If you’re looking for a way to completely change the feel of your home, an upgraded kitchen with new countertops may be just what you need. Since you use your kitchen every day to cook and spend time with family; selecting a quality material is vital to ensure it lasts as long as possible. This means that installing granite involves lots of precise measuring, heavy lifting, and advanced skills in order for everything to line up perfectly.
Most home improvement enthusiasts wonder if they can install their own granite countertops. However, improperly installed granite must be repaired or replaced due to cracks, damages to cabinets, or having an uneven surface that collects moisture. By hiring someone who specializes in granite work, you will have peace of mind that your expensive natural stone will last a very long time, as well as look amazing.
This guide will discuss the various steps involved with installing natural stone countertops, the many advantages of using natural stone, and how working with local granite craftsmen can help you achieve your dream home.
The Incredible Benefits of Custom Granite Countertops
As homeowners search for new kitchen designs, natural stone countertops are being selected over solid surface materials or laminate almost every time. The differing patterns created by nature provides a beautiful kitchen counter that cannot be matched by any product created in a factory. Since granite is formed from deep inside the earth over millions of years, the patterns used to create the granite slabs will be completely unique from each other.
Granite counters will look and perform well in any kitchen because of their unique characteristics. Granite counter tops provide a durable surface for food prep as it will resist scratches due to daily use. It also provides protection against hot pans because granite can withstand very high temperatures.
Once properly sealed, granite provides a non-porous surface that prevents fluids from being absorbed into them. This makes it very easy to clean as spilled wine, coffee, and/oil will not stain the surface.
Lastly, installing a high-quality custom granite countertop is an investment that can provide the homeowner with an excellent return on investment. In today’s real estate market, potential buyers are actively looking for high-end surfaces in the kitchen.
When you replace your current countertops with a new high-quality custom granite countertop, you will increase the value of your home significantly and your property will be highly competitive in today’s market.
Popular Granite Material Options
| Granite Style | Visual Appearance | Best Room Aesthetic |
| Light & Bright | White or cream bases with gray speckles | Small kitchens needing extra light |
| Warm Earth Tones | Beige, brown, and gold mineral clusters | Classic, cozy, and traditional spaces |
| Deep Blacks | Solid dark bases with reflective silver flecks | Sleek, modern, and industrial designs |
| Exotic Blues | Rare blue bases with sweeping metallic veins | High-end luxury homes and large islands |
Top 10 Tips for Setting Granite Countertops
Granite countertop installation is a technical job that requires lots of preparation and industry knowledge. Below is a list of the top 10 most important things to keep in mind for a successful granite counter installation:
- Select the Correct Slab: When selecting your slab from the stone yard, you should see and confirm the color, veining, and size are all what you expect.
- Use Precision Templating: Your cabinets and walls must be accurately measured with the use of digital lasers for precise fit. This helps to ensure almost no room for error.
- Ensure the Cabinets Have the Correct Structural Support: Make sure your base cabinets are leveled and capable of supporting the weight of the granite. Make any necessary reinforcements, especially when the project has overhangs.
- Select a Professional Fabricator: Use a granite fabricator with experience in cutting granite slabs using advanced saws and/or water jets. The fabricator should do a precise job at cutting, including all cut-outs (e.g. sink and cooktop).
- Remember to Dry Fit Before Adhering: Always dry fit the granite slabs onto the cabinets before adhering. This will allow the installers to have the ability to ‘tweak’ the fit of the granite to achieve both a perfect fit and a seamless look.
- Clear Pathways Before Delivery: To ensure that nothing gets damaged during installation, it’s important to remove any items (rug, furniture or wall art) from the delivery route.
- Quality Adhesive and Seaming: For the longest lasting, invisible seams when installing granite countertops, installers should use quality silicone adhesives, and color matched epoxy for the joints.
- Plan Your Plumbing Around The Install: Be sure to coordinate with your plumber on installing your sinks or faucets. Wait a minimum of 24 hours after your granite counters have been installed before reconnecting plumbing and appliances so that the adhesives have had a chance to fully set.
- Seal and Protect Your Counters: Be sure to put a sealant on your granite counters PRIOR to installation and apply a sealant once a year after that to keep your counters free of stains and moisture.
- Professional Installation vs. DIY Installations: Although it may be enticing to do it yourself, hiring a local granite professional will reduce the possibility of cracking or injury during installation, eliminate the risk of having an unsightly finish and provide you with a guarantee on your investment.
When you learn how to develop a professional timeline, you can then properly get ready for this important day. The actual installation of granite tops is a small piece of an even larger picture. Planning for your journey begins many months before the stone will ever be installed in your home.
Step 1: Precision Templating
The initial step is making an advanced form of digital templating. Skilled technicians will come into your home and utilize highly precise laser technology to determine the precise ends of your base cabinets. As walls can often be far from perfectly straight the use of a laser template guarantees that the stone hugs each and every curve and corner effortlessly.
Step 2: Expert Granite Fabrication
Once the template is made, the granite fabrication process starts. The artisans will then take large diameter diamond saw blades and cut your specific slab of granite into pieces that are exactly the dimensions that were necessary.
