I need professional granite countertop installation advice?

Question

I am currently gutting the kitchen in the house I just bought...new dry wall, floor tiles, appliances, cabinets and countertops. I found a place where I can buy prefabricated 3 cm granite slabs for a good price, and I found a shop to make the cuts for me. My question is should I try to tackle the installation myself? It is an "L" shaped counter and there will be 1 seam in the corner. Is it possible for a novice, first-timer to make a good seam as long as the cuts are made right and I level my counters off to at least 1/8" level. I obviously don't have gorilla grips, but the guys at the shop who will do my cuts told me I can dry fit my counter, shim it level, pull it apart about 1/8" and fill the seam with epoxy, butt the pieces up together, and use clamps on top of scrap granite pieces polished-side-down over the seam until the epoxy sets. I don't need perfect results, but I would like it to look pretty good. Should I attempt this?

Answer 1

Ok first of all forget the plywood thing.Secondly.You want it to be dead level!!!None of this 1/8" business Or you'll find yourself having to shim the sink to get it to drain properly and fooling around with the backsplash(if there is one) to get it to sit right.Follow me?

Take your time installing your base cabinets!!!This is the key to the whole thing.If the cabinets are installed properly and are level and plumb then it goes without saying that whatever lays on top of them is going to be level as well.

Answer 2

Yes, you can do it. I did the one at my mother-in-law's condo. The key is using a 3/4" plywood base under the stone, secured to the counter. But... it is this plywood that has to be shimmed to be perfectly flat and level in all directions to protect the stone.

Answer 3

I own a handyman business and I don't touch granite or any other type of stone countertops.  It's possible to do it yourself, but if you s***w up, or even just drop one of the pieces, then you're out of luck.  1/8 of an inch might not sound like much, but it's a huge difference in height when you're talking about a countertop.  Why spend the money on granite and then not have it professionally installed, you'll always notice any imperfections and considering that the granite will probably last longer than any other part of your house, it'd be a good idea to do it right the first time.

Answer 4

It sounds like you're capable enough.  I'd have them explain further about how you get the scrap piece unstuck from the epoxy.  Don't forget to use a good sealer on it.

Also 1/8" is a bit much, I'd make it dead-on level.

Answer 5

It largely depends on your DIY skill and enthusiasm.  You seem to have good support from the fabricator, but there still is a lot of detail work to get it set properly.  If you want it fitted tight there is a lot of work to do in the field, and while you say it does not need to be perfect, errors will be a huge distraction which you will see, feel, and find irritating.  

So yes, you can do it yourself, but this really is a project for the professionals.  Hire it done.