We love to provide ideas on what glue guns and adhesives are right for your application. We have complied our recommended products for Solid Surface and Countertop installation. These products outlined below are key to the installation process: for templating, installing countertops, connecting countertops at the seams and dealing with joints.
Top Adhesives and Dispensing for Solid Surface Installation
Hot Melt Glue Guns
Cordless Glue Gun: This gun is perfect for installing granite and solid surface, running off of butane making it easy to take any where. You no longer need electricity to get the job done just throw this in your toolbox and you are good to go. It comes with 2 refillable gas cartridges and only takes 15 seconds to refill a cartridge with the standard butane canister. A full cartridge gives you approximately an hour and a half of run time and this gun dispenses 3.3 pounds of hot melt per hour.
![Countertop Countertop](/uploads/1/2/6/2/126207373/135566800.jpg)
![Plywood Template For Countertop Plywood Template For Countertop](/uploads/1/2/6/2/126207373/559372934.jpg)
TEC 820 Glue Gun: If you don't need a cordless gun on the job site we recommend the TEC 820 it only takes 2-3 minutes to warm up and can dispense 5.5 pounds of glue per hour. The temperature is adjustable and so is the trigger which allows you to get more or less glue per squeeze.
The plywood should be sized so the front edge of the countertop fits neatly over the edge of the plywood. The bottom face of the plywood should be flush with the bottom of the countertop edging. For added reinforcement, attach corbels to the cabinet frames. How to Measure and Template Wood Countertops » When don’t I need a template? When can I measure and use a drawing instead? Many contractors also feel comfortable using whole pieces of plywood, cardboard and Tyvex for their templates. The same rules apply as above, but more time will need to be spent fitting the solid template.
Hot Melt
From kitchen countertop options to backsplash tips. Contractor Tips: Countertop Installation from Start to Finish. From counter templates to ongoing care, a professional contractor shares what you need to know. Kenny Grono March 21, 2012. Save Comment 41 Like 48 Print Embed. Take the dimensions of the old countertop and transfer it to the new plywood base. Cut it according to your desired size and design with the use of a table or circular saw. Countertop Base for Granite. If you are going to make a granite countertop, you need to have a template of the countertop base. The template can be made of any thin stiff material such as thin plywood, Luan, foam board or even cardboard. We rip the material into 3” or 4” strips (make sure they are ripped parallel).
Used for templating, connecting wood blocks for c-clamping seams and occasionally used for connecting the countertop to the plywood decking. using-hot-glue-to-template
Solid Surface & Countertop Hot Melt: This hot melt is perfect as it is general purpose in nature and bonds to hard and soft woods, ceramics, rigid PVC and polystyrene. This hot melt makes templating, connecting the underside of the countertop to the plywood decking or securing clamping points over seams making it possible to use c-clamps and results in perfect seams.
General Purpose Hot Melt: This economical hot melt is your basic general purpose adhesive, that would be adequate for templating for adhering blocks to use as clamping points over the seams.
Epoxy
Most commonly used in solid surface installation as it's bond is just as strong as the granite itself. Also is used to join two slabs for thickness or attach granite at seams where two pieces meet.
5 Minute Epoxy: This epoxy is a great choice, because it has an excellent resistance to water, salt spray, inorganic acids and bases and most organic solvents. It reaches handling cure in 3-5 minutes and a cures fully in 24 hours. This epoxy has been used for countertop installation with great success.
Building A Plywood Countertop
Silicon
Used for caulking joints like where the backsplash meets the countertop, where the countertop meets the wall or for the underside of the countertop.
Silicon used in countertop installation
Silicon used in countertop installation
Industrial Grade Silicone: This Industrial Grade Silicone is perfect for countertop installation among a variety of other applications. This silicone is available in clear making it perfect for blending in to backsplash and along the wall.
Need a different type of adhesive? Give us a call at (877) 933-3343 we will be happy to help you out!
This granite install overview answers some basic questions and provides useful tips on granite counter installation, finding a granite installer, and how to spot the difference between quality stone installation and shoddy work.
If you’re considering having remodeling or repair work done in your home, or you’re considering installing granite countertops, save yourself potential hassles and feel the comfort that comes from making the right decision.
Contact Angie’s List for reviews and recommendations. None of the contractors pay to get listed!
1. Prepare Your Cabinets For Granite
Best Plywood For Countertops
3CM thick countertop granite generally does not need any additional preparation other than level and secured cabinets. For 2CM thick tops that have a laminated edge, it is recommended that you apply ¾ inch plywood sub-counter to the top of your cabinets to support the granite.
How to install granite countertops
This will add support above appliances such as dishwashers and compactors, support holes for sinks and cooktops and also help support small cantilevered ends and breakfast bars. See more kitchen remodeling tips and advice.
One advantage to plywood is that you can level the slabs much more easily without moving them once they are in place. In any event, if you are using frameless (European style) cabinets or framed cabinets that have upper retractable cutting boards, you will need to raise the granite ¾ inch to clear the double bull-nose which hangs down ¾ inch. Plywood is a cheap and easy way to do that.
If you have overhangs or spans that need support, be sure to have granite countertop support brackets in place before installing granite countertops.
Installing granite tile countertops requires something completely different than installing slab countertops. Tile counters are installed by laying individual granite tiles into place. This counter has none of the weight or breakage concerns of slab granite.
