How to Prepare Your Kitchen for New Granite Countertops

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Clear the kitchen down to bare cabinet boxes before anyone picks up a tape measure. The order of prep for granite countertops in Riverside, CA is set by what the template needs, and the breakdown sitting on granite countertops riverside daniel ritchie lists the steps in that order, from the cabinets to the driveway path. Skip one step and the template, the cut or the install day pays for it.

Cabinets Come First

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Base cabinets have to be fully installed, fastened and level before templating, because the template is measured off the cabinet tops. A template made before the boxes are set is a guess. Granite does not flex. A cabinet run that is out of level or racked leaves low spots, and the slab bridges them and carries the stress at those points. That is where cracks start, often near a sink cutout. Installers correct it with shims under the boxes, and that work belongs before template day, not after.

Sink, Faucet and Cooktop Specs

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The fabricator needs the actual sink, faucet and cooktop specs, or the units on site, before templating. Cutouts are sized to the real part, not the catalog sheet. A sink cannot be picked after the slab is cut. The same visit settles seam placement around those cutouts, the overhang at the seating side, and the edge profile. An eased edge is the plainest option and the easiest to confirm against a sample.

Tear Out and Disconnect

Old countertops, backsplash tile and loose items usually come out before template day, so the true cabinet edges can be measured. Tile left on the wall hides the line the new stone has to meet. Plumbing to the sink and appliances is disconnected before install day so the old top can come off and the new one can be set. Shutoffs should be found and tested ahead of time, since a seized valve stops the crew.

Lock In the Appliances

Range and dishwasher positions should be final. Moving either one later can mean a new cutout or a gap along the side of the stone. A slide-in range sits on the top and a drop-in cooktop is cut into it, so the choice changes the template. Dishwashers hold the top down from underneath in many installs, so a changed model with a different bracket spot is worth flagging before the cut.

Path and Dust

A clear path from the driveway to the kitchen matters, since a slab is carried on edge and can crack if bent or dropped. Pull doormats, move planters, and take doors off hinges if the swing blocks the width. Whether the stone is granite, quartz or quartzite, the carry is the same. In the dry Inland Empire, and especially when Santa Ana winds push grit through open doors, cabinet tops and floors should be cleaned before install. Grit left on the box sits under the stone and works into the seam, and it shows as a rough line or a rocking edge. Vacuum the tops, wipe them, and keep the doors shut once the cabinets are clean.