Q. Some suppliers use 3cm granite and do not use a laminated edge. Can you do this?
A. We can but the freight starts to become excessive. This practice is more prevalent in the eastern part of the United States. Typically the installer forgoes using a plywood subcounter when using 3cm material which we don't recommend either. 2cm with the thicker laminated edge are by far the more widely used design in the Western part of the United States.

Q. Can I install my countertops myself?
A. Many homeowners do. Anyone with the skill set of a finish carpenter is more than capable.

Q. Should I put anything under the granite tops when I install them?
A. Yes. In addition to a 3/4 inch thick plywood subcounter you will want a moisture barrier between the granite and the wood. A vulcanized rubber paint, for example, works just fine as does plastic sheeting. The idea here is you don't want any moisture or water getting into the subcounter and rotting or mildewing.

Q. What do I use to glue the counters in place?
A. Clear knife grade 2-part epoxy works great. Use this same glue to seam the edges where the slab panels meet. When doing your edges add some color pigment to the epoxy resin before you add the hardener which make the epoxy glue set up. These color pigment kits are available from Home Depot or Lowes in the paint department and cost $10 to $20.

Q. When I cut certain kinds of granite I noticed the sharp edge of the granite wants to chip away and I don't get a clean cut. Is there anything I can do to get a nicer cut?
A. It is a trick used by the professionals. It is called "collar the blade". These are sold in the tool department of most major hardware stores. They are really giant washers that you place on both sides of the blade when you install it on your skill saw. The chipping is usually caused from vibration of the blade as it is cutting. The collars reduce the vibration and the resulting chipping of the edge.

Q. How can I get the smallest seam possible where two slab countertop panels meet?
A. Well obviously a good fit and straight cuts are key. But here are a few other tricks of the trade. Get some large soft rubber suction cups of five or six inch diameter and some turnbuckles eight or ten inches long. Attach one cup to each end of the turnbuckle. After you butter the edge of the seam with the epoxy that you have tinted the color of the granite stone you are using set them in place and squeeze them together gently. Then take your assembly of turnbuckles and suction cups and straddle the seam placing one suction cup on each side. Then spin the turnbuckle to gently pull the two panels together. You don't want to apply too much force here or you will break the suction of the rubber cups to the granite. Wedges are also useful in achieving a tight seam by forcing the panel in the direction of the seam.

Q. Do I have to seal my new granite countertops after the are installed?
A. Yes. All natural stone products should be initially sealed and periodically resealed. Any natural stone sealer for granite counters may be used. A good source for this is VIC International in Knoxville Tennessee. The telephone number is 888-DIALVIC. The sell a complete line of stone fabrication and stone care products.

Q. How much should I pay to get my counter tops installed?
A. That depends on the area of the country that you live in. As a practical matter anyone with the skill set of a finish carpenter can do this by the time we get done fabricating the tops for you. It is a two-man job. Only one man however is a skilled tradesman. The second person is just the beef to help lift the slab panels into place. A typical 70 sq ft kitchen counter can easily be installed in a day. If you figured $40 per hour for a skilled laborer and $15 per hour for an unskilled helper then you might expect to spend about $450 - $500 to install the granite counters. Beware though trade professionals who earn their living fabricating and installing granite counters are not likely to be particularly helpful or thrilled with the fact that you have just saved yourself 75% or so by buying prefabricated panels and eliminating all of their profit in the sale of the slab and the fabrication process.