# DIY Scrap Granite Kitchen Counter



## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Lowered the counters 1" and remounted. Remember- The granite was free slab scraps.

Trimmed up all the black w/ blue/gray granite I collected. Didn't really have enough of that to do the whole counter. I had a lot of deep black with copper/gold flecks in it, so decided to border it with that. So that is going around the edge and around the sink. 

I wanted to run the same width border in the front of the corner cabinet, but got nixed by Sharon as her wanting a full piece. That deep black with the flecks was a good choice as that ties everything back with the oak. We wish we could have done it all with that, but it was collected scraps, so it is what we got. It was a jigsaw as we had to maximize the use of the odd scraps we collected over time.

The backsplash is just rough cut for now and set up there for the photos. I'm going to trim it out with poplar edge band with a round over, to tie it back into all the trim in the house and the island trim.

Next will be to put up some temp forms on the edges and set the stone in quickset. The quickset I'm using is for Granite and bonds well to plywood.

It's coming along. Have to pace myself with the shoulder.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Very classy! Nice job, Mike.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

"If the cook aint happy, aint nobody happy"..

I feel that Sharon should be pleased, Mike.


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## WurliTzerwilly (Jun 9, 2013)

Do you have a method for trimming or cleaning up edges?
I will be using Silestone for splashbacks/window sills and may need to trim it.


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## david_de (Jun 3, 2013)

That looks great Mike. You are getting pretty handy with the puzzle work using granite pieces.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

WurliTzerwilly said:


> Do you have a method for trimming or cleaning up edges?
> I will be using Silestone for splashbacks/window sills and may need to trim it.


Thanks all. 

Cutting & Trimming-
I was using a borrowed Husky 7" wet saw. The stone is 1-1/4" thick and that saw's depth of cut was 1-1/4". It was just barely enough to get through. So when I was starting out, it was getting chipping on that top edge, it was taking forever and it was hard to get a straight edge or square corners. It was all by "eye." To get a bevel, half the table tilt's and you had to hld the stone steady above the blade. No fence. It was a struggle and took a long time. Once I got to fitting the stone, it was taking forever.

HF had a sale on their 2-1/2 hp commercial 10" wet saw. Over $150 off. I broke down. Everything was a lot faster and easier. If you are trying to trim off just a slight angle with a diamond blade in thick granite, there is a lot of blade flex. That saw, besides the sliding table, you can vary the depth of cut and or use it like a chop saw. Made things possible and it was easy to square things up better. 


Cleaning up the edges-
Granite and marble you put a slight 45 degree bevel on the top edges to clean them up. With ceramics and suck you can just take a carborundum rub stone for a masonry file wile carborundum) and a few swipes and you're good. Granite and marble is harder. I started out with using a sanding pad with 40 grit wet/dry (metal) belting and a diamond stone by hand. It was taking my forever. I took hours and I didn't feel like I accomplished much.

I broke down and bought a diamond turbo cup for my 4-1/2" angle grinder. Made that quick work. A pass or two at 45 degrees on each edge. A couple hours and I was done.

-- Funny how making tiles with thick stone ends up more like precision brick and block work. And I wanted to get accurate thin grout lines between, so it's been taking a while. This all would be all different if this was just thin lighter ceramic or softer stone tiles. Even with using thinner marble or granite. I used to help my partner who was a tile guy (cutting for him while he laid). I've done some tile work on my own after that. But, I'm thinking "tile work" is easy after doing this. I've learned a lot.

Granite and Marble slab starts out as 1-1/4. That is what stays as the edges of a counter. From there, for a counter, they thin out (plane) all but the edges, so what sits on the counters is 3/4" thick.


EDIT-- Notice the duct tape over foam rubber? First night I had the counter base installed, Sharon gouged her back on it, trying to cut the corner. I forgot she has a habit of that. The island counter edgebanding I have rounded "for her." That is my safety measure until the edgebanding is on there...


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Looks good so far. 

When you get ready to do the wood trim I would suggest staining and finishing it first. Don't finish the portion of the edge where you will have wood meeting wood but do make sure to finish the portion of the edge where wood will meet the stone. Then when it is installed use silicone sealant between the trim and stone and waterproof glue where wood meets wood. This will help keep water from working down under the stone.


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

Very cool I like it. Nice to make use of scrap material and not fill up the landfill, way to go!


