Sims Custom Countertops

Preparation is crucial to ensure your countertop installation goes smoothly. Please remove the cabinet drawers and mark them as to what position they need to be returned. Remove the items on the top shelf of the cabinet as some work must be done from beneath the countertop.

Protect your floors with a drop sheet or cardboard.
Do not place any tools on the countertop to avoid any scratches.
Tools that will be required are as follows

5/8” screws – wood screws #8
metal L brackets
shim material
level
power screwdriver or drill
jigsaw with a fine to medium blade
hammer
silicone
caulking (translucent or paintable is preferred)
pencil with compass
belt sander or planer
white waterproof woodworking glue (type ll or type lll)

2	Without joining them, position the countertops on the cabinets and push them to the wall. Keep the countertop fronts parallel to the front of the cabinets having consistent overhang.

Make certain that the cabinet doors open smoothly and do not catch on the bottom of the countertop. If you have frameless cabinets (where the drawers are level with the top of the cabinet) you may have to raise the countertop to provide clearance for the doors or drawers. If the build up has not been applied at Sims it can be added at time of installation.

4	If the wall is not straight open a compass to the biggest gap between the countertop and the wall. With the point touching the wall, trace a line along the top of the countertop.

5	Every countertop has an 11/16” scribing material on the backsplash. With a plane or belt sander, remove the excess countertop material so that the backsplash will sit flush against the wall.

Before positioning the countertop on the cabinet, fasten L brackets to the cabinet as shown in the diagram. (Note: make sure to use proper length screws keeping in mind that the thickness of the countertop is 11/16”). You do not require brackets if your cabinet has lateral (horizontal) wood strips on the front and back which you can screw the countertop to.

If your countertop was too large to transport in one piece it may come with the mitre unassembled. If this is the case follow the following steps. Carefully line up the countertop pieces and push them together to form as tight a joint as possible. Make sure that the front, back and surface edges are in perfect alignment. Where the joints meet, apply the glue provided to each of the edges and press to seal. Wipe off any excess adhesive with a damp warm cloth. From the underside of the countertop, install the supplied mitre bolts, tighten slightly. To attain a smooth joint, tap lightly with a hammer on a piece of wood on the top of the countertop. Tighten mitre bolts. Ensure that there is NO SEPARATION IN THE JOINT AND THAT THE JOINT IS LEVEL. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN BOLTS AS THE COUNTERTOP MAY BUMP UP AT THE MITRE BOLT LOCATIONS.

When you are satisfied that the countertop is sitting flush against the wall with no gaps, that the mitre is smooth and the counter is fitting properly you may screw down the counter securely by using the L brackets. Please use your level to ensure that the counter is sitting level lengthwise and sitting level widthwise.

Trace the outline of the sink at the preferred location. The standard placement of the front edge of the sink would be 3” from the front edge of the countertop (this measurement may vary). Use the existing sink or the new sink template to draw the sink shape onto the countertop. MAKE SURE TO READ THE CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE CUTTING THE SINK HOLE. Drill a pilot hole inside the cutting line, big enough to insert your jigsaw blade. Cut up to and along the cutting line, ensuring that your corners are cut slightly rounded. File the top edge of the sink cut out to smooth the laminate edge. MAKE SURE TO SEAL THE RAW PARTICLE BOARD AROUND THE SINK CUT OUT AND THE TAP HOLES WITH SILICONE. Make a “dam” of silicone on the top of the sink cut out before positioning the sink into the hole. Wipe the excess silicone from the countertop.

The final step to complete your countertop installation would be to run a fine bead of caulking along the top edge of the countertop backsplash where it meets the wall. Please ensure that you use paintable caulking if you will be painting the walls or use translucent or tinted caulking to provide a professional completed installation.