How To Install a Quartz Countertop, Engineered Stone Countertop
How To Install a Quartz Countertop
Quartz countertops, made from crushed quartz and resin binders, is a popular alternative to solid stone counters often found in home settings such as marble or granite. Quartz countertops, being made from a manufactured material, are less expensive than other stone types. The resin in the counters offers an increased waterproofing, reducing the need to seal the material and reducing maintenance requirements. Installation is a simple process requiring little more than cutting the counter to fit and then gluing it into place. No special installation tools are necessary. For most DIY homeowners, this means a project that you can complete in a single afternoon, enabling you to enjoy your new countertop the very next day.
· Measure the space where you intend to install the countertop with a measuring tape. Subtract from the width of the space the size of the countertop backsplash. Purchase your quartz slab to fit as closely to the measurements as possible to avoid the need to cut the quartz to fit.
· Test fit the countertop to the measured space by placing the counter on top of the cabinets that you’re covering. Leave space at the rear of the placement to allow for the mounting of the backsplash. If cutting is necessary to make the counter fit the space, then mark a cutting line along the face of the countertop. Place a strip of painter’s tape centered on the cutting line across the surface of your countertop, then mark the cutting line onto the tape using a grease pencil.
· Remove the countertop from the cabinets and place on a sawhorse for cutting. Spray the tape along the cutting line with water to cool the saw blade. Put on a pair of work gloves and safety goggles to protect from possible quartz chips. Use a circular saw with a diamond blade attached to cut the quartz. Start the cut from the edge of the countertop, pushing the blade along the line slowly with minimal force. Allow the blade to do the work of cutting through the quartz for you. Keep the surface of the countertop wet by spraying it with the water as you go along until you’ve finished the cut you need. Check the fit again to make sure the cut was correct and then remove the rest of the painter’s tape. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth to remove any residue created from cutting.
· Mount the backsplash to the wall using construction adhesive brushed onto the back of the backsplash with a paintbrush. Check the level of the backsplash with a carpenter’s level and make any adjustments necessary. Apply a layer of the construction adhesive to the tops of the cabinets where the countertop will lie and along the rear of the countertop where it presses against the backsplash. Place the countertop onto the cabinets and slide it back against the backsplash. Fill the seams between the backsplash and the countertop with silicone caulk and then wait overnight for the caulk and adhesive to dry.