If you are about to install granite
tile countertops in your kitchen or bathroom you are
undertaking a difficult task. I strongly urge you not to
do this unless you are very proficient with home
improvement projects and have performed counter
installations in the past. Granite is an expensive
material to work with and you do not want to ruin a
beautiful set of granite tile countertops by not knowing what to do.
The Layout
If you have budget requirements that
do not allow for a professional installation or even if
you simply like the idea of doing your own work it is
possible to install granite tile countertops for
yourself if you are willing to deal with the details,
which is always where the devil lies.
The first thing you should do before
you make any cuts or anything along that line is to
determine where you will place the granite tiles on your
countertop. The reason for this is that granite tiles
come in 12-inch squares and standard countertops are a
little more than 25 inches in depth.
You need to decide whether you want
to place your tiles in a specific pattern to avoid
making the most possible cuts and when and where to make
the cuts before you begin. You can also cleverly use cap
pieces or wood molding on the front edge of your
countertops in order to buy yourself just enough space
to avoid cutting all together if that is your wish. You
also may wish to use a decorative strip on the
countertop rather than an end piece to fill in any
excess space.
The Installation
You need to choose a surface upon
which to lay your granite tiles when you choose to
install granite tile countertops. The most commonly used type
of material for this purpose is inch cement board.
You can easily attach the board to the wood base of your
countertops by using adhesive and screws. You should
tape the seams with fiberglass mesh tape then fill them
with setting mortar, which you will spread very thinly
with the aid of a trowel.
When you install granite tile
countertops the next step should be to apply the
thinset. You will want to buy the type that is made
specifically for use with granite tiles. You will use a
notched trowel for this process and you will want to
take great care to spread the thinset evenly and only in
areas that you will be able to complete working within
the next 20 minutes.
Once you have made your bed of mortar
you will want to apply a very thin coat of inset to the
back of the tile with a flat trowel. You need to go as
thin as possible with this step for the best results.
You will want to make sure throughout
the process that you are applying pressure evenly as you
install granite tile countertops. This may seem tedious
but taking the time now to make sure things are down
properly and evenly could save a tremendous amount of
dissatisfaction with your countertops later in addition
to a lot of money replacing them.
If you want a cheap tip for checking
your seems try a quarter. Seriously, if you run a
quarter along the seems it will snag or bump at seems
that are not as they should be which will let you know
where adjustments need to be made.
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