Removing Granite Countertops

[Steve B]

I am renovationg my kitchen and am donating my cabinets, appliances and countertops. I have granite slab countertops and am looking for the best way to remove the tops without fracturing them. Or would it be better to move the cabinets with the tops still attached? Thanks for your help.

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[John Bridge]

Hi Steve,

Usually, the tops are held down by some sort of caulking, but to tell you the truth, I've never tried to remove a kitchen full of them. :) Hang tight. There are folks here who have done it.

[Rd Tile]

Moving them with the cabinets, I think would be impossible, getting them out or through a doorway.

Most are just caulked or glued down, You might be able to just loosen it and lift it off with a few people pulling up on it, otherwise get some wood shims and where it sits on the cabinets start hammering in the shims, each one a little at a time till it comes up.

[WilliamL]

you got my interest,cant wait to see how this pans out! Maybe a heat gun to soften the glue?

[Steven Hauser]

Hi there,

It is not a walk in the park. It really depends on how it was installed and what material it is.

If it is siliconed inplace then a combination of shims, piano wire and razor knives can cut the silicone loos. If polyester or epoxy was used then you will have some serious problems. The same can be said for 2 CM material and thinset.

The joints will probably spall (chip) and if the sink is an undermount you may break there. There is a good chance of losing it at the stove cutout as well.

We have done it and find it takes us as long to unintall one as it does to install one.

Good luck, Steven

PS if you can even get a pro talked into getting paid for it I would jump all over it if I were you of course which I am not. ;)

[doitright]

Welcome Steve :)

How much time are you willing to spend to try to save these tops? What's the end value?

What are the approximate sizes of the pieces? As mentioned, they can be attached in many different ways. Get underneath with a flashlight, and try to give us as many details as you can.

Is there an island? How big?

Trying to save something from a demo, sometimes takes longer that the install.

[cx]

What are the chances of getting whomever is the donatee to come remove them, using whatever care and spending whatever time they deem the removal worth?

[doitright]

CX,

I was thinking the exact same thing, then said to myself, Naah! There I go thinking again! :bang: