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Building a Template for a Kitchen Countertop

Scott Lawyer of Solid Surfacetops is with Bob at the Punta Gorda house to make a template for the Corian kitchen countertops that will be fabricated at this shop. Lawyer has the fabrication work done off site because there are too many tools involved in the cutting, shaping, and finishing of the counters to do them on site. Lawyer creates a template from Luan plywood that is glued together to create the exact dimensions of the kitchen countertop. These templates will be laid directly on top of the Corian and used as cutting guides by the fabricators. Lawyer uses the blueprint to create the template then checks it against the kitchen space for any modifications. The system results in a perfect cut with little room for error.

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Building a Template for a Kitchen Countertop

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" Scott lawyer is. Our man he's going to be putting in the kitchen cabinets but before he took away this template I wanted to talk about why do you need a template in the first place. Well every kitchen's different. And we need to bring this kitchen to our shops that would -- so by making a template you're practically action during -- you just -- you're taking this kitchen to your workshop exactly why don't you. Just work here at at the job site to -- tools to -- equipment yet you want to good stationary table sorrow that. All right -- in a few minutes we're gonna be. Finding out about how you install. The Koran but how did you make the template. This was just taking the sticks out -- done that answerable. Precise measurements such like so you're going from the blueprint. Yes right. And you just using. We want plywood instead of cardboard or anything else that's correct and why do you have to use -- the glue -- assistant glue these pieces together yeah just attach it sort of firm positive. Connect OK and then when you're done. You take them back and you actually superimpose them on the rock -- the Koran that. The fabricator should take this put it on an -- he brought out and everything that -- No room for error. Extremely little good OK -- a minute we'll start putting down the -- thanks guys thank you."

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Kitchen Countertop Options by Price

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Countertops are such a big part of any major kitchen remodel and there are so many new options, deciding on the best choice can seem a little daunting. Starting with the budget can make the decision easier. Countertop materials range widely in price, anywhere from $11 to $200 per square foot installed. Generally speaking, while high-end countertops can boost your kitchen s look, you don t want them too far out of sync with the price point of your cabinets and appliances. Heavier materials like concrete and natural stone can also require added support, so cabinet and countertop quality should be consistent. Once you ve decided what you can spend, you can narrow your countertop options. For smaller budgets, get creative with ceramic tile at $11 to $30 per square foot. Or, check out some of the new high-tech options in laminate, which can be fabricated and installed at $36 to $45 per linear foot. Solid surface countertops offer lots of creative color options from $40 to $60 per square foot installed, and an integral solid surface sink is a great easy-care feature. In the $50 to $100 range, there are many choices. Among them are wood and butcher block with its warm beauty and natural antimicrobial properties; natural stone like slate, soapstone, marble, travertine and granite with all the quirks of nature built in; and engineered quartz countertops with a wide color range and more consistent patterns. Stainless-steel and concrete countertops are generally the most expensive at around $100 on up per square foot. But they can also be fabricated with integral sinks and they re great if you re going for that restaurant or industrial look. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Installation of the Marble Kitchen Countertop

Bob and Chris Vila enter the penthouse apartment to look at the installation of the kitchen countertops. This particular kind of Italian marble-like stone is a schist called Pietra Cardosa, from the area of Cardosa, Italy. It is fairly porous, with great abrasive resistance, but may require a bit more care than the average countertop as it cannot be polished to a shine. Nick Tagios from Tagios Tile and Marble explains the attachment of the countertops to the Cherry Craftline island cabinet. First a bead of silicone caulk is laid down to adhere the stone to the wood. Tagios and crew level the top with shims. To install the bridge that will become the kitchen�s island sink surround, steel bars are added between the slabs by sawing out a line and then sealing the bars inside with the stone-colored epoxy. Supports are attached to the sidepieces of stone and the bridge is laid between. To eliminate the line and space between the two stone slabs a dyed two-part epoxy is added. After the epoxy dries the counter top is sanded to remove any excess epoxy.

Installing Quartz Kitchen Countertops

Dupont has provided a new product for the solid surface kitchen counters called Zodiaq, which is made of natural silica, quartz, and about eight percent polymer. Zodiaq quartz surfaces are made of a naturally refractive material that gives it a subtle sparkle. It is extremely hard making it resistant to scratches, chips, cracks or dulling and not porous making it hard to stain. The man-made stone countertops are easier to care for than 100% natural stone and are installed in the same manner. In our kitchen the installer used a technique called a mason�s mitre that gives the joint between the pieces additional surface area for the polyester epoxy to bond. The epoxies from Dupont are specially formulated to match the countertops color. David Miller from Desavino and Sons is on hand to explain the countertop installation. One of the unique things about a Simplex house is the exacting consistency of measurements. A digital image is sent from Simplex to the countertop fabricator and they either create a template from the image, or cut the countertop directly from the image provided by Simplex.

Installing Corian Countertops and Sink

Bob is with Andrea Johnson from Corain as Scott Lawyer of Solid Surfacetops arrives to install the shop-fabricated Corian countertops in the Punta Gorda kitchen. This counter features an integral sink that is attached to the counter by the fabricator in his shop. The seam between the sink and counter is made with liquid Corian that forms an impermeable and invisible seam between the sink and the counter. These integral sinks have no edge or grunge line, which makes for easy cleaning and a sleek look. The Canyon color chosen by the homeowners is dark, like the Porcelanosa metallic-look tile. Johnson remarks what a good job the homeowners have done matching the counter color to the tile. Bob adds that the cool, dark colors bring a soothing, cooling presence to the interior spaces of this hot-climate home. Bob then watches as the crew from Solid Surfacetops installs the counter pieces and creates an invisible seam. The two sections of Corian are fitted with wood blocks that will hold the clamps as the sections are glued with liquid Corian that matches the countertop and clamped tight to set. Once the glue has set and dried for about 25 minutes, the clamps are removed and the seam is sanded to give a seamless look to this two-piece installation.