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pamcraig_gw

Wood countertop question--Mongo again?

pamcraig
14 years ago

Hello,

I am in the process of completing our master bathroom remodel. I used Mongo's bathroom as my inspiration. I got it about 85% complete before my husband came back from deployment. Now we need to cut the sink holes in the walnut counter as well as install the countertop. Mongo, could you offer any advice please? I am really nervous about this part of the project. I love how the counter turned out---followed your instructions to the letter and it looks fabulous---would hate to make a mistake and screw it up! My husband plans to do the cutting of the holes, etc. Any tips or hints would be much appreciated (again!).

Fondly,

Pam

Comments (3)

  • MongoCT
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Drop in sink or undermount? I'm not sure if you're using a memoirs sink or not.

    If drop-in, use the template to locate the sink. The hole can be rough cut, as the sink will hide the cuts.

    Using a drill bit larger than your jig saw blade, drill a couple of pilot holes on the waste side of the templated cut line, then use a jig saw to cut the hole. Finish the countertop and set the sink and you're done.

    For undermount you want the edges of the hole to look purdier. I take the template and put it on a sheet of 1/2" mdf, trace it exactly, then use a jig saw to cut just touching the waste (the waste piece being the sink bowl circle) side of the line. I then use a sander to sand to the line, keeping all curves fair.

    I then place the template on the countertop and use a pencil to trace an exact line on the countertop. I then trace another line, but I trace this second one about 3/16" inside the inside edge of the template.

    Example; if the finished hole was to be 10" by 20", I'd trace my first line right on the template edge to get a 10" by 20" trace. My second one would be about 3/16" inside this, so the second tracing would be about 9-5/8" by 19-5/8".

    I then drill a couple of pilot holes inside this second line and use a jig saw to cut on this second line, removing the waste piece.

    I then place my 1/2" MDF template back on the countertop in it's exact location and clamp or double-sided tape it so it will be secure. I use a top-brearing pattern bit in a router and using the inside edge of the template as a guide, I use the router to waste away the remaining 3/16" of countertop around the perimeter of the opening. Depending on the thickness of your countertop and the height of your bit, it might take more than one pass.

    Now your countertop should have a perfectly smooth and properly sized opening. You can chuck in a roundover (or even a profile) bit if you want to ease the top and/or bottom edges of the opening, or you can just use sandpaper to ease the edge.

    Then you need to stain/seal the countertop.

    If you're installing a memoirs top like I did in my bathroom, then you just need to eyeball the location of the sink on the countertop and waste the countertop wood away. It's easier to cut too little wood and have to make a second pass than to cut away too much in your first attempt.

    If you want me to measure the size of the cutout let me know. It'll give you a ballpark estimate at least. Yours may vary due to how the sink and countertop blend with the backsplash, and the relative thickness of the backsplash.

    I've done several memoirs sinks this way, some sit flatter than others, they're not all perfect after they come out of the kiln. Meaning when you get it on the countertop it might wobble a bit. If it's minimal you an use shims and then caulk (100% clear silicone) and that will lock the sink in place.

    If the wobble is significant, you can use a wood chisel to pare a bit of wood away under the high corners of the sink to drop it down a bit and still use shims, or you can pare enough wood away so it sits steady. Or you can return the sink and try for a flatter one.

    Regardless, After dry fitting the sink, I use blue tape to locate where the perimeter of the sink touches the wood countertop. I then pull the sink. I use a dab of silicone to "glue" the shims in their locations, then I run a bead of silicone just inside the blue tape. If your sink was really wobbly you can make that a heavy bead of silicone.

    Then I drop the sink into place, resetting it in relation to the blue tape. If needed I then add another bead of silicone tol fill any gaps, then tool the silicone. Any excess silicone will be caught by the blue tape, preventing it from smearing all over the countertop.

    I then pull up the blue tape.

    I'll let the silicone sit overnght before I connect the plumbing under the sink.

    Oh, and for what it's worth, if the extra weight and ability to maneuver the sink aren't compromised, you can save a bit of trouble by installing the faucet and drain on the sink prior to setting the sink in place.

    And offer your husband a "welcome back to The World" from me.

  • pamcraig
    Original Author
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hello Mongo,
    Thank you so much for your help once again! My husband followed your advice for the cut-out and everything went swell. Haven't yet set/sealed the sinks into the counter as the counter isn't yet attached to the cupboards. (We used the Kohler Serif sinks---the Memoirs were a bit too big for my space.)

    Promise---only one more question for you! As for attaching the counter to the cabinets---can you please tell me the best way? I know you are supposed to give the wood the ability to move/expand/contract, etc, oorrect? Maybe not best to just screw in to a few places followed up with some silicone?

    Thanks in advance again for all of your help. Once we have it completed, I will post some pictures. Your help/advice has been invaluable and much appreciated. (As for my husband's return from deployment, always upon returning he comments about how green everything is here at home. So glad to not always be looking at brown dirt and mountains or a big gray boat!)

    Thanks!
    Pam

  • MongoCT
    14 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    For wood countertops I screw from the inside of the cabinet up and into the bottom of the countertop. Make sure you use screws of the correct length...not too long!

    Sometimes I let the countertop "move" at the rear edge of the countertop at the backsplash, and sometimes at the front at the overhang. It depends on the style and design, how the top integrates with the backsplash, etc.

    If movement at the backsplash would ruin any detail, then anchor it at the rear and float it at the front. Vice-versa if needed.

    If anchoring at the backsplash, I anchor by running several screws across the back edge. I always drill pilot holes.

    At the front overhang edge, which will move, I'll drill oversized holes in the top of the cabinet's carcass, large enough so that the shank of the screw can move back and forth as the countertop shrinks and expands. I'll then use an oversized washer on the screw and drive the screw home. I drive the screw through the oversized hole in the cabinet carcass top and up and into the pilot hole I drilled in the bottom of the countertop. Snug, but not too tight. You don't want it so loose that the countertop can move up and down, but you don't want it so tight that you restrict the lateral movement.

    If your cabinet design requires it, there are commercial attachment clips designed for attaching countertops to cabinet bodies, it all boils down to how the cabinet is constructed and what type of attach points are available.

    This link shows the idea of what I'm referring to.

    I got lucky, I was only over in the desert for about 8 months, back in '90-91. Fortunately for me I spent most of my time buzzing around in a jet so I didn't end up with too much sand between my teeth. "Home Safe" to your husband.