The last major hurdle in my never ending kitchen remodel was installing the countertops. We would have loved to do granite but didn't want to shell out the money and we figured if we went that route, then the kitchen should have been expanded. So we went with IKEA Numerar countertops. We bought them over 1 1/2 years ago--IKEA doesn't even sell them anymore--and they've just been standing up in my shop. I knew once I started, we'd have no kitchen. I also didn't want the kids underfoot all the time so the kids have been at my parents since after Christmas.
I had a conundrum about how to go about it, but with no kids and a ton of Christmas leftovers, we've been OK without the sink.
I added dye to General Finishes Enduro-Var and sprayed it on the tops over several days. Then I measured, measured, measured, and finally made the cuts with my Dewalt track saw. If you follow the other link, my main concern was how to deal with the counter to counter joint. There's a slight roundover on the edges which would mean there would be a valley between two tops. So I decided to rip off a little of the edge and miter a tiny bit of the corner. The track saw did a good job, but I still had to finish the cut with a Japanese pull saw.
The joints came out OK. I probably should have skipped the smear of silicone sealant on the raw edges.
Even though these tops are made in a factory, they aren't very level and they aren't even the same thickness. Anyway, I wanted the tops to be level (or close to it) and I also wanted to mechanically secure them without glue so I used my Domino for alignment and I made a jig to route slots for countertop bolts. Since the sink top is captured by another countertop on the left and a short wall on the right, I had to elevate the sink top and then join the tops with Dominoes (no glue) and bolts from the bottom. Luckily my wife could help, but these 8' long tops still weigh nearly 100lbs each. When we slid the assembled tops back in place, my lower back felt like it was an inch away from giving out. I'm glad it lasted that long. This was the most physically demanding project I've ever worked on.
I bought an apron sink on Woot a while ago. I had to modify the existing sink base to make it fit but because it's not self rimming on the sides, I had to pay particular close attention to detail. This is the old sink. I reused the disposal and the faucet. We went from two drains to one. I was able to reuse a bunch of the old fittings. Notice how the old integrated backsplash covers the bottom 3-4" of the windows. I still have no idea why the original building did it this way. The new counter top is slightly below the window sill. I will make a small molding to bridge that gap, but I like my increased view. You can also imagine how dirty the bottom of the windows got.
Reinstalling the old faucet was tricky. There's very little clearance between the wall and the new sink. The whole assembly barely fit. I also cleaned up the saw marks on the sink cutout with a router bit. It's nice and smooth now. In hindsight I should have just ripped off the whole 1/8" leading edge and not worried about that tiny little miter. There is plenty of overhang on these new tops. Oh well. I'm also being a little a**l retentive about the joints. Even with the dominoes, the edges aren't exactly flush. I've decided to sand the two tops flush and refinish them in place using a brush or a pad.
Anyway, the kitchen isn't done but the hardest part is over. Now it's finishing touches (and a few more drawer fronts) and I can call it done!
Paul
I had a conundrum about how to go about it, but with no kids and a ton of Christmas leftovers, we've been OK without the sink.
I added dye to General Finishes Enduro-Var and sprayed it on the tops over several days. Then I measured, measured, measured, and finally made the cuts with my Dewalt track saw. If you follow the other link, my main concern was how to deal with the counter to counter joint. There's a slight roundover on the edges which would mean there would be a valley between two tops. So I decided to rip off a little of the edge and miter a tiny bit of the corner. The track saw did a good job, but I still had to finish the cut with a Japanese pull saw.
The joints came out OK. I probably should have skipped the smear of silicone sealant on the raw edges.
Even though these tops are made in a factory, they aren't very level and they aren't even the same thickness. Anyway, I wanted the tops to be level (or close to it) and I also wanted to mechanically secure them without glue so I used my Domino for alignment and I made a jig to route slots for countertop bolts. Since the sink top is captured by another countertop on the left and a short wall on the right, I had to elevate the sink top and then join the tops with Dominoes (no glue) and bolts from the bottom. Luckily my wife could help, but these 8' long tops still weigh nearly 100lbs each. When we slid the assembled tops back in place, my lower back felt like it was an inch away from giving out. I'm glad it lasted that long. This was the most physically demanding project I've ever worked on.
I bought an apron sink on Woot a while ago. I had to modify the existing sink base to make it fit but because it's not self rimming on the sides, I had to pay particular close attention to detail. This is the old sink. I reused the disposal and the faucet. We went from two drains to one. I was able to reuse a bunch of the old fittings. Notice how the old integrated backsplash covers the bottom 3-4" of the windows. I still have no idea why the original building did it this way. The new counter top is slightly below the window sill. I will make a small molding to bridge that gap, but I like my increased view. You can also imagine how dirty the bottom of the windows got.
Reinstalling the old faucet was tricky. There's very little clearance between the wall and the new sink. The whole assembly barely fit. I also cleaned up the saw marks on the sink cutout with a router bit. It's nice and smooth now. In hindsight I should have just ripped off the whole 1/8" leading edge and not worried about that tiny little miter. There is plenty of overhang on these new tops. Oh well. I'm also being a little a**l retentive about the joints. Even with the dominoes, the edges aren't exactly flush. I've decided to sand the two tops flush and refinish them in place using a brush or a pad.
Anyway, the kitchen isn't done but the hardest part is over. Now it's finishing touches (and a few more drawer fronts) and I can call it done!
Paul
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