When installing stone benchtops, there is a great deal of activity involved, which goes beyond choosing the suitable material and creating a look or theme. Installing kitchen benchtops is usually one of the last things to do, and it involves a lot of things, from taking measurements to drawings and then installing the benchtops themselves. The activities carried out before installing the benchtop is referred to as templates.
Below are steps to consider as you prepare to install benchtops in your home.
Steps to consider when preparing to install benchtops
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Choice of design
One of the essential things to note when installing benchtops is the kind of design you hope to achieve. When choosing the design and material, think of the thickness of your preferred material and its support or overhang. With this in mind, you can choose between granite, marble, silica-free or other material. Be sure to contact a reliable stone supplier for help in choosing the appropriate one. Note that each of these materials has a thickness of 20 – 30mm naturally. You will discover that most of the materials come in 20mm naturally.
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Bracing and overhang
You can get an overhang of 300mm without support, but if it exceeds 300mm, it will have to require support. Avoid or prevent tipping by ensuring the overhang should is no longer than one-third of the width of the benchtop. During check measure, you can discuss how you want the overhang at the front of the cabinet to be with the stonemason.
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Appliances
Be sure to find out from the stonemason if the size of the components and the specifications fit into the project you are about to carry out because most cooking appliances are either drop-in or stand-alone. Appliances like cook tops that are drop-in will have to be present for the check measure, while stand-alone appliances will require a filler piece behind the range to ensure the adequate distance between it and the wall.
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Sink
The sink will have to be present and placed during check measure. The sink can either be under-mounted (mounted beneath the benchtop material), flush-mounted (mounted on the same level with the benchtop) or top-mounted (mounted on top of the benchtop material). The mixer holes and waste holes were agreed on during the check measure.
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Splashback
You can get the best water seal at the meeting point of the benchtop and the wall with stone splashbacks. The splashbacks commonly used are stone, tile or a combination of both.
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Plumbing
During the renovation, have a licensed and professional plumber remove and disconnect your sink before the old benchtop is removed and replaced with a new one.
During installation
When it is time for installing the new benchtops, take note of the following points.
- During installation, cabinets may be altered to install the sink properly.
- Benchtops made of natural or engineered stone are heavy so ensure the path to the area is free of obstacles.
- Ensure there is adequate ventilation to counter the smell of epoxy or materials used for the installation
- All electrical, gas and plumbing units must be disconnected before the day of installation and only reconnected 24 hours after the installation. It gives the benchtop enough time to set.
- All other renovation activities like painting or flooring should be put on hold and not interfere with the installation process.
- Adults and children with respiratory problems should avoid the installation site because of dust.
- Finally, the installed benchtop should be tested during installation and afterwards.
For affordable benchtops and a reliable benchtop supplier, get in touch with us today for more details.