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How a Granite Countertop is Measured, Cut and Installed

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Learn how granite countertops are installed; includes details on templating granite fabrication as well as its installation.

Ron paid a visit to his neighbor, Annie, in Wilton, Connecticut, who is a practitioner in Feng Shui, the ancient art of living in harmony with your environment. There is nothing quite like the durability and beauty of granite, but Annie chose it for more spiritual reasons as well. She asked Ron to give her a hand with the whole process.

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Step 1

Visit a Vendor to Select Your Granite Countertop

Choose from hundreds of samples at a granite countertop vendor's premises. Be sure to visit the slab yard to view a larger piece of the chosen granite as a more representative sample before selecting the granite for your kitchen countertop.
Step 2

Make a Template of Your Current Kitchen Countertop

Have the vendor make a template of the dimensions, angles and openings in your old countertop. Built from Luan plywood strips laid along the countertop perimeter and glued together, the template will include notations about edge profiles and sink styles.
Step 3

Transfer the Template Shape and Cut from the Granite Slab

Trace the template cutline onto the granite. The vendor excises the exact countertop shape with a laser-guided saw equipped with a water-cooled diamond-tipped blade and then grinds and polishes the edges to achieve the desired finish before installing the granite countertop.
Step 4

Remove the Old Sink and Plumbing from the Countertop/Cabinet

Prepare for the granite countertop installation by disconnecting the plumbing, loosening the sink and then lifting it out. Caulking may have effectively glued the sink in place, but the seal can be broken with a pry bar and putty knife.
Step 5

Loosen and Pry off the Countertop Backsplash for Removal

Score along the intersection of backsplash and wall to cut caulking, wallpaper or paint and prevent tearing or chipping. Lever a small pry bar against a putty knife inserted between the backsplash and the wall to avoid damaging the wall.
Step 6

Detach the Countertop after Removing Screws, Caulking or Glue

Search for and remove hidden screws securing the old countertop. Using the pry bar, hammer, and putty knife should break any seals of glue or caulking. Lift off the countertop sections as they become exposed and discard them.
Step 7

Remove Appliances after Switching off the Appropriate Electrical Circuits

Disable the electrical circuits feeding any appliances that interfere with removing the old countertop. Pull out ranges, cook-tops that rest on the countertop, and any appliances that are being replaced as part of the granite countertop installation project.
Step 8

Install New Appliances That Hide beneath the Countertop

Position and wire any new electric appliances while the open cabinet top provides easy access to wiring, outlets and plumbing that will be inaccessible and hidden once the new granite countertop is installed.
Step 9

Install the Granite Countertop and Backsplashes

Position the new granite countertop on the cabinet base. The new sink will mount underneath the granite countertop. Skilled vendors will drill holes in the stone for the sink faucets and soap dispenser and make any final adjustments to fit.
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