Installing Your Kitchen Countertop
An Easy Guide

Worried about installing your kitchen countertop?

DIY it with this easy guide to building your kitchen countertops yourself.

Make your kitchen look better without a load of expense and hassle...

...based on our own countertop project.

Building kitchen countertops yourself is easy and inexpensive...

...and can make a big difference to the look and feel of your kitchen.

We will show you how!

The first element of our own kitchen makeover was to change the worksurfaces / countertops.

This actually made a huge difference to our kitchen - and we wished we'd done it far earlier, rather than lived for so long with a countertop we didn't really like.

Installing a kitchen countertop is a great way to get a fresh new look for your kitchen.

And you can do it without the whole expense and hassle of changing the base-units and cupboards.

Even just using new countertops in your kitchen remodelling can drastically alter the look and feel of your whole kitchen - and give it a fresh new feel.

Our previous countertops for our kitchen (when we moved in) were a dull, matt, mushroomy color.

They wouldn't have been our first choice, but were fairly innocuous, went with most things and were pretty inoffensive - so they got left through several re-decoration projects.

Building your kitchen countertops is a job that can be done quite easily with just a little DIY experience and know-how...

...and kitchen countertops in laminate can actually be very reasonably priced.

• Countertops for your kitchen can come in:
  • granite (very nice, but very expensive and need to be professionally cut and fitted)
  • tiled (ideal for DIY - see some tips for tiling a countertop, here... )
  • marble, stone or quartz (again very nice, but very expensive and need to be professionally cut and fitted)
  • real wood and 'butcher's block'
  • acrylics
  • composites (such as 'corian')
  • laminates

  More ideas about style and design for your kitchen fixtures...

• Laminates are a good and easy choice to fit yourself, and are usually the cheapest option.

  I'll be showing you some tips and guidance for installing a kitchen countertop in laminate - this is a basic swap over, and not part of a complete kitchen build.

• Always follow any manufacturer's instructions supplied

Installing your Kitchen Countertops

Skip straight to watch the video guides to help you along...

Written Guide to Installing Countertops for Kitchen

1. Firstly, remove the old countertops
   • Switch off water, gas and electricity and make safe before you start.
   • Remove fixtures such as hobs, sinks, taps etc.
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   • Unscrew all the fastening bolts from underneath
   • If your wall-tiles are fitted over the top of the countertop, you may like to score the joint with a knife, or remove some of the grouting to make removal easier and lessen damage to the tiles.
   • You may need to hit with a hammer from underneath to loosen the countertops before lifting off









2. Measure the space for the new countertops carefully. You may be able to use the old countertops as a template.
   • Take especial note of areas where corners and walls might not run perfectly true.
   • Mark the measurements on with pencil









3. Using a work-bench, cut carefully along your marked line with a junior hacksaw.

   Take care to keep the cut straight, checking frequently.










4. Offer the cut countertop up to the cupboards' top, and carefully fit in.

   If you have measured accurately they should fit perfectly, if not, now's the time to make adjustments.










5. Fasten the screws underneath
6. Fit joining strips where you join 2 countertops together, in a straight line, or at right angles.






Screw to one edge and use sealant beneath to get a neatly sealed joint



7. Fit an end strip to cut ends - or use the special end laminate strip that is often supplied with the countertop.








To hide exposed cut edges it is easy just to screw an end piece on.








8. If a hob or sink is to be fitted, now measure, and mark the positions carefully in pencil.






Drawing the measurements for our circular sink

Installing a Kitchen Countertop Sink

9. We fitted a small, circular sink to replace our big, old-fashioned farmhouse style sink, for a more modern look.
10. With the countertop in situ, drill a hole with a 20mm drill bit close to (inside) the edge of the circle (or rectangle) you are going to cut.









11. Use this hole as your starting point, to cut the circle (or rectangle) carefully with a jigsaw.









12. Seal the cut edges carefully with a waterproof sealant.
13. Lower the sink into the hole, and fasten with the clips supplied.










To Cut a Hole for a Single Tap

14. Our new tap fitted straight to the countertop, rather than to the sink itself.
15. Measure the position and size of the hole(s) required carefully.
16. Drill the holes with appropriate sized drill bits









17. Seal the cut edges carefully with a waterproof sealant.
18. Fit the pipework through the holes, and connect to the water supply.
19. Fit the tap onto the pipes.
20. If you are not competent at plumbing work, get a qualified plumber to complete this part of the kitchen makeover.







Installing a Kitchen Countertop Hob

21. We bought a new ceramic hob in white, that enhanced the pale color of our white countertops.
22. With the countertop in situ, drill a hole with a 20mm drill bit close to (inside) the edge of the rectangle you are going to cut.
23. Use this hole as your starting point, to cut the rectangle carefully with a jigsaw.
24. Seal the cut edges carefully with a waterproof and heat proof sealant.
25. Lower the hob into the hole, and fasten with the clips supplied.
26. Reconnect to the electricity or gas supply.

    If you are not competent at electrical or gas-fitting work, get a qualified electrician or gas-fitter to complete this part of the kitchen makeover.











---

27. Complete installing your kitchen countertop by sealing the back-edge - and/or complete tiling behind - to seal the gaps.

Even though we haven't (as yet!) completed our full kitchen makeover, just building new kitchen countertops has made a big difference in remodelling our kitchen.

The new kitchen worksurfaces look fresh and new, and as they are white, they really reflect the light, and make the whole space feel larger and lighter.

We chose a contemporary looking kitchen countertop in laminate white, with real metal flecks, that reflect the light and really sparkle.

It has a contemporary, squared profile, and although it really is a laminate - making it super-easy to fit yourself - we think it does have the look of a more expensive composite, or even granite worksurface.

We are very pleased with the look of our new kitchen worksufaces - and hope that the rest of our kitchen makeover goes so smoothly.

UPDATE: We have now completed the next stage of our kitchen makeover... click here to see the results of our retro wallpaper inspired kitchen makeover...

UPDATE: Our kitchen update is now complete - find out how to paint kitchen cabinets, and read about our experiences with our own kitchen cabinet painting project...

Tips for tiling a countertop, here...

More ideas for kitchen style and design

More practical kitchen decorating tips for your makeover

More photo inspiration and ideas for your kitchen decorating themes

Return to the main Kitchens page

Return from this Installing a Kitchen Countertop page to the Home Page

Top of Page



Search for words or phrases inside my site:

Custom Search

New! Comments