Installing Granite Countertops

[blue_can]

I have decided to install Granite countertops in my kitchen. Being a serious DIYer I am planning to install the countertops myself and also make the necessary cutouts. The company who will be supplying the countertops will cut and finish the countertops as needed so the expectation is that I will simply need to install, glue the seams and make the cutouts as needed.

Are there any articles or information I can find that would give me all the info for doing this task. An equipment list and tools I’m going to need would also be useful.

[Mark D.]

Actually we sell a DVD set for fabricating stone for the do it yourselfer. In fact it is titled "Fabricating Stone for the Do-It-Yourselfer"...imagine that!
There are 3 DVD's in the set. The 2nd of the 3 shows the countertop install on a cabinet with silicone for the adhesive. The 3rd DVD in the set shows how to make the seams using a colored polyester resin.

They can be found at this link:
http://www.defusco.com/How-To-DVDs-&-Tool-Packages/c654/index.html

Provided you are not fabricating anything or polishing any of the granite here is what tools are needed for an install and a seam:
100% silicone caulk and caulk gun
level
shims to get the tops of both pieces on a single plane
'C' clamp(s) (possibly needed when doing the seam
polyester resin glue
color for glue
straight edge razor blades
denatured alcohol
rags

That about covers it. If you have any questions please let me know.

Glad to be of service,
Mark 

[blue_can]

Thanks Mark - that DVD set sounds like exactly what I need. I will place an order for that. I presume I will need a circular saw with a diamond blade for making the sink cutouts. Also I need to make a rectangular hole in one of the backsplashes for an electrical GFCI outlet and also drill a hole for the soap dispensor.

I take it that the countertops are glued in place. Out of curiosity if the granite needs to be removed for whatever reason in the future does it have to be destroyed.

[Mark D.]

I would move the GFCI outlet away from the backsplash for three reasons:
1) If you do this the box has to be accessible through the granite or it will not meet code.
2) If you put the box in the granite so it is flush with the face of the stone are you going to use a plastic cover plate over it? Now think about this...you are going to cut a hole in a beautiful piece of stone so you can put a pastic plate over it?
3) I would be worried about excess moisture and greases collecting in the cutout over time (this is not really a hazard, just a personal preference)

It is usually easier to just move the box a little further up or over. You will be cutting and repairing some drywall and leaving the granite intact. That being said if I had to cut a hole through the granite I would use some of the tools that I am using already for the sink cutout. For instance if it is a 4 plug hole I would take a 4 1/2" blade on a grinder, mark the lines, plunge cut to make the square. If it is a 2 plug hole I would plunge cut the long lines and use a core bit at the top and bottom to remove the center. I might use a small diameter (1" or  maybe 1 1/2") grinding drum to grind out the excess granite and smooth the edges. The top and bottom of the cutout would be curved, but as long as they will accept the fixture and the cover plate went over the hole that is acceptable. If you have any questions here please let me know.

If you have a granite counter top and have to remove it, sometimes you can but sometimes you will bust the slab. If you can get to the silicone you can use a thin blade to cut the silicone bond, but in my experience a fair number of them will break when you try to remove them. For removal of a granite slab that was only siliconed to the top of the cabinet where the ribs touch the granite (no plywood substrate) you can take a 4" razor blade and very slowly slice through/saw through the silicone.
If there is a plywood substrate and the silicone was liberally applied to the plywood it would be somewhere between extremely difficult and impossible to even get to the glue before you could cut the bond. If you had a solvent that worked to soften the silicone it would not work in this case as there is no way to get to the glue.

Glad to be of service,
Mark

[blue_can]

Thanks for the detailed information. I have ordered the DVD set and am looking forward to learning something new.

The GFCI is an interesting issue. At the moment I have laminate countertops and the outlet is through the backsplash. The reason for this is the design of the kitchen. This section of the kitchen opens into the living room and the just above the counter is another  counter running around the perimeter forming a kind of bar area. So there is nowhere to easily move the outlet unless is it either removed from service or relocated to a different part of the kitchen.

I also cannot figure out how the existing countertop has been attached to this outer area as it sits on a wall of drywall.

I guess I can use a grinder to make the cutouts as you mentioned. I have a 4” grinder which to date I have only used on metalworking project and also for automotive repair work. I presume that should be good for cutting the granite with an appropriate blade.

What do you mean by a 2 plug hole or 4 plug hole.

[Mark D.]

plug-ins are in pairs - a top plug-in and a bottom plug-in. If it was simply the two plug-ins ( a duplex receptacle) it goes into  a single gangbox (aka a duplex box). If you had a plug in next to a light switch that would be used with a square gangbox called a 2 gang or double gangbox. The smaller are rectangular while the larger one is square hence the different cutout styles.

Here's a thought, how about getting an electrician to run the outlets so they are under the counter from inside the cabinet? Then you put your appliance on the counter, plug the cord in under it and you don't have to make a cutout on your backsplash.

Mark

[blue_can]

OK thanks - bit of confusion there  I thought the term had something to do with fabricating or cutting granite. Interesting thought about the outlet location although I guess the wire would have to come to the front of the counter in order to get to the outlet so that may not look so good either. I will have think about how best to do this. I don't need to call an electrician as I'm an electrcial engineer by profession so if I cannot do electrical work with home electrics which is relatively simple that would be embarassing.

[Mark D.]

Post up a pic and I will give you my ideas on it...

Mark

[blue_can]

This is what it looks like right now

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb240/rperinpa/counter1.jpg

[Mark D.]

Can you post a pic that shows the whole layout and not just part of the counters? It would help me to give you my thoughts on placement of the outlets.

Mark

[blue_can]

Here's another picture showing the general area around the outlet.

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb240/rperinpa/socket2.jpg

[Mark D.]

If it were me I would move the outlet to the corner on the right where the coffeemaker and toaster oven are. If you have a duplex plug there and you need more juice I would consider putting in a double gangbox with a total of 4 plug-ins there. I just don't like the idea of cutting it into the stone. I think it takes away from the whole effect.

There is nothing wrong with cutting it into the backsplash, but it sure isn't my first choice.

Mark

[Stone Dude]

you can always have an artist paint the outlet covers to match. if you find someone good, people would barely notice that its there.

[blue_can]

Yes, it could be moved into the corner as I should have easy access to it once the bartop comes off. The kitch has plenty of outlets and there is another one in that corner on the right anyway and another one near the sink. So I suppose it could be eliminated completely. Painting it is an interesting idea. I wonder if you can hire someone just to do a small item like that.

BTW I received the DVDs and found the working with stone instructions very useful. I have found places locally that are selling raw unfabricated granite slabs in the $6 - $20/sq ft range so now I'm planning on trying to fabricate my own counters for some of the other areas in the house like the hallway cupboard. Something new to try.

[Mark D.]

We will be glad to help!

Mark