How to Install Granite Bathroom Counters

Granite is a popular choice for countertops due to its beauty and durability. If you are sick of looking at your bathroom counters and want something different, a granite countertop is the way to go. Having a professional install your granite countertop can be very costly, however. Here I will outline the steps you need to take to make the jump to a granite countertop yourself.

Obtaining the Granite

Step 1

Select your granite. The granite will still be in slabs when you get to the home improvement store. However, you will be able to find the right look and color for your bathroom.

Step 2

Make a template for your countertop. There may be a granite retailer that will send an associate of the store to take care of this for you. The template is a piece of plywood that is used to trace the size and shape of your countertop. This will give them a pattern with which to cut the slab of granite. Make sure they cut a hole exactly the size you need for your sink.

Step 3

Take your new granite countertop home with you. You can just place it in the yard for the time being. The nice thing about granite is that you never have to worry about it getting damaged.

Removing the Old Countertops

Step 1

Shut off the main water valve to the house. This should be the first thing you do to prevent you from flooding your bathroom.

Step 2

Using your plumber's wrench, disconnect the plumbing underneath the bathroom sink. There should only be one or two pipes that you will need to disconnect, but this depends on your sink.

Step 3

Loosen the glue that is holding the sink to your countertop. You can just use a regular putty knife for this. Work the putty knife around the rim of the sink, popping up the glue that is holding your sink in place.

Step 4

Lift your sink off of the countertop. Be careful when setting your sink down, you do not want to damage the plumbing on the bottom of the basin.

Step 5

Remove the backsplash behind the sink. If your bathroom sink has a backsplash, stick your putty knife between the wall and the backsplash to create a gap. Then use your pry bar to pry the backsplash off of the wall.

Step 6

Remove the countertop. Most countertops are held in place by screws located underneath the countertop. Remove these and it should just lift right off of the cabinet. If they are also glued into place, you can use your putty knife to pop the countertop off of the glue.

Placing the Granite

Step 1

Bring the new granite countertop into the bathroom. You will need a friend to help to haul this into your bathroom.

Step 2

Install the granite counter top on the cabinet. The granite should have been fitted to the cabinet, in section 1 step 2, which will hold it in place after it has been installed.

Step 3

Re-install the sink. You will need to use the adhesive strips to secure the sink to the granite countertop. Place these as needed on granite counter where the sink will rest. Make sure after you set the sink in that you check to see if the adhesive strips will hold. You will want to use quite a bit of these to ensure that the sink will stay in place.

Step 4

Hook the plumbing back up to your sink. These are the same two or three pipes that you unhooked, in section 2 step 2, to take the sink out of place