Back To The Family Handyman
From 
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
Granite tiles are as easy to install as ceramic tile, except for the edges. We show you a slick jig that makes it simple to cut strips for the edges and the backsplash.
In this story, we’ll show you how to install an alternative—a solid-granite-tile countertop that costs less than $30 per sq. ft. for all of the materials you’ll need (or about the same cost as a professionally installed plastic laminate countertop). That’s for a wide variety of tile selections that cost less than $20 each for 12-in. square tiles, but be aware that you can pay more than $50 each for premium selections. Natural beauty, durability, resistance to heat and a sense of permanence are the hallmarks of a granite countertop. But ordinarily solid-stone countertops are a pricey proposition ($65- $100+ per sq. ft.) due to the special tooling and installation required.
We’ll cover preparing a solid subbase of 3/4-in. plywood. Next we’ll add a new lightweight tile-backer material called “Denshield” over the plywood. And finally, we’ll lay out and install the 12-in. granite tile surface itself. The trickiest part of installing stone tile countertops is cutting a crisp, clean countertop “nosing” (or front lip). This difficult task is simple when you use a homemade jig that’s clamped to a tile saw’s sliding table to cut perfect 45-degree miters. To finish off the gap at the backsplash of the counter, we’ve designed a unique, easy-to-install detail that efficiently uses the leftover tile trimmings from the nosing cuts. Tile Store Materials
If You’ve Tiled With Ceramic Tile, You Can Handle Granite
At first it might seem intimidating to work with tile that’s made from rock, but it’s not difficult. While you can’t score and snap it like ceramic tile, it cuts easily on a conventional diamond tile saw. In fact, you’ll make all of your cuts that way. Other than that, you’ll use the same tools, materials and techniques needed for ceramic tile except for the grout and sealer types.
In addition to standard carpentry tools, you can rent or buy the tile-cutting saw. A middle-of-the-road tile saw like the one we show costs about $275, or you can rent a contractor-quality saw for $45 per day. If you’re really organized and have underlayment installed and all the tile laid out and planned ahead of time, you can do all the cutting in one day. But if you want to take more time, it may be worth buying a saw, especially if you plan on tiling floors or perhaps a bathroom in the future. Also buy four rubber-padded mini-clamps (“QuickGrip,” $14 per pair) to hold the tiles to the jig. Steel C-clamps may crack the tiles. But use a couple of small C-clamps to secure the jig to the saw table.
Advertisement 
