#How to Install a Granite Kitchen Countertop

Plan the Installation

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When planning your installation, working with your local stone fabrication shop is key. Granite is heavy, difficult to transport and must be cut with specialty tools. And though it s known for its hardness, if it's not handled correctly or installed with proper support, it can crack or, worse, break.

There are few fixes for a broken slab of granite. So it's a good idea to work closely with your local stone fabricator.

The first step is to decide what type of granite you want. The shop will have many samples and slabs. You ll see all the varied colors and grain patterns up close.

You ll also see the various edging patterns to choose from: square, bevel, bull-nose, miter, ogee and many more.

You may want to have the fabricator visit your kitchen to check if anything there may affect how the countertops are made, such as wall bump-outs or exposed pipes.

In addition to the main countertop surface, you ll need to decide on the length of the countertop overhang, as well as the type and size of backsplash.