We’re getting new appliances and it turns out that the new cooktop requires a depth of 19 & 5/8" while our current one is only 19 & 1/2". I thought that’d be an easy mod to grind down a granite countertop. But after scouring Angi’s, craigslist, Facebook marketplace, local handyman websites, etc. only one person has said they’d even consider the job – and he ballparked it as $600.
I have the old granite countertop cutout slab to practice on so I could buy a grinder and practice it as a DIY, but it’s a real nail biter of a decision. Anyone here tried to DIY a granite mod like this? How’d it go and would you recommend it?
The granite is pretty uncommon (Brazilian “Treasure Map”) and replacing it would be a nightmare.
So you’re increasing the cutout size by 1/8" on one side?
How well is it covered up by the new appliance? If you screw up and part is 5/32" wider instead of just 4/32", is it covered by the cooktop?
Will the old cooktop cover a 19&5/8" cutout?
(Because you or future owner might want to switch the appliance again in 5-10 years)
I would probably get a diamond cup grinding wheel and grind off the 1/8" of granite…
Well, probably I’d measure exactly how much is needed (and where).
Ex: Does it really need a full 1/8" or is it just 1/16" that needs to be ground off, but they say 19&5/8 because that way there’s a little wiggle room.
And I’d try to keep most of the cutting to be cuttting downward on the countertop - for one of the two corners it will have to be going upwards, but most of it can be mostly downwards. That way if a bit of the edge crumbles off or you lose control a bit, it’s on the unseen side,
A few years ago I had to cut back black granite tile, as well as the wood cabinet spacers about 1/2" wider, to fit a new stove into the same location… Was not a joyful experience at all… The straight cuts were fine, a diamond blade in a battery saw, dampened with a spray bottle, but that last couple inches at the rear, the circular saw couldn’t reach. So a Rockwekk vibrator with diamond blades came to live here… Very slow, ate a lot of blades, but in the end I won… Not perfectly straight, but 1/4" aluminum angle cut to the length after the stove was in place finished it off perfectly, no gap, a nice final detail…
Granite is tough stuff, even the tiles… And I did not want to break it either, so had to be careful not to rush it…
Good luck, I’d go with the granite installer if possible, they have the experience, tools…
I would agree with the suggestion that you simply try putting the new cooktop in the old hole and see if it fits, you might get lucky.
If not, get yourself an angle grinder ($15 at Harbor Freight) and a diamond blade ($10) and take a run at it. I suggest you not try to grind it, either way - grinding or cutting - it will make a hellacious mess of dust, but grinding will be worse.
Presumably the cooktop has a lip or an edge which will cover any minor sins, and if you practice on the cutout piece you have once or twice you will get the hang of it pretty quickly. There really is no magic to it, just hold the angle grinder firmly and let ‘er rip.
Depending on how much you’re going to cut, you can use water to cool the stone and the blade, or you can just do a small amount, stop and let things cool off. Because there is a lot of dust thrown up you will probably NOT be able to see any line you draw, it will be covered quickly. Like in this video, use a piece of tape which will give you a good reference even when covered in dust. Run a spoon over the edge to seal it down, it will also help to prevent chip out along the cutting edge.
Try to “round” your corners if possible. A square corner in stone is an invitation to a diagonal crack emanating outwards. Just use the angle grinder/blade to “ease” out a zillionth of an inch in the corner. I’ve done marble, which is easy, slate which is impossible, and a few over large granite tiles (2’x4’) for use as a countertop. It’s daunting until you do it, then it’s no big deal.
I like the idea to get the new cooktop on site before cutting into the stone. But I’d go a step further.
If the cooktop does need a slightly wider opening in places, I’d give some serious thought to modifying the cooktop by the needed 1/8 inch. Depending on what’s going on, it might not work, but I’d give it a look before trying to cut the stone.
I contacted the mfr and they’ve said the 19 & 5/8" measurement is an absolute minimum to seat the cooktop, but I guess we’ll see…
Still no luck on finding anyone who’ll touch the job; demand for work in the Austin area is so high that they just don’t want to take on anything. I’ve reached out to an old friend who used to flip homes in the area to see if he had any ideas and another friend who used to work for a remodeling company. Tonight I put an “skilled trade” ad in craigslist to see if maybe I can get luck there.
The first delivery of appliances will be everything EXCEPT the dishwasher. I guess I could wait to see if the cooktop can be shoe horned in and, if not tell them I’ll have the cutout enlarged by the time the dishwasher arrives (July). Still, I’d like to get all this over ASAP.
Is there any possibility that the counter top on one side can be shifted over? Mine are in two pieces. On has the sink cutout and an inner corner, but the other is just a straight run of a few feet to an open end.
Note that it is common for such grinders to be capable of 11,000 RPM, but the that cutter should not be pushed past 3500 to 4000 RPM. Which is why I specified variable speed.
the new cooktop requires a depth of 19 & 5/8" while our current one is only 19 & 1/2"
That 1/8" could be the width of a diamond blade, , if you have enough distance to the backslash, and know the offset of a decent batter circular saw, a simple board of the right width could be a guide, take your time, keep the blade wet, to cool and keep the dust down, makes it seem pretty doable… Since you can’t cut past the corner, depending on the overlap of the drop in unit, there might be a little grinding in the corners, so another tool, an angle grinder would be needed and disk as well…
If you have to buy the tools, it can add up quick, so that’s where the pro or one of their helpers that can do small jobs would be the best…
It would help to know the exact maker, model of the unit, maybe someone has one, or maybe there is another model with a better fit, without having to re-size the opening…
Some of us collect such things, tools… Years of haunting flea markets, always upgrading, and now mostly unused… But at times have to pay the price, maybe a sale price… Rather write a check, lately, to do stuff I used to do myself…
BG I echo the comments saying get the new unit as step one. I replaced a GE gas cooktop with an LG unit in our previous house. The hole size specified by LG was larger than the metal box that needed to drop into the counter by by over ½ inch.
The hole size specified by LG was larger than the metal box that needed to drop into the counter by by over ½ inch.
That!
…and if you call the manufacturer’s customer service, their default is to agree with the spec sheet as printed.
Our new counters, the installers wanted the sink and template in his shop to size the cutout perfectly. I’d wait for the range to show up before I got all cutty grindy.
Roughly $20. If you are buying tools to last you for a lifetime, buy DeWalt or something equally pricey if you like. I have this angle grinder, I have had it for at least 10 years, and I ost recently used it to cut a trough in a poured concrete floor, before that to cut through cinderblock wall for a vent. I don’t use it often, if I were a tradesman using it daily I might go upscale (or not). But it works and will easily do the job.
This thread is a mountain for a molehill of a job. This whole thing could have been done in 20 minutes two weeks ago.
Sorry GH, I resist buying cheap tools, I’ve used real, quality tools all my life, refuse to support the throw away junky stuff as much as possible… That said I do have a few Ryobi tools, some early, a couple later the One+ things… Borderline, but functional…
I still use old BluePoint, old Craftsman, SnapOn wrenches my Dad used in his early days, later Craftsman were junky… Plomb. Stiletto, many great old tools…
If the OP had the tools, sure, but they didn’t/don’t…