Replies

1. 
   drhamel | Aug 13, 2004 12:08am | #1

   Gary, You'll probably get more responses over at Breaktime.

2. 
   SEBDESN | Aug 13, 2004 04:36am | #2

   just had one installed in the last month, greatest thing since creamed chipped beef on toast....(only old guys know what that means) Not a diy project however,,,

1. 
   drhamel | Aug 13, 2004 07:50am | #3

   Ahhh...good ol' S.O.S.!

1. 
   olopua | Aug 13, 2004 12:13pm | #4

   I have a stainless steel sink undermounted to a granite counter top.  I had a professional do the granite but I mounted the sink.  I built my own cabinets so I was able to run a sheet of exterior 3/4 inch plywood across the carcasses, then use a face frame that covered up the extra 3/4 inch of plywood.  The front edge of the granite is doubled-up and bullnosed so it overlaps the face frame, otherwise use 5/8 inch plywood so the bullnose will cover the edge.  The sink comes with clips that you screw to the underside of the countertop and they press the rim of the sink up to the granite.  If you don't use a plywood underlayment, you have to screw into the granite.    From the plywood scrap cutout from where the sink fits, I cut a 3/4 inch or so contoured strip that fit right under the lip of the sink, all the way around.  I epoxied it to the underside of the sink, then the clips press against the plywood strip which raises the sink into position.  Along the front edge, it was too narrow for the clips to fit, so I made some hardwood blocks that did the same thing when I tightened the screws.  You just run a bead of caulk around the lip of the sink, tighten all the screws so the clips squeeze the lip up and the caulk squeezes out.  Mine has been fine for 4 years now.

3. 
   DennisS | Aug 15, 2004 09:59am | #5

   Gary -

   We recently had a stone counter top installed in our kitchen (two sinks, main two compartment sink and a smaller one for the beverage area) and one in the master bath.

   For the kitchen sinks I routed out a recess in the 3/4" subtop for the flange of the sink (Franke sinks in both cases - stainless steel). For the bathroom I cut the sub top to the outside of the sink and fastened another piece of 3/4" plywood on the underside of the subtop to support the sink (Kohler china lav in this case). This required adding shims to bring the top of the sink flange up agains the stone top of the vanity.

   In retrospect I wish I had used the same detail for the kitchen sinks. As it is, these sinks are locked in place. If for any reason on or the other has to be replaced it would require some major demolition work to get them out. For the bathroom lav, on the other hand, all that's required is to unscrew the plywood support and the lav will drop right out.

   Undermount is in my opinion the only way to install a sink of any kind. But it does have to be done with some degree of care in order to avoid ongoing maintenance problems, specifically the joint between the sink flange and the underside of the stone. And be sure to specify *undermount* for the sink when you purchase it! There is indeed a difference in the way the rim is designed.

   OK, not a fine woodworking issue but ....

   ...........

   From Beautiful Skagit Co. Wa.

   Dennis