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D.I.Y Granite worktops


val douest
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I have just had an estimate from a local firm to measure up, make and install granite worktops for our new Ikea kitchen.  It was expensive, but I know granite is always pricey and had steeled myself for this.  Today I was talking to an acquaintance who had made his own template for what was needed in his kitchen and then taken that to a granite yard which mostly specialises in memorials.   The granite was delivered (including an island worktop weighing over 200 kilos!) and between the delivery men and a posse of friends was lowered into place on top of his B&Q units.  As the total cost for his much bigger kitchen was far less than our estimate I am very tempted to go down this route - but I am hesitating because we are not as DIY-confident as he obviously is.  Has anyone out there gone down the install-it-yourself route for granite worktops?  Our original estimate included, for example, some strengthening for the Ikea units and fastening the granite to the wall though our acquaintance said he didn't do this and has had no problems.  Any input appreciated!

Val

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www.torchio.fr sell large section compressed glass worksurfaces that is i think 3-5mm thick this is a granite effect surface that is bedded onto a simple wooden surface top it comes in various colours is a little expensive but maybe worth looking into as you wont have the weight problems i believe it comes in lengths of multiples of 60cms so only a small joint needed between sections it can be ordered with tap and sink holes pre cut. it is marketed for kitchen worksurfaces so may be interesting..........

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We had our granite work tops made by a funeral stone mason and he did an excellent job - they were also a fraction of the price the big kitchen companies were quoting.  Our work tops were just put straight onto standard kitchen units (not solid wood carcasses) and they have been fine - installed seven years ago. 

[img]http://www.homeforexchange.com/newUploadedImages/bunch/16698_17113_large_200705121131563007.jpg[/img]

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I had black granite worktops cut to my measured sizes, including sink cut out. I shipped them from UAE to France with my furniture and fitted them myself (plus son in law) onto B & Q standard carcasses. No problems at all.

edit photo added, (excuse paintwork, SWMBO not finished it yet  [:P])

[IMG]http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h17/powerdesal/AugtoNov2008055.jpg[/IMG]

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Our kitchen here int

the Vendee came through Arthur Bonnet Franchise. He went bust on us. The granite worktops came from the local memorial guy. Be careful make absolutely sure that the surfaces are sealed and sealed and sealed.

Unfortunately I believe that most of the granite comes from India and where young children are exploited.
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Many thanks for all the replies and info.  We are off to visit the alternative granite supplier tomorrow.  A couple of additional queries to those who've already done their kitchens: did you use any kind of adhesive between the granite and the units, or are they kept in place merely by their weight?  And sealing: I assume the granite will come ready polished but does it have any kind of seal already, and if not how do you make sure it is as impervious to stains as possible? Once it's sealed do you have to keep resealing, and if so what do you use? Finally, are the joins just abutted as closely as possible or did you use some kind of mastic or sealant to stop water penetration?

Thanks again

Val

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Yes the granite face and rolled edges were polished at the works, the edges and underneath were not. In our case we bedded the tops onto a thin layer of silicone sealant, just in case they moved. Piece sizes were carefully worked out to avoid joint lines. There is only one joint, an unavoidable corner between the sink unit piece and the run at 90 degrees. I used a black aluminium commercially available joining strip at that point with clear silicone sealant bedding / jointing.

Marble is worse than granite for absorbing stains, the tops have a thin application of a polish / sealant , aerosol, commercially available, applied when we feel like it. Care of use is a must. All food chopping is done on a variety of wooden chopping boards, clearly marked to avoid the possibility of cross contamination. Lemons, citric juices, vinegar, tomatoes are a no-no on either marble (worse) or granite.

Our previous kitchen had green marble worktops (same source of supply) and that did suffer a bit from loss of gloss. Its now recycled into a bathroom worktop having been recut by me using a marble cutting circular saw type device and edges rounded and polished using an angle grinder, just as they did in the factory in Sharjah.

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My brothers mother in law .......yes mother in law.....fitted her own granite worksurfaces!

She made templates out of 3/4" ply then had granite machined to wrap over the front edge.

The beauty of this is the granite is thinner (=lighter) and the wood can be mason mitred and dog boned to vreate a mechanical joint.

Worktops are placed on units some black silicone injected into joints then the dog bones tighten and excess cleaned off........

As I said......his mother in law.......I was a wee bit slack jawed that she had come up with this and done it herself as she is about 5 foot diddly and about 7 stone!

Then she told me about the  10ft high retaining wall and patio that she was quite proud of!

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  • 5 months later...
I m looking for to have the drainning area built-in by the sink...

Anyone knows if it requires heavy tools in order to "carve" those Channels in Granit Worktop ?

My local shops never heard of it... though that maybe witht the help of some portable tools they could still do me the job.

THANKSSSS :)

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GAROTINHO wrote the following post at 15/02/2010 14:07:

"I m looking for to have the drainning area built-in by the sink...

"

We have granite worktops with ready made draining area with grooves next to the sink. The problem is that if the water in your area is hard it will leave a lot of really bad white marks on the granite. Lakeland Plastics sell a draining thing with a tray underneath to catch the water. This would save you having to gouge out the channels, save the unsightly marks and be easier all round.

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