I've granite worktops in my kitchen, which has been in for about 12 years now. The sink (stainless not that it matters) is looking tired and id quite like to change the sink for a new one. Now sinks are all slightly different sizes, needing different cut outs. I'll hunt for one exactly the same as the current sink but, if i have to go fractionally bigger, how do I cut the granite worktop?
Competent diyer, I fitted the kitchen, but I got the worktops cut and installed for me. Closest ive done is cutting large tiles on a table top tile cutter with diamond wheel.
Worktop id cut in situ. I guess a diamond wheel in a handheld mini circular saw, lots of water (that'll be fun, not), slow cuts taking a mm or 2 each time. Or is there something better?
Huge scope for a costly error.....I may stick with the current sink no matter how tired and manky its getting!
Hmm. I cut down the granite for our kitchen. Easily enough done with a diamond blade in a grinder.
Expanding the sink hole? No thanks, that looks like a lot of careful cutting then a load of polishing to get a decent finish back.
Id be on the hunt for a sink of equivalent dimension.
Re-reading that the sink is a drop in from above? Not underslung?
That’ll cover most ills. Crack on 🙂
Goodness yes it's a drop in. Polishing the edge for some s****y underslung thing would be....well.... I long job I guess!
Ahh so someone that's done it. I imagine it's not that different to tile cutting..... just much thicker and more expensive. So patience, slow cuts, Bob's your uncle?
Over active swear filter!
I do a fair amount of stone cutting.
Things to think about are the thickness of the stone you want to cut and the actual depth your blade will cut to when on a grinder/saw body
Be careful with the water - it'll make a sticky paste which if it doesn't stay wet enough can cause kick back
Cutting an in situ work surface would make me cautious - if you lean on it when you are cutting, can it deflect sufficiently downwards for the cut to close on the blade and kickback?
My initial thoughts would be to cut the corners with a diamond hole cutter and drill which would allow you to use your diamond disk/blade into the cut outs.
Let the cutting edges do the work, don't hoof down hard on them.
It goes without saying that the dust will be reminiscent of a windy weekend in the Sahara. Id probably spend more time building a tent/covering/taping up doors than cutting. Tape up cupboards.
On a complex cut, stop and think through everything before you begin. Put your face protection and respirator on and check you can still comfortably see your cut lines before you start.
Practice the moves to make sure you will be able to get the cutting tool in the position you want and that the guard will be correctly positioned/needs adjusting
Oh and buy a top quality diamond blade.
Edit can you attach a hoover to your saw? That will make a big difference
Cheers kormoran, that all makes sense.
Although Ive never done a stone worktop this would put the fear into me depending on how thin it is round the hole for the sink. I'd be terrified it would crack if it's not 100% rigid.
I should add that I've ****ed up some cuts with stupid lapses of concentration, purely because the cutting is slow and it's easy to become complacent.
I one spect 30 minutes cutting a hole into a nice ceramic surface. Very slow but successful....until the final second where I pushed a fraction too hard. The diamond hole saw went through perfectly, but I wasn't properly supporting the drill. It dropped down, and the weight of it was sufficient to crack the ceramic in two. I have never said so many ****s in a row
Yikes. It would be one of those jobs I'd only enjoy once all over..... I will put some effort into finding a sink that fits the current hole if possible!
I use a Titan vacuum from Screwfix as a dust collector for all my sawing and routing. For drilling in the house I use a XtraHand attachment which positions the hose next to the source of the dust. Difficult when you're moving but some sort of rigup would be worth it.
Also, have you considered a thorough clean up of the existing sink. There are some stainless cleaning products (I forget the name), but also various remedies with vinegar/bicarbonate of soda type of thing that will lift staining. My gran used to clean her sink with a lemon, it always looked quite shiny!
You could purchase a tile cutter which is designed for cutting porcelain tiles? A bit like a mini circular saw but with a water feed for cooling the blade.
I would then fit/stick a piece of sheet material to the underside of the sink hole to catch the water, which I'd remove via a hole into a bucket beneath.
Then I'd make a surface guide for the tile cutter to follow.
But before all this I would practice on an off cut if you have one? Or I'd pick up a piece of granite from somewhere to trial run.
Prior to all that, if buy a new plastic bowl from the local discount store!
Don't forget your dust extraction and a mask/respirator. Granite is one of the higher risk silicosis generators.
I'm not one to shy away from a bit of DIY but this sounds like a job where I'd weigh up the time, effort, prep, supplies etc vs just paying someone else to do it professionally whilst I stand in the corner making awkward small talk.
I'd be doing all I could to find a sink that will fit without the worktop needing adjustment.
How much has sink design changed in the last decade or so?
When we re-did our kitchen last year there were hundreds of variations - would be pretty unlucky if nothing could be found to fit although it might require quite a bit of searching.
