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Cutting a pre-finished granite slab Viewer 03-05-2007
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Posted by Viewer on March 5, 2007, 11:49 am


Hi all,

I have searced Google and not found a sufficient discussion. I am
building an outdoor BBQ Island. I'd like to use a pre-finished granite
slab (bullnosed on 3 sides with a backsplash). I will need to make two
rectangular cutouts for the grill and the two burner unit. All cuts
will be straight and there are trim flanges that will overlap the
edges.

The total of all cuts is less than 12 feet and I was wondering if I
could use a hand held wet tile saw for the cuts? I plan to do the
cutting after the slab has been placed on the island to eliminate
handling after the cuts.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Borax Johnson


Posted by Malcolm Hoar on March 5, 2007, 2:23 pm


>Hi all,
>
>I have searced Google and not found a sufficient discussion. I am
>building an outdoor BBQ Island. I'd like to use a pre-finished granite
>slab (bullnosed on 3 sides with a backsplash). I will need to make two
>rectangular cutouts for the grill and the two burner unit. All cuts
>will be straight and there are trim flanges that will overlap the
>edges.
>
>The total of all cuts is less than 12 feet and I was wondering if I
>could use a hand held wet tile saw for the cuts? I plan to do the
>cutting after the slab has been placed on the island to eliminate
>handling after the cuts.

I have personally seen a cutout for a cooktop made in a
2cm thick grantite countertop with a hand held tool. So,
yes, it is possible.

You'll need somethone/something to catch the piece of
slab you're removing -- it will not be light!

I wouldn't want to do this myself. It took quite a while
and made a lot of noise and dust. And this job was done
by someone who spends 50 hours/week working granite. I'm
sure he knew and applied quite a few tricks.

Personally, I'd get a pro to do the job. Around here at
least, there are plently of guys who would do something
like this on the side for not very many bucks.

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| malch@malch.com Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted by Jim Yanik on March 5, 2007, 10:15 pm


malch@malch.com (Malcolm Hoar) wrote in

>>Hi all,
>>
>>I have searced Google and not found a sufficient discussion. I am
>>building an outdoor BBQ Island. I'd like to use a pre-finished granite
>>slab (bullnosed on 3 sides with a backsplash). I will need to make two
>>rectangular cutouts for the grill and the two burner unit. All cuts
>>will be straight and there are trim flanges that will overlap the
>>edges.
>>
>>The total of all cuts is less than 12 feet and I was wondering if I
>>could use a hand held wet tile saw for the cuts? I plan to do the
>>cutting after the slab has been placed on the island to eliminate
>>handling after the cuts.
>
> I have personally seen a cutout for a cooktop made in a
> 2cm thick grantite countertop with a hand held tool. So,
> yes, it is possible.
>
> You'll need somethone/something to catch the piece of
> slab you're removing -- it will not be light!

Or support it with a underlayment while you're cutting it.
Like a piece of rigid foam insulation backed by a sheet of plywood or
particleboard.
>
> I wouldn't want to do this myself. It took quite a while
> and made a lot of noise and dust. And this job was done
> by someone who spends 50 hours/week working granite. I'm
> sure he knew and applied quite a few tricks.
>
> Personally, I'd get a pro to do the job. Around here at
> least, there are plently of guys who would do something
> like this on the side for not very many bucks.
>

yes,they have the equipment and knowhow,and can do it easier and
cheaper.(especially if you F-up the workpiece,trying it yourself!)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Posted by Steve B on March 5, 2007, 6:41 pm



> Hi all,
>
> I have searced Google and not found a sufficient discussion. I am
> building an outdoor BBQ Island. I'd like to use a pre-finished granite
> slab (bullnosed on 3 sides with a backsplash). I will need to make two
> rectangular cutouts for the grill and the two burner unit. All cuts
> will be straight and there are trim flanges that will overlap the
> edges.
>
> The total of all cuts is less than 12 feet and I was wondering if I
> could use a hand held wet tile saw for the cuts? I plan to do the
> cutting after the slab has been placed on the island to eliminate
> handling after the cuts.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Borax Johnson
>

Just two:

It is doable.

I watched as my installers took a big Skil worm drive saw and cut out for my
sink and countertop stove. One guy cutting S-L-O-W-L-Y and the other
keeping the blade wet with a squeeze bottle of water. No big problems,
although, I think particular attention needs to be paid to the part cut out
so that it does not drop and crack the rest. Use lots of masking tape to
keep scuffing to a minimum.

Second, I think you may end up with some surface marks on the granite, but
if you have a lip on the drop in, the lip may cover it. If you mask off a
good area, you may come up with NO scuff marks.

Buy a good blade, and start with a new one. This is a spendy job, and no
need to blow an expensive piece of hardgoods for a cheap blade.

I think the most important things are: slow travel, keeping the blade wet
to cut down on heat and dust, making an accurate layout, supporting the
drop, and using good masking.

Steve



Posted by Viewer on March 5, 2007, 8:02 pm


Thanks for the replies so far. It does appear doable and it looks like
one option for a blade is the Felker GD-10 blade (available in 7"
size) for dry applications on granite. I agree that a squeeze bottle
of water would be a good idea for lubrication, dust control and heat
removal.

I had originally intended to do the cutting in place from the top side
(to minimize potentially cracking the slab, but now I am wondering how
to finish the cuts in the corners (so I don't "overcut" the top in
order to completely cut the bottom). I am thinking that perhaps a
diamond blade is available for a sawzall or jigsaw, as I will only be
cutting in the corners a short distance and at a reduced thickness.

Hmm.

That's why I appreciate all of the comments here.


Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >>
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