Installing Granite Countertops Flush With a Cabinet is Cause for Woe

AFTER: New granite in bath remodel

Not every bath remodel turns out exactly the way it should be most often due to contractor error. Just because a guy is cheap doesn’t mean he’s any good, just like your Sacramento real estate agent who agreed to work for a discount, which is not this writer. I recall from many years ago the guy who put in the granite on top of the vanity as being very proud about the fact he had “tricked out” the granite, meaning he had cut it flush with the cabinet. It wasn’t what I had expected.

BEFORE: Bad granite in bath remodel

At the time, it didn’t dawn on me that the edge of a countertop should never ever sit directly on the edge of the cabinet because a flush edge does not prevent water nor other liquids like contact lenses solution from dripping down the face of the cabinet. And even if that thought did cross wires somewhere in my brain, after the contractor cut and installed the granite, it was too late. Let this be a lesson you don’t have to learn the hard way: don’t ever install a counter flush with the cabinet in a kitchen or bath remodel.

It’s not just the water dripping down the cabinet that can damage cabinets. Our wall cabinet got dinged pretty badly by the ceiling heat / air vent dumping hot air directly on the finish. We ended up buying a clip-on clear plastic thingie that funnels the heat from the vent downward into the room. So much for Thomasville cabinets and the factory finish.

Before we could refinish the cabinets, we had to replace the granite countertop. Not only was the granite a problem, but the faucet was installed too close to the mirrored medicine cabinet door. Opening the door banged it into the faucet. On top of that, the spacer piece was never blocked properly at the base of the cabinet so it continued to move every time the housekeeper cleaned in the bath.

We fixed all those things with the new granite. It’s also lighter in color, which looks better with chocolate cabinets anyway. It opens up the room and makes the small bath appear larger.

Now we have a new problem, I hate to admit. With the overhang on the granite, we can’t easily open the cabinet doors. I’m not sure my husband has discovered that defect yet and I don’t have the heart to tell him. Well, after we get the cabinet doors refinished, we’ll attach pulls.