Definitely will search for a drop in replacement, Definitely will make the existing make do as long as possible, Definitely would consider paying someone to come and cut the altered hole. But good to know it is possible.... even if it will be messy to do, and nerve jangling.
A hand held tile cutter and manage the water and sludge, vs hand held mini circular saw or angle grinder and manage the dust seem to be the options. Mess management being 95% of the task either way i feel!
If you can't find an off the shelf sink the right size, I'd consider getting a custom one made, before I started trying to recut a granite worktop in situ!
What JonEdwards said. No way would I be looking at cutting my own worktops. Mess + risk of failure = no.
So I cut some granite worktop. But this was in the garden and trimming an offcut down to work as a hearth in an opened up fire place.
Used a diamond blade in the angle grinder. Created a huge amount of dust. Also blade only went 75% of the way through so had to flip it and cut the backside.
I don't shy away from DIY but I just wouldn't entertain it. You'll have dust everywhere forever or if you use water a shit tonne of water will go into your units and blow out the chipboard/MDF.
To be fair when I did it was mid renovation. But it really wasn’t that bad. Masking tape for the cut lines.
£6 for selection pack of cutting discs off the bay.
Squirty water skoosher now and again for the clogging of the dust.
Then just cut the bugger up.
Yep. John Edwards is on the money IMHO. Make the sink fit the hole.... Cutting the worktop in situ sounds like a world of pain, dust and fukaboutery..... Get a sink made. Old one out, drop the new one in. Connect the trap. Relax like a boss....
Who does custom sinks? Is that a thing?
Prize if someone can find a 500x965mm 1.5 bowl and drainer. Ideally id fancy a black resin composite but well...beggars can't be choosers.
I've just realised a good deed by my then gf, now wife's, dad has made this awkward.
When fitting my kitchen I was also fitting my then gfs. Her dad worked as a joiner in a factory making static caravans and got her a couple of bits cheap.... her laminate worktop, a sink and tap. I commented the engine turn like finish on the sink was nice. A week later I got presented/gifted an identical sink. It wasn't actually what I wanted but it was nice, and a gift so...I stuck with it.
Now im guessing it was slightly smaller than 'standard ' as it went in the vans. I never knew.. oh dear!
Funnily the engine turn finish is what I now hate as it makes the sink filthy all the time
Clearly the only realistic answer now is to raptor coat the existing sink for a modern black textured feel
When fitting my kitchen I was also fitting my then gfs.
Is it just me that misunderstood this first read?
Screwfix has one but stainless, not black resin composite (which would probably looks shit in a couple of years anyway):
This is another one, although looks identical:
Prima 1.5 Bowl 965 x 500mm Inset Kitchen Sink - Stainless Steel
and one here:
Reginox Monte Carlo II 1.5 Bowl Reversible Kitchen Sink S Steel 500x965mm
Any good?
i would give it a go. sounds like fun.
- get a washing up bowl (or even the old sink) and temporarily fit/seal it underneath the worktop to catch the significant amount of water i would want to see on the blades
- are the corners radiuses? could you get a diamond hole saw, being guided by a thick piece of ply with a corresponding hole in it, secured to the worktop (clamps should be easy enough, with the existing hole in the worktop. This would leave you with four "tabs" to be take off on each side, so nice straight cuts.
- you can get diamond blades for circular saws, so would be then looking at using my track saw. Not sure what would be worse though, the dust from doing it dry (which would wreck the diamonds too), or getting my nice track saw wet (probably not advisable)
[edit]: makita do a wet track saw.
Funnily the engine turn finish is what I now hate as it makes the sink filthy all the time
Polish it?
seems to be a standard size?
https://www.diy.com/kitchen/kitchen-sinks.cat?Number+of+sink+bowls=1%2C5+bowl
Prize if someone can find a 500x965mm 1.5 bowl and drainer. Ideally id fancy a black resin composite but well...beggars can't be choosers.
Franke sinks might oblige you here. We've got one that's very close to those dimensions (970 × 500) and still looks fine after 2 years. It replaced one that was about 12/13 years old and had started to get a bit tatty, with a couple of chips in the top and had tea stains round the plughole.
Thanks lawman, yeah I've found a Franke June's tectonite 1.5 bowl that is 500x970. If I'm really really lucky it might fit or at least and sliver of granite remove must be better than 35mm
Or a s****y looking glass topped thing with zero fall to the drainer so it doesn't matter how long the cut out is as its all above the worktop... and yes if you read the reviews that is the bad idea it sounds like! 😆
https://www.plumbworld.co.uk/sauber-15-bowl-kitchen-sink-with-black-glass-drainer-19482-33217
As for cutting the granite anyone tried a diamond tile cutter saw in an oscillating multi tool? I imagine this would be slow but much much less dust.
No I don't have an off cut to test. The kitchen was fitted 12 to 14 years ago now.