How to Prepare an Older Kitchen for New Countertops

Two cabinet runs that look alike from the doorway can differ by a quarter inch once a straightedge goes across the tops. Prep for countertops in Durham, NC runs closer to what countertops durham bandnameexplained lists than to a showroom brochure, and it starts with the boxes, not the stone.

Level the boxes first

The template records the cabinet tops exactly as they stand, so base cabinets must be level and secure before templating. Settled floors in older Durham houses often leave a run out of level. Installers correct that with shims under the cabinet bases or on top of the boxes, then fasten the boxes to each other. Templating before the cabinets are installed does not work, because there is nothing true to measure.

Weight changes the checks

Granite, quartz and quartzite slab stock is very heavy, and a cut top is still heavy. The cabinet boxes must be sound, with no sagging frames or soft bottoms, fastened to each other and anchored to wall studs. Each cabinet gets checked, not assumed. An overhang at an island or peninsula adds leverage on the boxes beneath it, so the supports there get a closer look.

Pick the fixtures before the template

The exact sink, faucet and cooktop models should be chosen before templating. An undermount sink usually needs to be on site so the cutout matches the actual bowl, not a spec sheet. Cooktop dimensions and faucet holes are cut at the shop, and a swap afterward can mean recutting. Settle the edge profile at the same time, whether an eased edge or a bullnose, since it changes how the front of the top reads against the doors.

Demolition and the dead kitchen

Plumbing is typically disconnected and the old tops removed before installation, so plan for a stretch with no working kitchen sink. Dishes move to a bathroom tub or a utility sink. Old tiled backsplash may be damaged when the old counters come off, whether the old top is laminate, solid surface or tile. Decide in advance whether the backsplash will be replaced, and do not count on a clean pull.

Clear the path

Slabs are carried in on edge and need room to turn corners. Clear a path from the door to the kitchen, moving furniture, rugs and anything stacked along the hall. Measure the tightest turn, and take a door off its hinges if the swing blocks it. A condo near American Tobacco Campus, a duplex near Duke University and a ranch in Durham County all pose the same problem, which is a long, heavy piece moving through a short space.