If you don’t underestimate your abilities, you will be surprised by what you can accomplish. Like doing renovations in your kitchen—without hiring a professional.
After completing an installation of kitchen cabinets, the natural next enhancement is your kitchen counter, and with today’s pre-shaped granite slabs you can install your own countertop. The idea may seem overwhelming but with the right materials and our guidance on how to install a granite countertop, you will be one step closer to the kitchen of your dreams at a cost you can afford.
Step #1: Choose Your Materials
The first thing on your “Install a Granite Countertop” to-do list is to buy your materials. You will want to measure the area, keeping in mind how far you want your countertop to extend over your kitchen cabinets (one to two inches is pretty standard). You can use a sheet of kraft paper as your template, marking where your kitchen sink will go and any other areas that will need to be cut. Once you have your measurements, you will need to look for a retailer. Determine the style and color of granite you want that complements your kitchen cabinets, and look at the options available in your price range. Delivery times can vary from retailer to retailer, so make sure to enquire beforehand.
Step #2: Prep Your Kitchen Or Bathroom Cabinets
Once your granite order has been placed, you can go ahead and purchase the plywood you will need to prep your kitchen cabinets. Plywood is placed on top of kitchen cabinets to support the countertop and allow for sufficient room for doors and drawers to be opened.
Plywood should be fitted so that it matches the size of your kitchen cabinets perfectly and does not extend over the edge. Once the plywood is in place, you will want to make sure that it is level and then drill pilot holes along the frame (this will prevent the wood from splitting). Once you have secured the plywood to the kitchen cabinets with screws, your kitchen cabinets are officially prepped.
Step #3: Make Sure Your Slab Fits Properly
Carefully place your granite slab on top of the plywood to ensure that it is the proper fit before going further. If all is as it should be, mark on the plywood where the hole will be cut for your kitchen sink. Carefully remove your slab and place to the side while you install your kitchen sink.
Step #4: Install Kitchen or Bathroom Sink
Make a pilot hole to start and then cut along your line with a jigsaw (better to be a bit outside your line than in). Install your kitchen sink and then replace your granite slab to make sure that it is level.
Place the slab to the side once more while you apply a silicone sealer along the plywood’s edges and caulking around the kitchen sink. Once this is complete, you can replace the granite slab for the final time and begin to fill the seams around the sink.
