Tag: quartz

  • Kitchen Update #4: Installation Day

    Kitchen Update #4: Installation Day

    The counter is ready and the installers are here. Inside of two hours the counter is installed and the new sink is in place.

    For me this meant that last night I removed all the now old counter tops for the last time. Disconnected the kitchen sink and the dishwasher and move the stove out of the way.

    Unfortunately, I didn’t get a picture of the process they used to join the two pieces right in the middle of the sink. Two suction devices where placed on either side of the sink cutout and a vacuum pump attached. Each suction device had a bar on one side that allowed the installer to attach a nylon web strap with a ratchet device to each suction device. The epoxy joint compound was then mixed and applied, the two sides were pulled together by the ratcheting strap while multiple clams ensured that both the back and front edges of the joint were flush and smooth on top. The joint is almost invisible in the end.

    Of course once the counter installers are done, the other trades (me) are on tap to put all the appliances back and reconnect the dishwasher and re-locate the electrical switch for the garburator . The sink connections have to wait 24 hours to allow all the silicone and epoxy to set properly.

    The new deeper sink requires a small adjust meant to the drain, which turns out to be a full re-build of the connections from the garbage disposal to the drain line.

    Plumber’s delight

    Once we’re all reconnected it’s put back all the stuff that lives on the counter and start thinking about the next step which is is to finish repairing the wall behind where the old counter top was and prime it in preparation for backsplash tiling.

    Until then the the kitchen looks like this.

  • Kitchen Update No: 3

    Kitchen Update No: 3

    Today was the templating day where they come out and measure your kitchen exactly for the new countertop.

    Originally scheduled for around 10:30 there was a cancellation so Larry, the person doing our templating, is able to arrive at around 9 am

    We were told by some other folks that they would make a cardboard template of our counters to guide their production of the actual quartz countertop. Turns out that is very old school.

    Larry sets up a tripod with a tablet computer and laser on top and proceeds to map out our kitchen with laser precision. I hear a tape measure being used occasionally but probably just to confirm the digital diagram that is being produced.

    Larry says it doesn’t matter if your walls are straight or your corners are not square the scanning will take care of all that for a perfect tight fit.

    In under one hour we’re signing off (digitally of course) on the finished diagram that will be used to generate the instructions to drive the CNC machine in cutting out our quartz top. Hand cutting stopped 10-15 years ago and it’s all digital now.

    In about another hour I have the counters back in place and the sink hooked up again. In 5-10 business days we’ll be getting a visit from the installers and I’ll yank out the current countertops one last time.