Before placing your order, nail down three critical specifications:

Overhang: Decide how much your countertop will overhang the face frames of your base cabinets. The standard is 1" to 1½" on exposed sides. Island overhangs for seating are typically 12"–15" and require support corbels or brackets.

Edge Profile: Choose which edges of the counter will have a finished profile — bull-nose, eased, beveled, ogee, waterfall, or flat-polished. Edges that terminate against walls typically receive a simple eased or flat edge. Budget for edge upgrades, as complex profiles add fabrication cost.

Seams: For countertops longer than the slab (typically over 10 feet), seams are unavoidable. Discuss seam placement with your fabricator — near the sink, corners, or inconspicuous locations are preferred. Seam location is determined by slab dimensions and fabricator assessment.

The plywood substrate is non-negotiable for stone installation. It serves two purposes: it supports the weight of the slab evenly across the cabinet structure, and it provides enough clearance for the bull-nose or finished edge profile to clear the drawer fronts and cabinet doors below.

Cut ¾" plywood to fit on top of all the base cabinets in the countertop run. The plywood should sit flush with or slightly inside the outer face frame dimension — it must not overhang the outside dimension of the cabinet box.

Attaching to face-frame cabinets: Pre-drill pilot holes to avoid splitting the hardwood face frame, then drive screws from below through the cabinet top rail up into the plywood. Use enough screws to eliminate any flex or bounce in the substrate.

For frameless (European-style) cabinets: Attach plywood directly to the top panel of the cabinet box using short screws driven from above before the stone goes on, or from inside the cabinet below.

Your walls are almost certainly not perfectly square. The only way to get a countertop that fits properly against all walls is to create a full-size paper template of the exact countertop footprint before cutting any stone.

Use kraft paper (or any stiff, flat material) to trace the actual shape of the countertop area — hugging every wall, corner, and return. A paper template is far easier to move around, modify, and test-fit than marking directly on a granite slab.

Mark the template clearly: indicate which edges get finished profiles, where seams will fall, and where the sink opening will be cut. Label the front, back, left, and right — and note any scribe cuts needed to fit against irregular walls.

Transfer your paper template measurements to the stone slab. Apply duct tape to the underside of the saw shoe to protect the polished surface during cutting. Use a circular saw with a dry-cut segmented diamond blade — make all cuts slowly and let the blade do the work. Forcing the blade creates heat that can chip or crack the stone.

For long, thin pieces at the ends of a run — be especially careful. These are the pieces most likely to snap from vibration or uneven support. Cut, then immediately support the offcut on both sides before it falls.

Dry-fit all pieces first before any silicone or adhesive goes down. Set each section in place on the plywood substrate and confirm the fit against walls and between sections. Mark any adjustments before removing the stone.

Sink cutout: Set the granite in place over the sink cabinet and use a pencil to trace the exact sink opening onto the plywood below. Remove the stone, then use a spade bit to create a pilot hole in the plywood and a jigsaw to cut the sink opening — make the cutout approximately ⅛" larger than your traced line to allow for the sink rim and silicone.

With slabs dry-fitted in position, now is the time to achieve a perfectly level surface before the silicone goes down. This step is your last easy opportunity to adjust.

Drive 1¼" screws up through the plywood substrate from below — the screw tips push against the underside of the granite slab, allowing you to fine-tune height across the surface. Drive screws up to raise a low spot; back them out slightly to allow a high point to settle. Work across the entire slab, checking your bubble level frequently in multiple directions.

The goal is a level surface across the full countertop run — especially at seam locations where two slabs must be flush with each other. A level at the seam is critical: even a small misalignment will be visible and will cause a trip hazard on the counter surface.

With everything leveled and confirmed, you're ready for final installation. This step is permanent — work deliberately with your helpers.

Apply silicone: With your helpers holding the granite lifted slightly, apply half-dollar-size dollops of 100% silicone caulk around the perimeter of the plywood substrate — spaced every 6" to 12". Do not apply silicone in a continuous bead; the dollops allow the stone to settle evenly and let moisture escape if needed.

Lower the slab: Working with your helpers, gently lower the granite slab back down onto the silicone dollops. Press the slab firmly in place and re-check level immediately — you have about 5–10 minutes before the silicone begins to skin over.

Sink caulking: Place a bead of silicone caulk around the top perimeter of the sink rim. Then apply a second bead on top of the sink rim to fully waterproof the gap between the sink and the stone. Lower the sink into the opening from below (for undermount) or drop it in from above (for top-mount), and secure clips from underneath.

Stone seams are filled with a polyester-based resin that, when properly color-matched, becomes nearly invisible. This step requires working quickly — the resin begins to set within five minutes of adding the hardener.

Tape the seam: Apply blue masking tape on both sides of the seam to contain the filler and create a clean edge. Press the tape firmly.

Mix and color-match: Start with a dollop of polyester resin and add a small amount of color pigment — mix with a putty knife and hold the color against the stone to evaluate the match. Create two or three color variants to blend the seam realistically — stone is never a uniform single color, and a blended fill looks far more natural than a solid-colored one.

Add hardener and fill: Once your color is matched, add the hardener to your mixed batch — 3% hardener to 97% resin. Mix only the amount you can apply in about five minutes. Fill the seam completely, overfilling slightly so you can scrape flush.

After the resin cures (typically 20–30 minutes), scrape excess flush with a putty knife and remove the masking tape. The seam can be polished with a wet polishing pad to match the surrounding stone finish.