Why You Need Professional Granite Removal Services
Making changes to your home is fun because you get to create a new vibe. Even if you’re only changing a couple of things, it makes a huge difference in how you feel about the space. Sometimes making changes means you need to remove something like the granite countertops. Granite is one of the timeless natural stones that people have loved for decades and continue to love. However, there are times when removing it is the only way to bring in a new design or make changes to the home.
The problems arise, however when the project is started. How do you remove the granite without damaging anything? What type of equipment will it take to remove granite? Should you hire a professional San Antonio granite removal service or do it yourself? Let A2Z Granite & Tile give you some tips. Here are some reasons why granite removal is best left to professionals.
Reasons You May Want To Remove Granite
- Redesigning the kitchen or bath floor plan
- Moving granite from old to new cabinets
- Changing the design colors or style of the space
- Replacing a granite backsplash with something different
- Removing granite that has broken
- Remodeling with a kitchen or bathroom expansion
Granite Removal Takes A Lot Of Muscle
Granite comes in 3/4 inch and 1 1/4 inch slabs. It is a very dense material. This means it’s a lot heavier than you would think. The men and women who install granite work with the material all the time, so they make it look easy. Your first clue as to how heavy granite is will be how many people it takes to carry the countertop piece around. Just one 24″ x 24″ square piece can be heavier than some people can carry a few feet.
A 10′, 1 1/4″ thick piece of granite weighs 360 pounds if measured at 24″ square. But realize that countertops are not 24″ deep, they are 25″ up to 36″ deep.
The sheer weight of granite can cause significant physical injury or damage to the flooring or cabinetry in your home.
Prying Up A Granite Slab For Removal
Not all granite is screwed down. Sometimes it is glued to the cabinets with an adhesive. Any caulking has to be cut away, which will be an upside down job for you. A crowbar is necessary to remove the granite from the base plywood or cabinetry, which breaks the adhesive bond. This has to be done extremely carefully.
Wood shims have to be placed in between as the granite is pried up around the perimeter of the cabinets. When the perimeter is pried up, you have to move on to prying up and shimming the central areas of the cabinetry.
Again, you will need help from someone just to pry up a granite slab for removal. There are more steps involved including taking down the granite backsplashes, protecting the countertop, protecting the flooring, removing the sink, etc.
