What is the Process for Kitchen Benchtop Replacement? [Your 8-Step Guide]

Looking to update your kitchen, but not wanting to execute a full remodel? We get it. When you want to keep costs down without sacrificing results, a kitchen benchtop replacement can be a great place to start. For one, a new countertop can instantly improve the resale value of your home. What’s more, installing a beautiful and high quality kitchen benchtop can increase the aesthetic value of your space and give your kitchen an immediate facelift. But is this popular home improvement project difficult, stressful, or expensive? We’ll answer all of those questions (and plenty more). Here’s everything you should know about the process. kitchen benchtops

How do you know if you should replace your kitchen benchtop?

Thinking about replacing your kitchen benchtop – or doing something to take your kitchen to the next level? Well, there are some clear signs that a benchtop replacement might be the best thing for your space, including:

Extreme Fading or Staining

Over the years, it’s easy for stains and scuffs to build up on your kitchen benchtop. After all, your kitchen is likely to face coffee spills, lemon juice, scrapes, and more. If your benchtop is new-ish, or properly sealed, you can deal with these issues easily. However, if it’s an old countertop and it looks dull and damaged, a replacement might be more appropriate. After all, an extra dingy countertop can not only impact your room’s appearance, but also decrease your home’s overall resale value and appeal.

Significant Cracking

In the same vein, a cracked benchtop can be a big no-no. For one, this can be a safety hazard for you and your loved ones.  Luckily, that can be easily fixed with a replacement from your local Perth benchtop experts.

Out-of-Date Design

Finally, if your countertop is looking totally out of date, it can negatively impact your resale value and lead to some significant functional concerns. A replacement is the easiest fix. How to prepare for your kitchen benchtop replacement? Think that a kitchen benchtop replacement is the right choice for you? Perfect. Then it’s time to prepare and make sure that your construction team has all the right information. Otherwise, you could get caught off guard or face some unforeseen issues. Specifically, you’ll want to make sure that your team has: An accurate sketch and benchtop template: Benchtop support: Dishwashers, for example, cannot support benchtops. You’ll want to make sure that your construction team keeps this in mind and has the correct support in place. The details figured out: including benchtop overhang, how much of the sink will show, and what the benchtop seams will look like. These details must be determined ahead of time to ensure that your expectations are met. Plumbing challenges accounted for: You don’t want to run into a burst pipe or plumbing problem mid-replacement, so make sure you get in touch with a reliable Perth team to avoid any expensive headaches.

8 simple steps to replacing your kitchen benchtop

When it’s time to replace your kitchen benchtop, your construction team will follow certain steps. Specifically, an 8-step framework that safely removes your old kitchen benchtop and installs your exciting new model. Here’s how those steps play out.

Step #1 – Come out to Granite Warehouse

The first thing that you need to do is come visit us at our wonderful warehouse to look at all the colour selections.  Granite Warehouse is a wholesale company which has hundreds of slabs of granite, marble and Stellastone to choose from. We have one of the largest selections of granite in WA in a huge variety of colour tones.  We do not manufacture the actual top, only supply the stone, so you will need to come down and choose your colour and then get a stone mason to quote the job you need done. We have the slabs all labelled showing if they are in the low, mid, high or exotic price range but the stone mason will have to do the actual quote using your plan details and your edge selection in order to determine how many slabs are required. You will need to tell your stone mason which Granite, Marble or Stellastone colour you like as the price of your job will vary depending on the size of the slabs and the price range you have chosen from.  We have all of the available slabs on display at our warehouse, we do recommend that you come in and see the full slabs which will give you a better picture of the colour you have chosen. Never choose from a small sample as you wont know what the rest of the pattern looks like on the slab. It is advisable to choose a few favourites, maybe one from the low-mid price range and one from the high price range so you can see the difference in quote.  

Step #2 – Get a quote

To get a quote you will need a simple drawing of your kitchen. It does not need to be a CAD drawing but measurements will need to be as close as possible so the stone mason can determine what he needs to get out of the slabs.  You will need to choose your edge design and indicate on you drawing which edges need repolishing.  It is advisable to show the sink and hotplate locations and approximate sizes.  

Step #3 – Remove the sink and range & detach water and gas

At this stage you should have contacted your plumber and electrician to detach any of the electrical or plumbing.

Step #4 – Remove all caulk

Get rid of any caulking on countertops and backsplashes. This could include cutting through the backsplashes themselves.

Step #5 – Detach countertop fasteners

Detach fasteners holding down your countertop and remove any drawers or cabinet doors under your countertop. Remove the countertop and splashbacks. This job will need to be completed carefully if you want to avoid any damage to your existing cabinets. At this stage if any new supports are needed, then this is the time to put them in.  The stone mason will advise you if this is necessary.

Step #6 – Time to call your stone mason back 

Contact your stone mason to let them know the space is ready to go. He would have already prepared a template and you would have worked out a time together for the installation of the top.I

Step #7 – Call back in plumber and electrician

Call in your licenced plumber and electrician to fit the new sink and hotplate.

Step #8 – Install you splashback.

If your stone mason hasn’t already installed a matching marble, granite or Stellastone splashback, then install a glass or tile splashback to the appropriate areas.  

What can you do to maintain your new kitchen benchtop?

Once your new kitchen benchtop is installed, you will want to do the right things to keep it clean and perfect. For effective cleaning, you can wipe your benchtops down daily with a nonabrasive cleaner, preferably one which is streak free.  Too often we get clients asking why their granite does not look as shiny as when it was installed, only to find there is a residue build up from dishwashing liquid over the bench. Granite Warehouse stocks a full range of MB Stone Care products for both professional and home care use designed to help you keep your granite, marble and engineered stone bench tops, floors and tiles shining like new at all times. At a minimum, a bottle of MB5 Stone ‘& More’ multi-surface cleaner should be a part of your cleaning regime.  It is streak free and wont leave a residue like some other cleaners.  It is also PH neutral so that it is safe to use on marble, limestone and wood.  If your granite or marble are a colours which needs sealing, you should also endeavour to regularly seal them with mb24 barrier which is an impregnator sealer

Need help on your next kitchen upgrade?

If you want to install a new kitchen benchtop, you may be onto something! After all, a kitchen benchtop replacement can instantly remodel your kitchen, improve the resale value of your home, and modernize your space in a very short amount of time. That said, you may have noticed that this isn’t the easiest process. If you are not a professional contractor yourself, trying to DIY a kitchen benchtop replacement can lead to major issues, including plumbing problems, structural concerns, high costs, and more. That’s why we recommend that you leave it to the professionals. If you’re interested in learning more, call us on 08 9209 2620 or reach out to us directly here.