Do It Yourself: Kitchen Countertop
- 1). Turn off the waterlines via the shut-off valves. Disconnect the water lines with a pair of pliers and disconnect the drain from the sink with a pipe wrench.
- 2). Remove the retaining clips that secure the sink to the countertop with a screwdriver. If the sink is glued onto the countertop, wedge a putty knife between the lip of the sink and the countertop to break the seal. Place the sink off to the side.
- 3). Remove the retaining clips that secure the countertop to the cabinets. If the countertops are glued to the cabinets, wedge a putty knife between the two and pry them apart.
- 4). Lift the countertop off the cabinets and take it to your work area. This may take two or more people.
- 5). Place the old countertop onto the new material you want to use. Trace the edge of the old counter onto the new material with a pencil or marker. If you are using the old sink, trace the hole for the sink onto the countertop. Place the old countertop off to the side.
- 6). Cut the profile of the countertop with a circular saw or skill saw. This includes the hole for the sink. After cutting, sand all the edges smooth with a belt sander.
- 7). Cut a strip of laminate slightly wider than the edge of the new countertop with a utility knife. Apply laminate adhesive to the edge of the countertop and to the back of the laminate strip and wait until the adhesive is dry to the touch. Once dry, place the laminate strip on the countertop. Roll it flat with a laminate roller and trim the edges flush with the countertop with a laminate trimmer. Repeat the process with the laminate piece for the top of the counter. If you want tile, skip this step.
- 8). Install the countertop onto the cabinets. If you plan to glue the countertop down, place a bead of construction adhesive on the top edge of the cabinets and put the countertop in place. If you are securing with brackets, put the countertop in place and secure the corner brackets with a screwdriver.
- 9). Place a scratch coat of mortar onto the surface of the countertop. Place a ¼-inch layer of mortar onto the back of the first tile and press it into one of the corners of the countertop. Repeat the process with each subsequent tile. Leave a ¼-inch gap between each tile. If necessary, use a tile saw to cut the tiles to the correct size. After installing the tile and giving adequate time to dry, apply grout between the tiles. If you installed laminate, skip this step.
- 10
Place the sink into the hole you cut in the new countertop and secure it using glue or the brackets previously used on the sink. Reconnect the plumbing and the waterlines.