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DIY Granite Cutting

Zorba

Zorba

Lifer
I was wondering if anyone has cut granite themselves?

I am thinking about replacing my cooktop stove from gas to induction. Unfortunately it looks like all 30" electric cooktops require a bigger cutout than my 30" gas cooktop.

I think I only need to open the hole about 1/2" one way, and 3/4" the other way. I was hoping I could just grind it open, but that is probably too much to grind off granite. So I am guessing I'll have to use an angle grinder with a diamond blade.

Any recommendations?
 
Angle grinder with a diamond blade will do the trick. It will cut smoother and make a lot less dust in your kitchen if you cut it wet. Poke a small hole in the top of a water bottle and have a helper keep just enough water squirting out to stop the dust. Or you can use a shop vacuum if you have a good one. I've never seen the vacuum method work 100% though. No matter how you do it, there is a lot of clean up afterward.

You don't need a high priced blade either, I've had good results with the $15 home depot blades.
 
3cm granite? What color is it? It's not going to be much fun making a long cut with an angle grinder. I'd strongly suggest a variable speed one. You are going to have an issue with heat buildup. It's going to make a mess either way and i'd have a helper to hold the vac and/or water control. You would want to make 2-3 passes, trying to cut the full depth would be very slow

Have you asked a granite co to do it? Should be a fast and easy job for them, i'd guestimate $100
 
I wanted to cut a hole in my countertop for a soap dispenser... but that can be done with a diamond hole saw.

I don't think it would be easy to do with an angle grinder and it would definitely be messy.
Do they make diamond angle grinder wheels that are deep enough to get through the granite thickness?

try youtube for diy granite cutting
 
drnickriviera said:
3cm granite? What color is it? It's not going to be much fun making a long cut with an angle grinder. I'd strongly suggest a variable speed one. You are going to have an issue with heat buildup. It's going to make a mess either way and i'd have a helper to hold the vac and/or water control. You would want to make 2-3 passes, trying to cut the full depth would be very slow

Have you asked a granite co to do it? Should be a fast and easy job for them, i'd guestimate $100
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's 3 cm, not sure of the specific trade name, but it is a light color granite, typically builder grade around here. I will have my wife helping me, so I can have her apply water and hold the vacuum. The nice thing about it being under a cooktop it doesn't have to be all that pretty.

Makes sense to do a couple of passes. With the suggestion of the variable speed, I assume I should use a low speed? Do you know a good way to fillet the corners? The cutout currently has fillets, but I am not sure of a good way of doing that with an angle grinder (I am guessing the corners were originally drilled then cutout between the holes).

BTW: I do plan on getting it quoted and if it is is the $100 range I'll probably pay for it, since I would have to buy the variable speed grinder.
 
Moonbeam said:
I would not replace a gas stove with anything else but a better gas stove.
Click to expand...

I knew someone would post this. I personally despise cooking on a gas cooktop, even pretty nice ones.

Edit: Also why I am getting an induction, all of the pros of gas and radiant, with none of the drawbacks.
 
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Zorba said:
BTW: I do plan on getting it quoted and if it is is the $100 range I'll probably pay for it, since I would have to buy the variable speed grinder.
Click to expand...

No one is going to go to your place and cutout a hole for $100, not worth their time. Any cheap $20 grinder will do, just get a diamond wheel.
 
shabby said:
No one is going to go to your place and cutout a hole for $100, not worth their time. Any cheap $20 grinder will do, just get a diamond wheel.
Click to expand...

IDK, typical service call price around here for a tradesman is about $65. For a non-tradesman (like garage door company) it is typically about $45. But I am not going to hold my breathe, I figure I'll ask the appliance store if they know anyone, I am sure they run into this all the time. I prefer doing everything myself, but I know my wife will be pissed if I cracked our granite.
 
You don't need a variable speed grinder. Even with a good one you'll be wishing it went faster after the first twenty seconds.
If you do need a radius on the corners, diamond hole saws aren't all that expensive. Drill the same size hole through a piece of wood and clamp it to the top for a guide.
 
Zorba said:
I knew someone would post this. I personally despise cooking on a gas cooktop, even pretty nice ones.

Edit: Also why I am getting an induction, all of the pros of gas and radiant, with none of the drawbacks.
Click to expand...

I guess if you despise cooking on gas that would be a good reason not to get it. My ideal would be to have a wok stove with 100000 BTU that will produce wok he.
 
You can do multiple straight cuts into the radius, then snap them off and grind the nubs.
That's how you do it on tile with a wet saw.
 
Well I ended up paying someone to do. A local granite company that has done a ton of houses in my neighborhood did it for $100 and had a light schedule, so they got me right in. They did it with an angle grinder and diamond blade, just like what was talked about here.

It would've been $60 or 70 for the grinder and diamond blade, and my wife really didn't want me doing it. But I did install all the appliances myself and did all the electrical, so at least I still have some DIY cred 😉.

BTW: I taped plastic drop cloths to the ceiling to make contain the dust. Some leaked out, but it did a very good job of blocking most of the dust. Inside the drop cloths was nasty, though.
 
Zorba said:
I knew someone would post this. I personally despise cooking on a gas cooktop, even pretty nice ones.

Edit: Also why I am getting an induction, all of the pros of gas and radiant, with none of the drawbacks.
Click to expand...

This.

We went from a decent NG stove with cast grates to an induction top in our new place. I will never go back to gas if I can help it. Ever.

All that time spent cleaning grease off of those grates and burners. And cleaning up spills immediately so they wouldn't scorch. And taking everything apart on the weekends to get it really clean....No way. Not ever again.
 
Zorba said:
Well I ended up paying someone to do. A local granite company that has done a ton of houses in my neighborhood did it for $100 and had a light schedule, so they got me right in. They did it with an angle grinder and diamond blade, just like what was talked about here.

It would've been $60 or 70 for the grinder and diamond blade, and my wife really didn't want me doing it. But I did install all the appliances myself and did all the electrical, so at least I still have some DIY cred 😉.

BTW: I taped plastic drop cloths to the ceiling to make contain the dust. Some leaked out, but it did a very good job of blocking most of the dust. Inside the drop cloths was nasty, though.
Click to expand...

You got a great deal.
 
Zorba said:
BTW: I taped plastic drop cloths to the ceiling to make contain the dust. Some leaked out, but it did a very good job of blocking most of the dust. Inside the drop cloths was nasty, though.
Click to expand...

They cut dry? I see silicosis in their future.
 
I just cut up some granite left over from my counter tops to put in the bottom of a green house window. Very easy with a grinder and diamond wheel (both of which I already own). I did it all freehand, and got surprisingly straight cuts.

I may take a shot at instilling the granite in the next kitchen I do.
 
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