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## Tiny (Aug 12, 2012)

Hi Mike. Is your stone project ready? Do you have photo of it? 
In the residence of the Finnish Ambassador in Cuba Havanna the kitchen tables where similar to yours but made of white ceramic tiles. The kitchen might have been bigger than your's. Can't say. Your foto was quite uninformative in that sense. Your kitchen looks much nicer.
What sealant did you use betwene wood and stone. In my opinion Silicone isn't nesessary the best sealing compound when talking about joining wood to some hard material. It fills the gaps but it doesn't attache to the wood, it's not glue. The bacteria colonys starts to grow there.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Tiny said:


> Hi Mike. Is your stone project ready? Do you have photo of it?
> In the residence of the Finnish Ambassador in Cuba Havanna the kitchen tables where similar to yours but made of white ceramic tiles. The kitchen might have been bigger than your's. Can't say. Your foto was quite uninformative in that sense. Your kitchen looks much nicer.
> What sealant did you use betwene wood and stone. In my opinion Silicone isn't nesessary the best sealing compound when talking about joining wood to some hard material. It fills the gaps but it doesn't attache to the wood, it's not glue. The bacteria colonys starts to grow there.


To grout between the edges (stone and trim) I used a grout/caulk made of acrylic/silicone. Easy to use, seals well and also bonds many things including to silicone.

Honestly, with vacation away, coming back to things (VA programs for vocational rehab) pressed onto me and my truck needing repairs, I had to reprioritize where me time and money went.

Sadly, I had to put the stone on hold for a little while. They are all laid out, ready to set. We are using the counter, but no hurry. I have everything to do it except the time. I'll get back to it.

Right not (such as the next 2 days), recovering from a storm, where there was over 12 inches of rain and over 100 mph gusts of wind. Have to pick up and winterize. I have to put things inside that have been out to make room in the garage to work. Will be tight. But none the less. Too much water (we only get less than 53 days without rain here) or snow will ruin whats out there.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Yes! What you said, Mike!! Essential.


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## Tiny (Aug 12, 2012)

I'm not following (VA programs for vocational rehab)? Could you translate for a stupido?
Where is that place or I mean why? Do you live on a mountain slope next to the ocean without an arcipelago? (we only get less than 53 days without rain here)


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Tiny said:


> I'm not following (VA programs for vocational rehab)? Could you translate for a stupido?
> Where is that place or I mean why? Do you live on a mountain slope next to the ocean without an arcipelago? (we only get less than 53 days without rain here)


I am a Disabled Veteran... Therefore I go to the Veteran's Administration (VA) Hospitals. They say my body's state of how broken it is has progressed to the point where I need to change my profession from using my physical attributes to using my mind. In order to do that, they say I need training.

They want to pay for that re-training --> Vocational (Occupational) Rehabilitation (Re-training) to change fields of working.


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## Tiny (Aug 12, 2012)

I'm sorry to hear that. It's good they want to pay for that re-training.


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

*Playing With Granite*

I wanted to play with granite, since many shops toss large scraps that are big enough to make little tables or plant stands with. I talked to a local granite store owner and he told me all I needed was a circular saw (he liked Makita's for their well sealed bearings) with an inexpensive diamond blade, a straight edge and a trickle of water. He was right. I was able to square up large pieces.

He also suggested I buy a variable speed angle grinder. The variable speed allows me to: run big grind stones (only about $8.00) for roughing in edges, such as a pre round-over for a bull nose edge; run diamond router bits; run diamond polish pads (e.g., 50 to 3000 grit); and, use small diamond blades to cut circles.

The attached photo is a plant stand my ex's late grandfather put a OSB top on, but which I replaced using scrap granite. I just marked out a circle big enough to cover the stand, using blue mask tape, then started grinding in circles, until the waste fell away. Then is was just a matter of going through the polishing steps.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

You sure you're not Italian, Kelly? Nice job! 
Just out of curiosity, did your granite guy suggest the max thickness the circ. saw with wet diamond blade would/should cut?
I've done what you're suggesting with granite tile, and concrete of course, but never tried it with thick(er) slabs...


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

I've cut the 3cm stuff using my Makita. All I had to do was slow down and keep the blade wet. Just like with wood, if it bogs, slow down.

I've noticed huge differences in cutting ease between different types of what we call granite. The black galaxy is tougher, for example. Others also said the darker rock was harder.

I think this is a little like wood finishes - if it works, it's fair game. I've used my big tile saw to cut slabs. I finally tossed a blade and am not looking forward to the cost of replacing it.


