How To Avoid Mistakes When Installing Marble Countertops

Natural marble is heavy and requires special handling. Installing countertops made of needs to be done professionally because they require special tools and materials for setting them up. It can take three to four trained people to handle them properly, transport them, and install.

Marble is the most expensive material for countertops and is also the hardest and most expensive to install. The price of a marble countertop ranges from $40 per square foot to over $100 per square foot, depending on the color and where the marble originated from. Because it is so expensive, you cannot afford to make a mistake when installing your marble countertop. The best way to install it is by getting the help of a professional or your manufacturer or contractor. Do not attempt to install natural marble by yourself because you can just end up ruining it and racking up a bigger expense.

Listed below are some of the things you can do or observe before professionals install your marble countertop to make the actual process is seamless and perfect.

A marble countertop usually has a thickness of three-fourths of an inch to one and a half inches. If your budget allows it, go the extra mile and purchase the thicker slabs for your marble countertop. It is always safer to get thicker slabs because marble is brittle and can easily crack. Thicker slabs also have more chances of surviving the shipping and transportation, lessening the “casualties” in your marble shipment. When buying marble slabs, make sure you have an allowance of as much as half an inch for the overhang at both ends of the countertop.

Before installing your marble countertop on an existing fixture, be sure to remove all the old tiles and other fixtures. Your contractor should do this for you. If not, you can hire a carpenter or do it yourself.

Make sure that your kitchen cabinets have been installed properly and leveled correctly where the countertop is going to be. A perfectly leveled surface is a must to install a perfectly leveled marble countertop.

All the kitchen appliances that are going to be placed on or near the marble countertop should be on hand at the time of the installation. This makes the measuring of the countertop’s dimensions accurate. The new marble countertop should be able to accommodate your existing kitchen appliances.

Before installing your marble countertop, check the wiring and plumbing in your kitchen. Make sure that the septic systems have been properly installed to eliminate the problem of having to relocate and dismantle the countertop later on if a problem occurs.

If you want to install your marble countertop yourself, it is best to get a countertop that is made of a material called “Solid Surface.” It looks a lot like marble, and it is relatively cheaper, too. It comes with an installation kit for do-it-yourself enthusiasts. It is more expensive than ceramic, but it can be worth it considering how it closely resembles natural marble.