cm of ceramic overhang the slab carries without an additional steel substructure, and that is included in the fixed price. A steel substructure is only added beyond about 30 cm. That way the most visible surface of the kitchen stays seamless and still carries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why does a ceramic slab crack at the cut-out and not in the surface?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because at the cut-out the load-bearing surface is interrupted and stress concentrates at a sharp internal corner. That is why the internal corner is rounded to the appliance or sink manufacturer&#8217;s specification (BORA about 5 mm, Blanco 20 mm), never below the slab&#8217;s minimum of 5 mm, the cut edge polished, the hob set in with a thermal gap of at least 2 mm and the cut-out supported around its full perimeter, at least 50 mm from the edge. A crack is therefore a matter of fabrication, not a material fault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Next step: the first consultation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you would like to know whether your run needs a joint and where it interferes least, then let&#8217;s talk. In the first consultation we look at your floor plan, your wishes and your budget, directly with the architect, 45 to 60 minutes, for Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main region. <strong>Personal. Free of charge. No sales pressure.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And a piece of advice no kitchen studio likes to give: get three offers and compare them. We are one of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"\/en\/start\/\">Book a first consultation<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Made to measure is more than the slab: <a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/guides\/made-to-measure-kitchen\/\">made-to-measure kitchen<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kitchen buying guide \u00b7 Module 6: Surfaces | Previous step: <a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/guides\/slim-worktop-12-mm\/\">Slim worktop: 12 mm<\/a> | Next step: <a href=\"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/guides\/kitchen-splashback-materials\/\">Splashback<\/a><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From 3.2 m run length a ceramic slab needs a joint: the largest format ends at 320 cm. Where it lies is a planning decision in the 3D site survey, to about 1 mm tolerance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27439,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[78,90],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","category-worktops-splashback"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27438"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29232,"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27438\/revisions\/29232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kolev-kuechen.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}