I noticed at a builders mart,pre-fab granite slabs in 8 or 10 ft. lengths.These are prefinished along one edge and one end.Each slab is accompanied by a length of 6″ splash.These are designed as to complete fabrication and installation in the field(no shop work).How do I work with this stuff?? Are the corners merely mitered with a diamond blade/skill saw?? Is the sink cut out the same way?? thanks in advance for any tips/help.
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Yes and yes, everything is done on site with a circular saw and 4 1/2" grinder with diamond blades.
My cousin went that way, I was in his kitchen last year. I wasn't very impressed, but I like crisp details. He had bullnosed two edges of his island slab with a handheld grinder, and it was pretty wavy. You could definitely see epoxy in the miters.
You get what you pay for, I guess- if you want it to look kind of rough, it's fine. I've got a few spots in my house where I used granite scraps from the local countertop place. I didn't try to make a nice bullnosed edge though. I either made it flush with another surface, or used broken rock edge to my advantage.
zak
"so it goes"
You will need some sort of wet saw to cut this for size or scribe cuts. A 4 1/2" dry wheel grinder can cut the hole for the sink, but you will have to use a drop-in sink.
If cost is a big issue and this stuff is cheap, I understand. If it is just that YOU are cheap, well then you're nuts too!
See, the nice thing about monolithic material is that you make a finish hole for an undermount sink. Therefore, when wiping the countertop down 3 times a day, you don't have the scum lip of the sink to wipe over and grab the small stuff.
Finished holes are for the pros. The tools cost a lot, can't be rented and can't be used for something else.
Frankie
There he goes—one of God's own prototypes—a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.
—Hunter S. Thompson
from Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas