Click image to enlarge.
1. Measure your cabinets from the wall to the
front edge of the face frame, then measure left and right. Install support
cleats along unsupported edges.
2. Cut your plywood and screw it to the tops of
the cabinet with 1-5/8 in. screws. Keep the front edge even with the face
frame.
3. Glue and staple another layer of plywood (1/4
in.) over the 3/4-in. plywood if necessary to build up the thickness to match
the edge tile.
Click image to enlarge.
4. Center the sink in the sink base cabinet and
trace the perimeter. Draw another mark 1/2 in. inside this mark, radius the
corners and cut it out with a jigsaw.
5. Set the cement board onto the plywood and trace
the shapes with a fine-tip marker or carpenter’s pencil.
6. Cut the cement board with your jigsaw outfitted
with an abrasive-cutting blade.
Click image to enlarge.
7. Spread a thin layer of thin-set mortar over the
plywood with a 1/4-in. notched trowel. Embed the cement board into the mortar
and screw it to the plywood with cement board screws.
8. Score and snap thin strips of cement board and
embed them into thin-set mortar along the edges. Nail the strips with 1-1/4 in.
galvanized nails.
