How To Install Countertops At Home?

How To Install Countertops At Home?

Installing a countertop may be the solution for you if you need to replace your countertops but don’t want to pay for labour. Laminate countertops come in a wide range of colours, textures, and patterns to suit any design style, from traditional to farmhouse to urban and modern. Furthermore, laminate is a recyclable and ecologically friendly material. To learn how to instal new laminate countertops yourself with the help of a professional.

Steps To Install Countertops By Yourself

We’ll teach you how to measure, buy, and instal your countertops in this post. For a professional aesthetic, we show you how to achieve chip-free cuts, tight-to-the-wall scribes, and practically undetectable joints.

1.      Measure For Your Countertops

The most crucial stage in any countertop installation is accurate measuring, especially if your counter is being pre-cut. Inquire professional countertop installation company about unique measuring instructions for your design. Then draw your kitchen, taking into account the following dimensions:

  • Calculate your required overhang by measuring from the rear wall. The normal overhang length is 14 to 12 inches.
  • Measure the height of your backsplash. Your new laminate counter must be placed beneath outlets, window trim, and other wall-mounted things.
  • Calculate the length of your counter. If desired, add your desired overhang to this dimension.
  • Check for straightness and 90-degree intersections with a level and framing square.
  • Make a note of where your sink, stove, and refrigerator are, as well as any necessary cut-out measures for later reference.

2.      Remove The Old Countertops

Remove the old laminate countertop and make sure the area is clean and safe before installing the new laminate.

3.      Make The Necessary Cuts For The New Laminate Countertops

Mark the front and rear near the backsplash measures on the eight-foot portion on sawhorses, and then link that cut line with my cut guide, which serves as a straight edge.

Put the circular saw up so the blade contacts the cut line with that cut line. Then secure the guide with some c-clamps and a little backsplash guide. Then, on the laminate side, use blue painter’s tape to help protect and limit the risks of chipping.

4.      Fit The Drawers

Make sure the cabinet drawers will fit behind the front border of your new countertop. If not, accumulation strips can be attached beneath the countertop. These strips are included with certain lamination. You may also create your own out of 1-inch-by-2-inch timber. Hold them in place on the cabinets, drill pilot holes, and secure the strips with nails or small wood screws every 2 feet, keeping 2 inches from the ends.

5.      Make Templates for Cutouts

Draws the sink cutout on a countertop using an upside-down sink as a template. Use the previous laminate countertop as a guide to constructing a cutout for an existing sink and range top. Use the template included in the package when installing a new sink or range top. Set your sink or range top upside down on top of the new countertop if it didn’t come with a template. Trace the outline and centre it. On the inside of the outline, trace a 1/2-inch ring around the edge.

6.      Adjust The Fit Of The Countertop

If the wall is uneven, you’ll need to scribe the line of the wall to modify the countertop for a perfect fit. Place a strip of masking tape around the rear border of the countertop so that you can draw a pencil line along with it. Locate the greatest gap between the countertop and the wall with a compass. Keep the point of the pencil at a straight angle to the wall and draw a line along with the masking tape with it. Place the countertop on a pair of saw horses or workbenches and shape it to the line using a Surform plane.

7.      Countertops Should Be Secured To Cabinets

Position the countertop pieces on the cabinets to fasten the countertop to the cabinets. Along the top edge of the cabinets that hold the countertop, apply a bead of caulk or construction adhesive. Remove the shims holding the countertop pieces in place or lower them into position. Attach the buildup strips to the new laminate using a power drill. To determine the proper nail length, double-check the thickness of the countertop and buildup strips.

8.      Under the Countertop Join Miters

Apply the local countertop installation service provider’s suggested quantity of glue to the mitres beneath the countertop. Tighten the mitre bolts after installation. If necessary, tap the seam with a mallet and a scrap piece of wood until it is level.

9.      Seal The Joint Between The Countertop & Wall

Use adhesive to connect return splashes where the counter meets the walls and end trim to cover exposed edges after everything is in place. File any rough edges as required. Use a caulk gun and matching caulk to form an equal line between the counters and the walls or your backsplash.