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

I scrounged stone that was a botched job at the granite shop. The shop owed me a favor and offered it to me free. I still had to cut it. From my experience it sure ain't wood. I made a plywood trac for my circular saw with a diamond blade. Rigged a trickle water with the garden hose. I made repeated shallow cuts. Got soaking wet I would never have attempted anything as elaborate as yours.
Been there tried it and am amazed at your skill and your wife's patience


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

Got myself a pair of rubber boots and a nylon apron, which touches the tops of my shoes. With those two things, I rarely get wet.

I found I didn't have to make more than one cut. It's really the same, just moving slow, or making a partial cut and finishing. Of course, running around a circle is a different matter, since it's all about running in circles and going a bit deeper each time.

For straight cuts, I just clamped a straight piece of plywood to the granite. Where you want to tie pieces together, like Mikes, you have to have to get good cuts.

The China Freight company sells blades adequate to that task, as do the big box stores.





paduke said:


> I scrounged stone that was a botched job at the granite shop. The shop owed me a favor and offered it to me free. I still had to cut it. From my experience it sure ain't wood. I made a plywood trac for my circular saw with a diamond blade. Rigged a trickle water with the garden hose. I made repeated shallow cuts. Got soaking wet I would never have attempted anything as elaborate as yours.
> Been there tried it and am amazed at your skill and your wife's patience


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

Ha! 

MAFoElffen, I just went and looked at your profile. The owner of the Granite Gallery, in Tumwater, is the one who showed me how to play with granite. He's good people.

He'll sell you granite working tools and equipment at good prices. For example, he sold me a tile saw that looks like the ones sold in the Depot, but it's an actual two horse, for less than I would have paid at the Depot.

I highly recommend a variable speed angle grinder. It allows you to do in minutes what working by hand will take - days. The Granite Gallery has a big grind stone, for roughing in your bull noses and forty-fives, for only about eight bucks.

He also sells the granite glue (two part mix) for around ten or fifteen a quart.

Too bad I hadn't met you a few years ago, before I move from Tumwater. I was always trying to locate other sawdust makers. Now I live in the area "you coastalites" come to to dehydrate (Desert Aire, 45 min. from Ellensburg).


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Dejure said:


> Ha!
> 
> MAFoElffen, I just went and looked at your profile. The owner of the Granite Gallery, in Tumwater, is the one who showed me how to play with granite. He's good people.
> 
> ...


A few of us in the Forum live around the Puget Sound...

Small world is that I used to live in the Tri-Cities. My parent's still live there (except they snow-bird in AZ.) When I finished college, I worked for an Industrial Landscaper. We put in the irrigation for a huge apple orchard right up the hill from Desert Aire, just west of Royal City. I remember one day "there," middle of June... In the morning it snowed. Then it hailed. Then there was sleet. Then rain. Then the sun came out and it all dried out. Then there was a wind storm that was blowing the dust so bad, that you couldn't see the end of the hood and couldn't get anyone on the radio. (Just static from the antenna being sand blasted!!!) That was the last straw that closed the jobsite down for the day. In Desert Aire, in the middle of June. I think that was June '81 or 82?


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

Just for ref.:

I was out doing some more granite work for our kitchen and was tired of running pieces through my saw. I grabbed a coffee can and a bit of paracord, punched a hole in the can, tied it to the back of the moving table and placed a few rocks in it.

It cuts slower than when I pushed by hand, but it's probably much easier on the expensive ten inch blades.

Running a two foot long piece of 3cm granite, I can do something else until the racket of the cut stops.


________________________________________________________

I had been using one of the grinding stones, sold for working granite, to round over the edges, then polishing them by hand. Each tile took about an hour per edge. I finally got over being cheap and bought another diamond router bit (about $120.00) and just cut the time to about a third. the edge isn't as rounded over as the ones I was doing, but still look rather nice.

Just for reference, I use a variable speed Makita or Milwaukee angle grinder for all my granite routering, grinding and polishing. I go through the following grits with my polish pads: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000, 1500, 3000 and, sometimes, 5000 at about the "2" (low speed) position so I don't trash the spendy little pads.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Brilliant!

Lol...reminded me of the story the gas installers recounted of setting up the 'mole' for a run from the street to a house. They turned it on then went back to the truck to grab some lunch.
A short while later an elderly lady came out to the truck; she wanted to know if they knew anything about a very loud knocking coming from underneath her basement floor...


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