Self-installing kitchen countertops - from sawing to sink tapping

Installation by yourself - for and against

Let's figure out whether it's worthwhile to take on the installation and, if you decide what's worth, we'll learn how to fix the countertop.

1. If you have some skills, by installing a surface of chipboard, MDF, wood or veneered wood you will save 1500-2500 rubles. - that's the whole complex of works.
2. Concrete countertop "under the stone the facing of the surface of tiles is best done by yourself, the work will be better.

On the other hand:

• If there is no skill in working with particleboard, MDF, there is no tree, then it is better not to take chances. It is impossible to restore the previous view from the chips and other deformations;
• Worktops of complex materials, such as glass, must be installed by craftsmen;
• Sometimes the installation is included in the price of the countertop.

Have you decided to do the installation work yourself? Installation of countertops includes:

1. Dismantling of the old countertop;
2. Measurements and sawing a new one;
3. Edge processing;
4. Fastening of a table-top and docking of two sheets if necessary;
5. Sealing and installation of plinth;
6. Cutout opening for the sink and mixer;
7. Moving the finished product should be done very carefully, so that additional stresses are not created in the sawing places - otherwise they can lead to cracks.Enhanced brittleness has smooth and glossy surfaces.
8. Measurements are carried out very carefully, preferably on an already assembled kitchen set.

Before you order a countertop, it's best to make a template.

The complexity of the work, depending on the materials

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Self-installing table tops - the event is not too complicated, but much depends on the type of material used:

1. Laminated chipboard (DVP) - this is actually the chipboard, pasted with high-strength laminate. The complexity of the installation is mainly only in the neat cutting of the table top. From the mechanical damage on such surfaces remain unsightly traces.
2. Traditional material for the kitchen set is wood. Such a surface will need to be regularly restored with protective coatings or lubricated with polishes. Although, if necessary, the wooden surface can be sanded by hand - and it will again become attractive.
3. Surfaces from metal are becoming more popular - the combination of countertops from this material will not be difficult. However, with mechanical effects on them, there will be scratches and traces that will need to be grinded with their own hands.
4. Stone table top (made of natural or artificial stone) is resistant to moisture, temperatures, scratches. However, the fastening of the tabletop made of natural stone can be difficult due to the large weight of the product, and the sawing and opening of the holes is complicated and requires skills.

Installation of surface from chipboard, MDF, artificial stone

Installation of a table-top made of artificial stone, chipboard, MDF by one's own hands is made according to the same principle.

Fastening of the table top also provides installation of additional moisture-insulating elements - jumpers, plugs, corners from aluminum and plastic. They are required for surfaces from both particleboard and artificial stone.

1. In the beginning, most likely, you will need to make measurements and then on their basis to saw a sheet. In this case, the length is measured taking into account the bar that overlaps the ends. Cut off the excess sheet can be hand-made with a hacksaw on wood or electric jigsaw. If there are protrusions on the wall, then on the table top all the required notches are cut out in advance.

1. Now we lubricate the ends with silicone sealant, apply an aluminum strip and smooth it flush. Then you need to fix the bar with small screws. Surplus silicone can be wiped with acetone.

1. The edge of the surface, which remained closed, must be sealed with edge band. In order to attach it yourself, first you need to warm up the tape, and then stick it and cut off the excess. After gluing the edges of the tape are ground.

1. On the building level, you need to adjust the feet of the pedestals of the kitchen set. If the legs are not adjustable, then you can put under them adjusting wedges and plastic gaskets.
2. Now fill the sealant with the rear upper edge of the cabinets as shown in the photo. The rear end of the tabletop is also abundantly lubricated with the same silicone. In the cabinet under the sink we attach plastic or metal corners.

1. Now gently put the countertop on the cabinets and either press it tightly against the wall, as shown in the photo, or leave the distance from the wall is 5 mm, depending on how much you want the table top to protrude above the cabinets taking into account facades.

1. Now we will make the fastening of the table top to the kitchen set (not to the wall). To do this, under the countertop in the available holes screw the screws 30 mm and 16 mm under the sink.

1. Now you can install a plinth between the apron and the top and sides.

• If the worktop is angularly fastened, it is necessary to hide the joint seam with an aluminum profile. For more information, see this video:

• In kitchens under the order, the work surface is most common for the lower cabinets, but if you buy a kitchen set factory assembly, then, most likely, you need a connection table tops, because in this case for each locker a separate "top". So, in the plane perform all the required cuts, after which the connectors are inserted into the grooves and tightly tighten them together.

1. At the last stage, a hole is cut through the sink.

Visually about installing an artificial stone surface:

How to make a replacement table

If it is a question of replacing the surface on an already installed headset, then you will have to act as follows:

1. The old surface is dismantled without damage to the kitchen unit - the sink, plinth is removed and all fasteners are removed.

1. The new surface must be fitted on the wall and under the existing furniture dimensions.
2. The height is controlled very carefully, since it is important that the structure is evenly supported by existing pieces of furniture.
3. The resulting edges on the surface of chipboard, artificial stone, wood are necessarily sealed. This is especially important for laminated surfaces - getting moisture inside will lead to swelling and destruction of the structure.
4. Fastening the table top also means joining several elements into one, so that their height along the wall is the same, and there is no gap between the elements.

In this video, the master shows how to replace the surfaces of stand-alone pedestals on a single tabletop without joints.

How to mount a concrete worktop

In the kitchen, you can install a concrete countertop, and then tile it with a tile or polish it under an artificial stone. Manufacture and installation in this case is carried out simultaneously. Here's how to do it:

1. The cabinets are aligned so that their height along the wall is the same, after which they are laid on the base (from plywood or chipboard). In this example, concrete is completely poured onto the old tile.

1. The base is securely attached to the top of the furniture, after which a formwork is installed along its sides.
2. The formwork is sealed with polyethylene, and inside it fittings are laid. The area where the car wash will be installed is enclosed by a ring of metal strip.
3. A cement mortar - cement M400, sand and crushed stone in the proportion 2, is prepared, and a plasticizer is necessarily added to it.
4. For a countertop simulating a stone, dyes are added to the solution.
5. The solution is poured into the formwork, leveled (so that the height along the wall does not have any differences) and covered with polyethylene. The solution is left to dry - this will take about a week.
6. The finishing of the concrete table top begins with a rough grinding, after which the tiles are pasted and the seams are rubbed. If an imitation stone is created, the concrete is treated with a grinder, after which it is applied to the filler.

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