How to fix an existing granite counter
Meghan Mulvihill
7 years ago
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7 years agosuzyq53
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Modifying Existing Granite Countertops
Comments (5)I think it is very doable. We just had granite installed in our home & then changed our minds on the cooktop we had chosen. Well, you'd think that a 30" cooktop is a 30" , right? Nope. DH had to cut almost 2" all the way around the exsisting opening. Boy oh boy was it MESSY! We closed up the room, removed the screens on the windows & put a box fan there to pull the majority of the dust outside. I also kept a constant stream of water on his blade as he was cutting. Mind you, some of the granite was mounted on plywood, so that slowed it down some...something you may want to consider... but impossible to cut through installed granite? Not in our experience...but again...& I stress...very messy! (between dust flying ~goggles & mask highly recommended!~ & the mudd from the water ~to keep the blade from overheating~ & the granite powder...ug...dripping everywhere!) Now my question would be do you plan on having an undermount sink there? If so, I wonder about how they would finish the edge of the granite...I know our sink cut-out was done off-site for that reason. A drop in sink would be no problem as it would hide the rough edge. Also, as others have mentioned, the plumbing issues. It all depends on the layout of your home to determine if the price is worth it or not. HTH & looking forward to seeing your progress if you take it on. ;-) JoAnn...See MoreRemoval and reinstall of existing granite countertop
Comments (20)I’m considering this as I made the terrible mistake of remodeling kitchen before moving into the home. Now that I’m actually experiencing the layout, I want to make a few changes. I spent a fortune on quartzite counters (completely seamless) and I want to remove them from the island and use them in my master bath. Here’s what I know, I’ve watched granite and quartz (not to be confused with real quartzite) get pulled off of cabinets and islands during 3 demos. Not once was there a break, crack, or any damage whatsoever...and this was just for a demo so they weren’t even being “careful” Even in this remodel, granite was removed from the island that I then replaced with the quartzite. That granite was in perfect condition and I actually gave it to one of the sub contractors to use in his home. Sadly, I think this is just something that fabricators don’t want to do because the truth is, they make the majority of their profit from the sale on the material. Someone will argue with me about this so I will provide my rebuttal in advance. Have you ever wondered why you can’t just walk into a slab warehouse and buy your stone? Same reason why they don’t list prices on the stones....it’s always low, mid, high, or “exotic”. The point is, the fabricator sets the price for the stone and the customer rarely knows the “real” cost of the slab. If you’re just gonna use a stone you already have, they can’t make a huge profit from you so it’s not worth their time. I think about this bs every time I watch someone pop off a huge stone counter top and take it out to a truck, where it will later be sold to someone else....even MORE profit. I found a piece of marble from my bathroom demo at my contractors slab warehouse, after he swore they “recycled/destroyed” everything. I knew it was mine because it had the little tiny stain from my daughter dying her hair in 8th grade. I prefer not to waste and fill land fills, but don’t deceive people for profit. So the headline here is, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY RE-FABRICATE stone to use elsewhere....but good luck finding someone to do it. If you find someone that says “I won’t do it because it’s not worth the money” I suggest you keep their number because AT LEAST they are honest!...See MoreHelp - Can this granite countertop be fixed?
Comments (4)Thanks, Kevin. I really hoped you'd spot this and provide some badly needed advice. My own impression when I saw the counters was that it was amateur hour. Hopefully, they have someone experienced enough to fix the issues and, as you suggest, we will give them a chance to make it right. (If not, what is our recourse?) Here are resized photos which I hope show the issues more clearly. Photo #1 - shows the gap between back wall and countertop at the seam(the light brown thing is actually a shim behind the cabinet.)The installer broke part of the backsplash so he didn't complete the work and plans to return on Tuesday. Seeing the 1/2 inch gaps between the counter and parts of the installed backsplash and wall, I'm wondering whether the installer should have scribed the counter or done something else to make this fit better? (One person told me they are supposed to shave the wall, if needed?) Since there are gaps, should the fabricator/installer have filled them with something that matches the granite? Photo #2 - shows the broken,uneven seam at the front of the countertop. The installer asked to come back to repair this. Can this be repaired and should it happen on site? Photos #3 - #5 - Show the limited support provided to only 3 sides of the undermount sink (front has nothing). At this point, will they or anyone be able to secure it better? It seems like such a careless, shoddy job, I'm thinking that we should get someone else. 1x2 on lefthand side - 2 clips on right hand side - 2 clips supporting back of sink - Photo # 6 - shows the mesh running visible at the edge of the counter. On one side of the run, the mesh isn't exposed but on the other it is. Should it have been polished off the edge or is this a non-issue? Photo #7 - This is a combination main/prep sink which comes with a lot of moving parts that slide along a ledge - chopping block, prep bowls, knife tray, etc. Because the granite cutout is smaller than Kohler's sink template,none of the accessories will fit into the shelf. If they can shave the extra granite off the edges - the sink should be able to function per its design. Is this something they can/should do on site (even though messy)? Or do they need to remove it and the sink and do it in their shop so the sink won't be destroyed? Can it be done or will they have to replace the slab? This image just shows the accessory tray not fitting into the sink. Sorry for all the questions but I've never had a granite countertop installed. Thanks again for your help!...See MoreNew Black Granite Counter Tops -- Stains!
Comments (1)Take an exact picture with dimensions, then visit your fabricator's shop. A hundred bucks says your waffles match his vacuum pods, used to secure stone while fabricating on a CNC machine, exactly. Looks like a Morbidelli to me....See Morekavanaghs
7 years agomindshift
7 years agojhmarie
7 years agoleelee
7 years agoSammy
7 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
7 years agoKicksychick
7 years agoMeghan Mulvihill
7 years agosuzyq53
7 years agoUser
7 years agoUser
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
7 years agoMeghan Mulvihill
7 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
7 years agomgnohio
7 years agoAnne Duke
7 years agoUser
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoWW Love Your Home
7 years agoJoseph Corlett, LLC
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7 years agoKaren Bartling
6 years agohummingalong2
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6 years agoZori Bliznakov
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