How to Install a Granite Tile Countertop

Granite countertops add great beauty to your kitchen and resale value to your home. You can install a granite tile countertop in a weekend, plus some drying time. You won't be able to use the kitchen for a week, but you will have a beautiful new countertop and a week away from cooking and washing dishes.

Instructions

1

Inspect the surface where you'll install the tiles. If you're installing the tiles over old Formica, make sure that the surface is firm and the laminate isn't loose. If it is, apply glue to the laminate and counter and then clamp it down to dry. Ensure that the area is level.

2

Precut a paper pattern from butcher paper. Use it to cut the waterproof membrane, if one is necessary, or as a place to lay the pattern of the granite tiles.

3

Waterproof the area. Many laminates are stuck on particleboard that swells when it gets wet; this destroys your tile job. Take extra precaution if the countertop is near water and wrap the substrata with a waterproof membrane. This will cost some additional money, but it's well worth the expense. Thoroughly clean and rough up the surface with a grinder. Apply latex modified thinset and then lay on the membrane. Make sure that all seams and surfaces have a membrane covering to ensure complete water-resistant protection.

4

Lay the pattern for the tiles on the butcher paper template. You will need a wet saw if you must cut the granite tiles. A sander and polisher removes very small amounts. Cut the granite tiles to their appropriate shapes. Use a foam brush to seal the tiles with a sealer. This makes clean-up easier.

5

Cover the countertop with latex modified thinset. Use gray thinset for darker tiles and white thinset for lighter colored tiles. Apply the thinset with a 1/4-inch by 3/4-inch U-notched trowel.

6

Apply the tiles in the pattern you chose. Allow them to dry overnight and then grout the next morning. Let the tiles set for a few minutes before you attempt to clean the faces of the tiles. Don't disturb the grout in the grout lines. Clean the face thoroughly. The less water, the better.

7

Wait for approximately 1 week. Clean the face of the granite tile again, going over it with a soft cloth. Add 2 or 3 layers of sealer. In an area that is heavily used or splashed, apply several layers of sealer to prevent damage. Reseal the tiles at least once per year.