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
(Fig. B)
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 (Fig. A and Photo
16) that efficiently uses the leftover tile trimmings from the
nosing cuts.
Tile Store Materials
FIG. A COUNTERTOP DETAILS
To calculate the number
of tiles you need, multiply the lineal footage of 24-in. wide countertops by
2.5. Then add as many tiles as required to cover wider peninsulas or islands
and subtract for cooktops, stoves, sinks or other built-ins. Keep in mind that
you’ll probably need partial tiles for filling around built-in appliances
as well as at least a half dozen more tiles to allow for breakage and miscuts.
Have extra tiles on hand; you can always return the leftovers.
In addition to the tile, you’ll need:
-
A 25-lb. bag of thinset
mortar— gray for dark tiles or white for light tiles ($10).
-
A 5-lb. bag of unsanded
grout for the tile joints ($5). (Unsanded grout is easier to work into the
narrow 1/8-in. wide grout lines and you won’t risk scratching the stone
while grouting.)
-
A quart of
polished-granite sealer (about $25) to treat the tile and grout surfaces a week
or so after grouting the tile (Photo 19). It will help prevent stains from
penetrating the porous surface and enhance the natural beauty of the stone.
-
A roll of fiberglass
mesh tape for taping the Denshield seams (Photo 8).
-
A 1/4-in. notched
trowel for spreading the thinset (Photo 7).
-
A 4-in. or 6-in. putty knife.
-
A 2-in. margin trowel
($5, Photo 15).
-
A honing stone to
soften sharp exposed edges ($7, Photo 13).
-
A grout float for
spreading and embedding the grout (Photo 17).
-
Color-matching caulk to
substitute for grout at inside corners (Photo 18).
-
Plastic spacers for
supporting the backsplash tiles (Photo 16).
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, Photo 9) 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.
Lumberyard Materials
It’s not hard to
estimate your lumberyard purchased materials. Here’s what you need:
-
3/4-in. plywood
underlayment: You’ll need a full sheet of 3/4-in. plywood for every 8 ft.
of countertop.
-
Tile backer: Buy a 32"
x 60" sheet of Denshield (or cement board if Denshield is not available) for
every five lineal ft. of counter.
-
1x4 cabinet blocking:
Pick up enough 1x4s and 2x4s to line the top of the cabinet backs, cabinet ends
and areas where plywood splices will occur (Photos 3 and 4).
-
1x3 backsplash trim
cap: Buy enough 1x3 trim lumber that matches your cabinets along with the
necessary stain and finish to cap off the finished backsplash (Photos 11, 16
and Fig. A).
-
One 1-lb. box of 1-in.
roofing nails for nailing down the Denshield.
-
One 1-lb. box of 2-in.
screws for securing the plywood to the cabinets and the 1x4 to the wall studs.
