Tools
- Kitchen Financing
- Getting Your Kitchen Started
- Cabinet Considerations
- Understanding Cabinet Construction
- How to Measure for New Kitchen Cabinets
- Choosing The Right Countertop
- Curtis Lumber Countertop Installation: What To Expect
- How to Choose a Kitchen Remodeling Contractor
- Getting Started On Your Lighting
- Kitchen Planner
- Kitchen Planning Checklist
Professionally fabricated and installed tops are the best way to go for a perfect fit.
Granite, Engineered and Solid Surfaces in your Kitchen or Bath Project
Solid surface materials – (which collectively include engineered stone, granite, and Corian-type products) are only quoted and sold as an installed product. Payment is due in full prior to installation. After the base cabinets are installed – the homeowner or contractor notifies the designer that they are ready for a template to be made. The designer then calls the fabricator to schedule the template appointment.
The fabricator comes to the home and makes a template of the counter and notes any special situations (i.e., clipped corners, cutouts, sinks, faucets, cooktops, bar sinks, outlets, etc) on their template. Templates are typically made from cardboard or thin plywood. The sink, faucet, and cooktop must be available that day so that the correct cutout and drillings can be made. 99% of the time, a Granite, Engineered, or Corian countertop will have an under-mount sink. The top fabricator will attach the sink to the countertop for installation. Similarly, if part of the countertop’s backsplash wraps around an electrical outlet, switch, etc….it must be in place on template day.
The fabricator will then make the countertop. The timeframe from template to fabrication will vary by materials and workload at the shop. During the day of installation, the fabricator will install the top and do final tweaks (sanding, etc.) to fit the top perfectly. The installer will not hook up the faucet, the supply lines, or the drain lines-no mechanical parts are included in the installation.
Granite, Engineered and Solid Surfaces in an Existing Kitchen
If you are simply replacing a countertop in an existing kitchen – the process may inconvenience you. Before the fabricator arrives to template the kitchen, the existing countertop must be removed out of the way in order for the countertop template to be made. Once the template is made you or your contractor can reinstall the original countertop. Before the day of the final installation, the old countertop must be removed before the installer arrives with the new surface. Any new appliances, sinks, or faucets must be in your home for the template appointment.
Laminate Tops
Laminate tops are installed in the same fashion as solid surfaces. The only laminate tops that are offered custom installed are square and beveled edge. Other edge treatments are called “post form” and are typically installed by the contractor or do-it-yourselfer. If you are having a laminate top installed, in order to ensure the proper cut-out, any sinks and cooktops must be on-site at the time of template appointment.