We Know Countertops!  Custom laminate countertops,   post-form countertops,   ceramic tile countertops,   solid surface countertops,   countertop problems & repairs,   countertop installations,   removing and replacing countertops. Call us or email us. Countertop Problems, Repairs, Installations - Remove and Replace.   << Counters and Countertops Price List and Glossary of Terms.

A.  General Information
         Because countertops are used as a working surface they have to be durable, waterproof, easy to clean and attractive. Some common countertop materials are plastic laminate, ceramic tile, and manufactured "solid surface". By far the most popular is the laminate countertops. They may be custom-made or prefabricated post-form type. Many post-form countertops have pre-attached backsplashes and front edge treatments and are available in almost any color and are easy to install. Laminates are durable and stain resistant, but they're usually impossible to repair. Ceramic tile countertops have exceptional durability and a natural look. You can repair damaged tiles using the same steps you would use to repair tiled floors or walls. For heavy usage, you can protect your grout joints by applying a silicone grout sealer about once a year. Solid-surface countertops are made from acrylic or polyester resins mixed with additives. Superficial repairs are possible on most of them, but major repairs and new installations should just be left to a professional.

B.  Countertop Problems & Repairs
         Solid-surface countertops develop a mellow luster with use and age. If you make repairs that remove the surface glow, you have to blend it in to keep an even appearance. To get rid of scratches and stains, first try using a mild detergent, rubbing the area in circular motion with a wet sponge or cloth. If that doesn't work, try using a gentle abrasive powder and a plastic scouring pad. For deep scratches or burns, you can use fine-grit sandpaper. Blend the repaired area with a mild abrasive liquid and a sponge or cloth.

Ceramic tile countertops can be repaired by replacing the damaged tiles and grout.  Before breaking out the tile, carefully remove the grout. It's common to break a good tile while trying to replace a damaged tile, so be careful and focus on the weakest points of the damaged tile. Take your time while chipping it away.

C.  Countertop Installations - Remove and Replace
         When removing an existing countertop, you'll need to disconnect any plumbing and/or electrical. Disconnect plumbing fixtures and appliances at the shutoff valves. Disconnect electrical at the main power panel.

Usually countertops are fastened to cabinets with screws driven through wood or plastic mounting brackets fixed to the top inside corners of the cabinets. Remove the screws and any other mounting hardware. Unscrew the take-up bolts on the underside of mitered joints. Use a utility knife to cut caulk beads along the backsplash and the wall. Using a flat pry bar, lift the countertop away from the base cabinets. If you can't pry it up in one piece, cut the countertop into smaller pieces. Post-form laminate countertops come in stock lengths, which you can cut to fit over your cabinets. They're available in straight sections and in mitered sections for installation in a corner. For any exposed end of your countertop, buy an end-cap kit. This includes a wood batten strip and a pre-shaped strip of matching laminate to cover the end after the section is cut to size. For a precise fit, trim the backsplash to follow any unevenness in the back wall. This process is known as scribing. Begin by measuring along the tops of the base cabinets to figure out the size of the countertop. Walls are barely flat or square, so measure at the front and back of the cabinets, and use the longer measurements. Use a framing square to establish a reference line (R) near the middle of the cabinets. Take four measurements (A, B, C, D) from the reference line to the cabinet ends and walls. Allow for overhangs by adding 1" to the length of each exposed end, and 1" to the width (E). Also allow for 1/16" gap where the countertop butts against appliances.

 Lay the new countertop facedown on a flat work surface, and use a jig saw to cut it to length. Clamp a straightedge in place to use as a cutting guide. If the saw chips the laminate surface, use a blade with finer teeth. To finish the exposed ends, attach the batten from the end-cap kit to the underside of the countertop, using waterproof wood glue and small brads.

Smooth any unevenness with a belt sander. Then, attach the self-adhesive laminate end cap to the end, slightly overlapping the edges of the countertop. Hold the end cap in place, and press it with a household iron set at medium heat to activate the adhesive. After the end cap cools, use a fine-tooth file to trim the edges flush. Position the countertop on the cabinets, making sure the front edge is parallel to the cabinet faces. The bottom of the countertop's front edge should be even with the tops of the cabinets. Make sure the countertop is level. If you need to, use wood shims to level the countertop and to make sure it's supported evenly from underneath.

 When the miter joints are dry-fitted together and the countertop pieces are snug against the back walls, the next step is scribing the backsplash. Post-form countertops have a scribing strip, which is a thin lip of wood and laminate on the end of the backsplash, which makes it easy to shape. Set the compass arms to match the widest gap between the backsplash and the wall. Then, move the compass along the length of the wall to transfer the outline to the scribing strip. Sand the backsplash to the scribe line using a belt sander with a coarse-grit belt. Hold the belt sander parallel to the top of the backsplash to avoid chipping the laminate. Bevel the strip slightly inward from the top surface down. Test-fit the countertop. Lay out the position of the sink and other elements to be installed in the countertop. To mark the cutout for a self-rimming sink, set the sink upside down on the countertop, and trace the outline with a pencil. Remove the sink, and draw a cutting line 5/8" inside the sink outline.

 Drill a starter hole just inside the cutting line to make the sink cutout. Use a jig saw with a fine-tooth blade to complete the cut. The next step is joining the mitered ends, if you have them. If you have a short countertop, you can do this on a bench, but it's easier to assemble long countertops on top of the cabinets. The miter joints are held together with special take-up bolts that sit in grooves cut into the countertop core.

Apply a bead of silicone caulk to the mating surfaces of the miter joint, and spread the caulk evenly with your finger. Fit the joint together. From inside the cabinet, install the take-up bolts, and tighten them so they are just snug. From above, check the joint to make sure the front edges are flush. Tap along the surface of the seam with a wood block and a hammer until it is smooth. Then, tighten the take-up bolts. Position the countertop tightly against the wall, and fasten it to the cabinets by driving wallboard screws up through the mounting brackets and into the countertop core. Make sure that the screws aren't long enough to puncture the laminate surface. Run a fine bead of caulk along the joint between the backsplash and wall. Smooth the caulk with a wet fingertip.