2. Decide Where You Want Seams
Almost all kitchens will have granite countertop seams in the stone. Usually they are difficult to see from a distance. If you look for them, you will find them. Granite is seamed by laying the granite slabs next to each other with a 1/16″ gap (maximum) between them. Level and shim the tops, then mix pigmented 2-part polyester resin and spread it into the void.
3. Choose The Right Sink
Self rimming sinks are sinks that lay on top of the granite and typically have a rim that is one-half inch larger than the hole (cut-out) they fit into. Most newly purchased sinks for granite counters either come with a paper template or describe the cut-out and give dimensions. In either case the template or dimensions must be transferred to the granite where the sink is to be placed. Here’s how to choose the best granite countertop faucet.
Try to leave at least 3 inches of stone on front and back. Always double check your planned cut-out against the actual sink with a tape measure. Many manufacturers have more than one sink style on a template so make sure you have the right one.
Before you do any cutting, support the entire length of the slab of countertop with 2×4’s so that its weight is evenly distributed. Make sure none of the blocks are under your cut-out. You can also lay the granite on 3/4 inch styrofoam on a table.
Cut the straight lines of your cut-out with a circular saw with a diamond blade. If you are dry-cutting make sure you use a segmented or good turbo-cut blade. Hold the front of the saw down and sink the saw into the granite. Next, cut an X into the middle of your cut-out and then cut another X like you are slicing a pizza.
Most kitchen sink templates have 4 inch radius corners. The corners are cut using a 4 inch grinder with a diamond blade. Cut at an angle at least half way through the granite. If you can’t cut on the line then make the hole smaller (you can always fix the hole later with the grinder).
Next, just drop out the triangles, knocking gently. A circular template, usually found in bathrooms, would be cut out mostly with the grinder. The center cuts could still be done with a circular saw.
How to cut a hole for an undermount sink
Your granite fabricator will follow the procedure for a self-rimming sink except that you will make the cut-out one quarter inch smaller than what the template shows.
The edges will have to be straightened out and “cleaned out” with a 4 inch silicon-carbide grinding stone.
The edges will have to be straightened out and “cleaned out” with a 4 inch silicon-carbide grinding stone.
The straight lines will have to be cut more carefully and slowly, preferably wet-cut and using a jig (2X4 clamped to the granite) to keep your saw straight.
The edges can be polished by hand using a polishing kit made up of velcro-lined Diamond-embedded pads of 7 different “grits”. The sink is mounted underneath after applying silicone to the mounting rim and is held up with wood or metal supports screwed into the upper front and back of the base cabinet.
Blocks can be glued to the bottom of the granite counter to support the sink away from the sides.
4. Consider How Granite Will Line Up With Your Cooktop
Cooktops come in many different variations. They may look similar but each requires granite fabrication and installation to be slightly different. A mistake in planning and install will bug you for years when you notice it every day.
Decide up front with your fabricator where you want stone and where you don’t. Keep in mind, stone strips near cooktops are often the thinnest and weakest pieces in your kitchen.
Follow the same instructions as for a self rimming sink. You will normally find that the template for a cooktop has 90 degree corners, making it easier. It’s critical to support the top with absolutely no deflection or you will risk cracking the stone top.
Best Granite Sealer
Need to find a really good grainte countertop fabricator and installer?
The same great professional grade sealer and daily cleaner that we recommend, with the added benefit of major cost savings to you! You need both products, so how about a discount when you combine them in one purchase.
Unlike silicon sealers, MB-4 will not evaporate or go through any type of natural deterioration. MB-4 will prevent liquids from being absorbed by all natural stones.
MB-5 Marble Granite and More Spray Cleaner is your daily cleaner for natural stone including granite countertops. Effortlessly and effectively clean your stone countertops without leaving any streaks.
Silver Kit – 1 Bottle MB5 & 1 Bottle MB4$55.71
Gold Kit – 2 Bottles MB5 & 1 Bottle MB4$68.72
How to make a perfect granite seam
A quality stone install is indicated by good granite countertop seams. First, you need a perfectly smooth cut on the edges of the pieces being joined. The pieces must also be leveled and shimmed so that the seam line is smooth and both sides are the same height.
Leave a little space in between the two tops (1/16 inch or less). Next, place strips of masking tape along both sides of the seam to protect the stone from getting seam material on areas where you don’t want it.
Mix a small amount of 2-part polyester glue with coloring pigments until you get the desired color of the seam. Don’t add the hardener to the glue until the coloring has been finished. Add hardener and then squeeze the material in the seam with a hard, thin plastic strip.
Smooth the material down the entire length of the seam to eliminate voids or high spots. Remove the tape and let it dry. After a few minutes, you can “slice” excess material off the seam with a razor blade. Buff the seam with “0000” steel wool.
See Granite Seams for a great example of how this should look. Also, here’s how choosing the right granite sealer will impact your installation.
You need solid support for stone tops. Here’s a selection of handmade, wrought iron and steel brackets and corbels for granite countertops all made in the US. Each is designed to support the weight of stone counters, but styled to compliment your kitchen . . . More Countertop Supports
Here’s a more economical granite repair kit. The Procaliber Granite and Marble Repair Kit costs less and requires no color mixing. 15 minutes start to finish.
Click Granite and Marble Repair Kit for instructions and details.
Price $28.99+ FREE SHIPPING!