DIY Network

Kitchen Rehab: Granite Countertops From "Rock Solid" episode DROC-207

Designers and homeowners alike love the look and texture of granite in the kitchen. In this project, expert stone masons Derek Stearns and Dean Marsico use a system of granite pieces to simulate the look of slab granite.

Along with guest expert Kelley Stupfel of Benissimo Systems®, they update an outmoded kitchen by demolishing the existing tiles, installing a new granite countertop system and adding a decorative granite backsplash. The result is a countertop that gives do-it-yourselfers a chance to get designer style at an affordable cost.

Before

After

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Tools:

wood chisel
hammer
measuring tape
pencil
circular saw (for plywood)
grinder or utility knife (for cement board)
electric drill
mesh tape
jigsaw drill
graph paper
whiteout pen
square
t-square
triangle square
wet saw
rubbing stone
margin trowel
5-gallon buckets
square notched trowel
two-foot level
four-foot level
rubber mallet
suction cup
plastic tile shims
grout sponges
grout float
safety glasses

Materials:

masonry screws
1/4 inch concrete board
5/8 inch plywood
granite countertop components
white quick-setting modified thinset
trim components
unsanded grout
penetrating sealer

Note: The quantities needed for each of these materials varies with application. For your specific project, Dean and Derek suggest taking the dimensions to a local distributor, where they will calculate the amount of each product needed.

Read on for a summary of the basic steps in the installation.

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