Thinking about replacing the worn formica counter in my kitchen with 12″ black granite tiles. But I realize I don’t know how to finish rthe edges. I was going to rip narrow pieces to use as the front edge, but unless I miter the edges there is going to be the unpolished tile edge showing. How would you edge the counter?
“Put your creed in your deed.” Emerson
“When asked if you can do something, tell’em “Why certainly I can”, then get busy and find a way to do it.” T. Roosevelt
Replies
Eddie,
I did that in my kitchen and routed a trim edge piece out of mahogany that covered the unpolished edge. Worked out nicely and the wife likes it so thats all that counts.
Mike
Have you considered going with pre manufactured solid granite tops? They are not that hard to cut to size, specially for a simple kitchen layout.
In the Sacramento, Ca. area, the price of tops are in the $150-$350 range. for 8'-9 1/2' lenghs.
Going rate in this area for someone to do the bullnosing is about $14-$20 per 12" edge of tile.
Use wood or a matching or contrasting solid surface. Every tile edge I've ever seen has pieces missing, it's just a poor detail.
Kowboy
I've seen it mitered and I've seen it lapped and polished. imho, neither really looks that good. Finishing it with wood or some other type of bullnose gives it that finished look. For that matter, you might be able to find a matching granite bullnose with a nice ogee would look really nice. Just something to think about.
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I did a job just like yours but used a pink granite and cut some into 2 in stripes and sent it to a granite guy and he ground a quarter round edge on it, he charged about 1 dollar a foot using my tile. and he polished it too. it cost about 70.00 dollars but it was worth it. so I had him do both top and bottom edges so it ended up being a great bullnose and when it was finished it looked like a 2 inch thick granite counter top. It turned out better looking then I had hoped it would. Thats what I would do again for sure.
Carpentry and remodeling
Vic Vardamis
Bangor Me
I like that. I have the pads to polish marble, but not granite."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
If your wet saw can , you could bevel the edge and then polidsh it. The pads to polish the marble might polish granite???? I dont know if they would but it might be worth a try.Carpentry and remodeling
Vic Vardamis
Bangor Me
Bevel and polish the edges yourself.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
I can easily bevel the edges, but I think polishing is a problem. I have a set of Alpha polishing pads, and it says they are for marble and limestone. I looked on the web page for a supplier, and the granite tools are separate from the other polishers. Don't forget that marble and limestone are much softer than granite. Different structure."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
If you already have the tools to polish marble, why not buy a cheap set of granite pads?Try these - $80 for the set:http://tinyurl.com/ypnfvc
That's what I want."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Corian, maybe?
I used http://www.benissimosystems.com   in my kitchen, they cost more then standard granite tiles but have the benefit of a bullnose over hang. They're still way less than solid granite. They are also sized correctly so that only two tiles are needed to cover the depth of a standard counter top. I was real happy with the result. They cut nicely and the mitered corners made it easy.
Couldn't open the link.Pete Duffy, Handyman
Sorry try this one www.benissimosystems.com
Thanks. That one works.
Can you give me an idea of cost/sq.ft.?
Thanks.Pete Duffy, Handyman
I'm curious about cost too. I looked at the site, and it said "up to 50% less than granite". "Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt