The next stop on Ron's New England tour was Pownal, Vermont, a small town surrounded by some really beautiful country. After winding down long wooded roads, Ron finally came to the home of Ed and Lynda Raetz where their kitchen was in need of a face-lift. They wanted to start by replacing the old, dated countertop and that's why they asked Ron for help.
Click Here For a list of what
you will need in order to complete this project.
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1. Disconnect plumbing:
- First, turn off the water supply and then turn on the faucet to make sure that the shut-off valve is working properly. There should be no water coming from the faucet.
- Place a plastic tray under the plumbing to catch the water that will spill out of the water line. Use a wrench to loosen the connection and disconnect the line.
- With the plastic tray still in place, use a larger wrench to loosen and remove the P-trap.
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2. Remove screws holding countertop in place:
- Usually this type of countertop is held down with screws that are often located at the corners and along the edges. Pull out a drawer or two and locate and remove the screws. In the Reit's kitchen, there were about a dozen screws holding the counter-top in place.
- Check to see if the whole countertop is loose. If not, you may need to go back and locate a screw that you may have missed.
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3. Remove old countertop:
- Sometimes the back-splashes have been caulked. If there is wallpaper or paint that could be damaged, use a utility knife to carefully cut away the top of the caulk.
- Slide a wide putty knife behind the pry bar to protect the wall while you loosen the countertop from the wall. You can remove the sink first, but in the case of the Reit's kitchen, the sink was being replaced also, so Ron thought it was easiest to take them both out together. Even if the sink is not being replaced, sometimes it is easier to remove the clips that hold the sink into place after the countertop has been removed.
- Be careful to clear the drains below the sink when you lift the countertop up and carry it carefully out of the kitchen.
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4. Install new countertop:
- The new countertop that the Raetz selected came with the sink opening partially cut out. Ron cut the template out of the sink's packing box and placed it over the counter's cutout just to make sure it was good match.
- Ron recommends that you fashion two temporary clamps with two scraps of wood and a screw and attach those at opposite corners to prevent the cutout from dropping as the saw cuts through the last bit of the sink opening.
- Use a jigsaw to finish cutting out the opening for the sink.
- Set the new countertop in place. Attach it from below with screws.
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5. Install new sink:
- Apply plumber's putty to the edge of the drain cutout so the new sink baskets will have a watertight seal.
- Attach as much of the plumbing as possible before installing the new sink. Again, use plumber's putty when attaching the faucets to the sink.
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- Finally, apply a silicone sealant around the sink lip to ensure a watertight bond with the countertop. Carefully drop the new sink down into place. Expect some of the sealant to squish out, when you are putting the sink in place. That can be wiped off.
- From below, tighten the clips that hold the sink to the countertop.
- Make the final plumbing connections, check to see if everything works and the new countertop is complete!
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THE RESULTS:
With Ron's help and encouragement, the Raetz were finished with their project and ready to use their new sink in less than a day. In fact, Lynda still had time left in the day to go out and buy new curtains to match her new countertop! |
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