So, you want to change your kitchen countertops, but have no idea as to how they’re installed? Here are things you need to know about granite kitchen countertops and how they are installed in the kitchen.

Have The Slab Cut On-Site

This information might come as a surprise to you, but this is true. When you choose granite as your kitchen countertop material, the slabs are brought to your house, where the place is measured first and then the slabs are cut on the spot.

This is because the slabs are very heavy and they are hard to handle, so there’s a huge risk that the slabs can get cracked during transportation. This is why the cutting is done on-site, to ensure zero damage and proper installation.

It Is Heavy To Handle

As mentioned above, granite is a very hard and heavy material. It can be extremely hard to transport from one place to another, especially if the stone is in the form of thick slabs. Alternatively, granite tiles are very easy to handle as well as install and they are widely preferred over slabs because they’re convenient and they don’t get damaged during cutting or handling.

On the contrary, however, tiles are very much prone to damage and getting cracked, because they are very delicate. Slabs are thick and although they are quite heavy, this variant ensures durability and tends to last longer than tiles.

Measure The Place Correctly

This tip needs to be followed meticulously because this will make or break the entire installation process. Before even starting with the installation of granite countertops, you want to make sure that the measurements are taken correctly.

If you are unsure as to how you can measure the countertops, it’s better to have someone professional come to your house and take the measurements. This is going to ensure that there are no errors in the measurements and then the slabs of granite can be cut according to the measurements and then they can be installed perfectly into the cavities of the countertop.

The right measurements can also decrease the chances of seams showing on the surface of the countertops.

Clear Everything Before Installation

This tip should go without saying, but you need to clear off or remove things from the countertops before you install new ones. There shouldn’t be anything present on the countertop surface when you’re installing new granite slabs in the kitchen. Things like appliances, utensils, and other miscellaneous things need to be removed.

This can be done before the slabs are here because this is going to save you a lot of time and unnecessary haste because you don’t want to take care of these things when the slabs are at your house and are being cut for installation. Make sure that you take care of this before the installation starts. Plus, if you want to replace kitchen flooring, do it before countertops or cabinets installation.

Leveling Is Important

This tip might seem far-fetched, but it’s going to show at the end of the installation, and that’s to level the place correctly in order to make sure that the countertops are installed in a straight line. There are times when the countertops can seem a bit tilted and that can ultimately ruin the entire look of the kitchen and it won’t be functional either.

You want to make sure that the contractor is leveling the countertop and making up for any discrepancies in the leveling process. Usually, to make a countertop straight, more adhesive or base epoxy is applied to add to the necessary height of the countertop and then the slabs are placed on top.

Having The Right Tools

This one is also quite obvious, but you need to have the right tools for the installation of granite countertops. No matter if you’re installing these countertops by yourself or are having someone else do it for you, it’s crucial that you or they have the right tools to ensure the perfect installation of the countertop.

The general tools used for the installation of countertops are saws, sandpaper, measuring instruments, and leveling scale. Some items which are necessary for safety include gloves, overalls, and goggles to protect your eyes when cutting through the thick slabs.

Seams Are An Issue

This is a very common issue with granite countertops or any countertops which have patterns on the surface. When you’re installing slabs or even tiles, there is going to be a huge possibility of irregularity in the pattern on the top. This is known as the appearance of seams and this can look very unpleasant and it can also ruin the entire look of the countertop altogether.

The best way to deal with it is to go for singular pieces of granite, which can be installed in one go. In this way, there is no issue of seams and everything will look smooth and uniform on the surface. If you’re having granite tiles installed, then seams are going to be a huge issue.

For this, you need to make sure that the placement of the tiles is in such a way that the pattern on the surface is regular. Think of the installation as putting a huge granite puzzle together.

Seal Them Up

After the countertops have been installed, the next step you need to know about is the sealing of the countertop. This is the part where the sealant will be applied to the slabs. Yes, granite needs to be sealed, otherwise it will get damaged by water and moisture and you definitely don’t want that.

So, after everything has been installed, you can go ahead and apply a nice and even layer of sealant on the countertop to ensure that stains aren’t a problem in the future. There are faux granite countertops Durham NC that don’t need sealing so if you want to avoid sealing, get those counters.

Give Them Time To Dry And Get Set

Once all of the slabs or tiles have been installed and the sealant has been applied, now you need to give it some time to get set and dry completely. You don’t want to start using these countertops until the sealant is completely dry and this can take anywhere between 24 to 48 hours to get completely hard and dry.

You also want to ensure that the tiles or slabs are securely set in place and the adhesive underneath is dry as well. After the waiting game is over, you can start work in the kitchen as normal again.

Installation Of Backsplashes

Last but not least, you can’t forget about the sink and the backsplash, where installing granite can be more time-consuming and trickier. Usually, these places are left for the last, because slabs need to be cut into even smaller pieces and then, they are fit near the sink, the backsplash, and if there is space right by the cabinets.

Measurement and taking your time are two very important things that you need to remember when installing granite over the sink and as a backsplash, because believe it or not, it’s very easy to mess things up.

Conclusion

These tips are very important to know because this will ensure proper and seamless installation in the kitchen and your countertops will look beautiful for years to come. To avoid issues, hire granite countertop installers Raleigh NC.