Before installing your granite counters, make sure your cabinets are level. Granite counters must sit on level cabinets if they are to be level. By level, we mean that the cabinets aren’t all weird, slanting downward with the sloped floor in an old kitchen, or built unevenly.
Many cabinets rise and fall like a ship on the sea. Old houses and their cabinets, of course, settle over time. It doesn’t necessarily imply something is wrong with the cabinets or the house, but they must be level before your granite counters are placed.
So, is granite your choice? It is an excellent decision. However, before installing your freshly chosen countertops in their designated position, make sure the space is suitable for the new visitor. The following are some suggestions for preparing cabinets for granite countertops;
Table of Contents
Re-Check Your Cabinets Installation
If the cabinets are new and not level, they were not placed properly. While installing the cabinets, the cabinet installers should have double-checked everything. That means using a level to verify for evenness from side to side and back to front.
They should come back and fix the new cabinets if they did not ensure they were level before leaving. You should insist if they refuse to do this aspect of their work. There’s no reason to install new cabinets without first aligning them properly. Shim and trim until everything is perfectly aligned.
Remove Old Countertops
You must first remove the old countertops before installing the new ones if you are replacing them. Remove the seal that holds the countertops to the wall using a knife or other sharp item. Depending on the countertops, you might have screws securing the old counters to the cabinets.
Look underneath for screws and remove them if they’re there. The old countertop can now be removed after the screws have been removed. If the house is new and you’re installing the countertops for the first time, the only thing you need to do is make sure the cabinets are in good shape and level.
Place a flat slab on top of them, ensuring it touches all of the cabinets. If your cabinets aren’t level, you should be concerned since granite countertops generate pressure points that increase the risk of shattering countertops.
Place Shims Under The Cabinets
Work on leveling the surfaces to guarantee your countertops last a long time. Placing shims under the cabinets to level the tops is one option. You might also cover the cabinets with plywood and shims underneath.
It’s worth noting that covering the counters with plywood will give the cabinets more height. Consider whether you’ll be comfortable with the increased height before installing the countertops.
Because granite is so heavy, big swaths of it should not be suspended in mid-air. Add supports to areas with no cupboards to rest the counters on. This can be accomplished with a variety of materials. Ask your contractor for advice.
Remove Faucet Or Other Plumbing While Installing Cabinets
If you’ve previously installed the plumbing systems, you may need to remove them because they get in the way of installation. This should not be done since it frequently results in a massive mess that takes a long time to clean up.
Water can sometimes cause major cabinet damage, necessitating the assistance of a contractor. You certainly don’t have sinks or faucets in place if you’re installing the countertops for the first time. So have them supplied and ready to install so that installers can easily create a template to the sink’s exact specs, ensuring a flawless installation.
The same is true of faucets. If the granite installers must cut room for them, they must arrive at least one day before the installation.
Final Thoughts
Even if everything appears to be in order, you may need to make last-minute judgments. If you don’t want many sinks to show, for example, have the granite contractor Rockville move the granite edge flush with the kitchen sink’s wall.
If you don’t mind the top flange of the sink showing, inform the contractor so that the appropriate changes can be made. The seams must also be placed. As long as your kitchen is huge, you will have to deal with seams even if you purchased the largest granite slabs.
The position of the seams should be discussed with the contractor. Attempt to hide the seams as much as possible for a uniform and appealing appearance.
