A kitchen worktop is a 600 mm wide slab, 38 to 40 mm thick, with a finished edge all the way round and a face that shows every mark. It is handled flat, turned on edge and stacked, and the two long edges take the damage. A U channel sized to the worktop thickness covers both faces and the edge in one part.
Why the edge, not the face, takes the damage
The face of a worktop is protected by the film the factory already applies. The edge is where the laminate or solid surface ends, and a chip there cannot be polished out on site without a visible repair.
Worktops are also heavy and awkward. Two people lift a 3 m length by the edges, so the protector is being gripped by hands as well as pressed by the stack. That is a different load from a panel that is only stacked.
Specification at a glance
Inner width follows the worktop thickness, which is a standard figure in most ranges. The wall needs to be heavy enough to survive hand handling, not just stacking.
| Worktop | Inner width | Leg | Wall |
|---|
| Laminate 38 mm | 38-39 mm | 60 mm | 4 mm |
| Compact 12 mm | 12 mm | 40 mm | 3 mm |
| Solid surface 40 mm | 40-41 mm | 60 mm | 5 mm |
| Butcher block 40 mm | 40-41 mm | 60 mm | 4 mm |
| End pieces | Same as the edge | 40 mm | 4 mm |
Stacking, banding and the ends
Worktops are usually stacked on edge, so the protector sits between two worktops and takes the compression of the stack. A 4-5 mm wall with a 60 mm leg is the usual balance; thinner walls flatten where the stack is banded.
The ends also need protection, because a worktop dropped on its end is scrap. Short U pieces pushed onto the two ends, or a corner piece, are cheap insurance and are usually the first thing missing from a pack.
Film, moisture and the unpacking moment
Keep the protector dry. A damp board against a matt or textured surface can leave a shadow that only shows once the film comes off at the customer.
Where the worktop carries a printed brand on the edge, print the protector rather than the worktop. It keeps the branding visible through the pack without touching the finished surface.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Will a paper channel hold a 3 m worktop?
The protector covers and grips the edge. Two people still carry the worktop; the channel does not make it rigid.
What wall for a banded stack?
4-5 mm with a 60 mm leg. Thinner walls flatten where the band crosses the edge.
Should the ends be protected too?
Yes. A worktop dropped on its end is unrepairable, and end pieces cost very little.
Can the protector be printed with our brand?
Yes, which keeps branding visible through the pack without printing on the finished surface.
Is a coated board needed for a humid container?
Discuss it for long sea legs. A dry kraft board is normally adequate for a short route.
Share the drawing or the four key numbers with mona@hengnicepacking.com and we will confirm feasibility before quoting.
