Tips For Removing Granite Countertops

22 December 2015
 Categories: Home & Garden, Blog

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If you want to get a new granite countertop because your current counter does not match your needs or your aesthetic choice for your kitchen, then you are going to need to remove the old countertop first. If you already have a granite countertop that you want to replace, this process could be slightly difficult. Here are the steps that you need to follow in order to remove your granite countertop.

1. Purchase an Oscillating Hand Saw and a Thin Blade

First, go to the hardware store and purchase (or rent) an oscillating hand saw and the thinnest blade that they have that will fit with the hand saw. You are going to use this saw to cut through the adhesive that joins your granite countertop to the counter itself. This is going to be far easier than trying to break up and remove the stone because granite is both strong and heavy, making it difficult to easily remove.

2. Cut the Adhesive That Connects the Countertop to the Wall

Take the oscillating hand saw and hold it so that the blade is perpendicular to the floor and parallel with the wall. You want to line up the blade so that it is as straight as possible in order to make a clean cut. Once you have the blade lined up, push it into the adhesive layer between the granite and the wall. Start at the side nearest you and allow gravity to move your blade downwards. Once you have cut all the way through the adhesive, pick up the blade again, being careful not to touch the granite, and then move it further away from you to cut more of the granite's adhesive. Continue doing this until all of the adhesive has been cut through. 

3. Disconnect the Countertop From What It's Mounted To

Next, switch out your saw's blade for one that is slightly thicker. Then, turn your blade so that it is parallel with the floor and start cutting horizontally into the adhesive that holds the countertop to whatever it is mounted to. Work slowly and have someone hold the counter in place so that you don't accidentally dislodge it and have it fall. Cut until there is no adhesive left holding the counter to its mount.

4. Pull the Granite Off

Get one or two more other people to slowly pull the granite away from the wall. Carry it to the room where you are storing it and turn it on its side in order to make sure that its own weight does not cause it to crack. If you succeed in not breaking your old top, you can sell it to help offset the cost of your new counter. 

For more information about getting the surface that you have just cut ready for new granite countertops, talk to a company that specializes in such counters.