They will cut out all the holes required for your sink and cooktop by use of a water jet; then a router will be used to finish off the piece with a custom edge profile of your choice.
Step 3: Dry Fitting and Leveling
Upon arrival at your house, as part of the installation process, workers will carefully transport and set the large stone pieces onto your cabinets without adhesive to do a dry fit (checking to see if all of them fit correctly and also making sure the tops of the cabinets are level with each other).
Step 4: Applying Adhesive and Seaming
Once the dry fit has been verified and every piece fits perfectly (and all are level), workers will permanently secure each piece of the stones using a high-quality silicone adhesive on the top edges of all cabinets (when going in the same direction) and then carefully lower them into their respective final positions.
If the design needs more than one stone in the area being worked on, they will also use a specially recommended color-matched epoxy to connect the two pieces together via a seam; this is done by a very experienced installer, and he will be able to blend both colors seamlessly so you cannot even see any of them.
Estimated Cost Breakdown for Installation
| Cost Factor | Description of Expense | Estimated Percentage |
| Raw Material | The physical cost of the selected granite slab | 50% – 60% |
| Fabrication | Labor for laser templating, cutting, and edge shaping | 20% – 25% |
| Installation | Labor for delivery, leveling, seaming, and sealing | 15% – 20% |
| Add-ons | Undermount sink cutouts, faucet holes, and old counter removal | 5% – 10% |
Tips for Ensuring a Flawless Granite Countertop Installation
To create a stunning, even surface that is flawless, close attention must be paid during installation. Best practices help protect your investment, regardless of the size of the area being remodeled (i.e., small guest bathroom or large chef’s kitchen). Below are some key guidelines to help you prepare for a granite countertop installation:
- Cabinet Strength Verification: The weight of granite can be extreme so it is important to ensure that your cabinets are level and structurally sound prior to stone delivery.
- Clear Pathways: To avoid accidents during delivery and installation, remove all rugs, small pieces of furniture and any wall art off the path from your front door to your kitchen and prepare the area.
- Plan for plumbing: Wait 24-48 Hours for Plumbing Reattachment: Sink adhesives and epoxy seams typically require at least 24 hours to cure so make sure not to reconnect plumbing until online installation is complete.
DIY vs. Professional Installation
| Feature | DIY Installation | Professional Granite Experts |
| Safety | High risk of injury from lifting heavy stone | Fully trained crews with proper safety gear |
| Precision | Difficult to achieve invisible epoxy seams | Seamless finishes using specialized suction tools |
| Liability | You pay for the replacement if the stone cracks | Fully insured against accidental damages |
Elevate Your Kitchen with AA Granite Fabrication Center
You should have an outstanding level of craftsmanship and quality materials in your home. To install granite countertops, you want to use a contracting company that will show respect for both your home and your vision. Using less-than-reputable contractors to save money often leads to costly mistakes.
At AA Granite Fabrication Center, we work with you as your go-to partner for transforming your home beautifully. You will receive an expert handle on every aspect of your project from the first digital measure to the last polish applied with strict quality control. We never use a third-party sub-contractor, which allows our local teams to treat your home with the utmost care.
Our granite fabrication experts use some of the latest fabrication technologies available today to ensure that we will precisely cut your stone to perfection. Our promise to you is we will deliver level surfaces, extremely tight seams, and beautiful finished products that will last a lifetime.
Do not compromise on the quality of your kitchen or bar area. Visit our website today to browse our premium granite products and get ideas for your upcoming renovation project. When you are ready to move forward, call AA Granite Fabrication Center (972) 389 0800 your individual home consultation and free estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does setting granite countertops actually take?
Your new kitchen countertop or bathroom vanity will be installed in no time after the fabrication is complete. For example, a typical kitchen installation will just take 3-6 hours from start to finish. On the installation day, your crew will be performing the following sequences of tasks: dry-fit, level, glue, seam and lastly, seal the granite all on the same day.
Will I be required to reinforce my cabinets for granite installation?
Most good quality cabinetry types made of wood should be more than capable of supporting granite countertops or natural stone products without requiring reinforcing. If you are planning on having a large overhang on your island, then you should consult with your installation professional about potentially needing some type of steel support brace or similar item.
During your templating process prior to fabrication, the installation professional should evaluate your cabinetry to determine if it is strong enough for your application.
Can I keep my old sink and faucet?
Yes, if you’d like to keep your existing plumbing fixtures, it’s entirely possible to do so. In order to template correctly, however, you will need to have the sink and faucet on site. The granite fabricators need to know the exact measurements of your sink in order to cut the proper hole in the stone back at their shop. Many homeowners find that it may be easier simply to upgrade to a new undermount sink during the installation process.
How do I care for my counters after they’ve been installed?
Natural stone does not require much day-to-day maintenance. All you need to do is wipe up spills immediately with warm soapy water. Granite is slightly porous as well, so we use a professional grade sealer on the day of installation. You should then apply a simple liquid stone sealer on an annual basis in order to keep the surface as stain resistant to dark stains as possible.
