Cut The Dust and Customer Fuss, Part II

Drilling a clean hole follows the same steps as cutting out a cook top. A damp core bit can throw off a messy spray. Paper or tape over any tile, wallpaper, or cabinets panels that you want to keep clean. If there is a set-on backsplash, I also like to tape along the length of the bottom sitting behind the faucet hole; it remains clean and easier to caulk.
I strongly recommend drilling the holes onsite before you mount the sink. If you need to mount the sink first, tape some paper over the cutout opening – especially if the sink is stainless-steel. If you use a lot of water when you drill, you may want to consider taping plastic over the sink opening.
 I’ve seen several instances where the chips and dust from drilling a hole scratched a brand-new sink during clean up. A client who thinks stainless is really durable is not going to be happy if they end up with a still-unused – and scratched – sink. The last thing you’re going to want to do when you’re that far in the job is to pull the sink out and get it repaired or replaced.
My own method for drilling a hole in granite, marble, or natural quartz is to use a cup of water (or ice) and a shop vacuum. If I’m working the job solo, I’ll tape the vacuum-cleaner hose into place to suck in most of the dust. I drill, dip the core bit in the water to cool it, and drill some more.
If I’m working with someone else, I’ll have him hold the vacuum nozzle close and remove all the dust coming off the hole. When I remove the core bit to dip it in the water or ice, he vacuums out the accumulated dust. After drilling the last hole, we make sure to vacuum under the sink to clean out the cabinet.
A lot of remodels have sink cabinets that haven’t been properly cleaned in a long time; new construction cabinets usually have a mess from the cabinet installers and electricians. Think it’s disgusting to clean up other people’s messes? Sure, but I’ll do it if it means the job looks better.
If I have to clean up a hole cutout anyway, I’m going to go ahead and take out whatever mess is in the cabinet. It’s a small step, but it can leave a good impression. (Remember, cleanliness is part of the total countertop experience.) If I pull out a stove and there’s a world-class collection of dust bunnies – or even the occasional dead mouse carcass – I’ll clean that up too.
Cutting backsplash on site can be messy. Unless you’re working 100-percent wet, always do it outside. I like to use water as much as possible when cutting; but, if you live in cold weather like I do, water can be painful on your fingers and create a frozen mess.
Sometimes it’s just easier to cut dry. When you do, try to find a place out of the way to cut. Make sure your cloud of dust doesn’t drift anywhere near the home or garage or any of the owner’s cars. If this is impossible, bring the shop vacuum out with you and use it when you trim your splash. This slows down the work, but it’s better than getting abrasive granite dust on a Lexus.
After you’re done, make sure to clean up the mess. Pick up all granite chips and off cuts and sweep up. If you worked in a high-traffic area, vacuum or hose it down too. No one likes footprints of granite dust in the house.
If you’re working in a condo project or high-rise, try to stage someplace near the unit where you can cut out holes for outlets and cut backsplash to length. I’ve had guys dry-cut splash in hallways and on exterior balconies, neither of which impressed the general contractor.
The templater should try to figure out the best possible place for the installers to cut when he visits the job for the first time. If you’re doing multiple units, there’s no doubt you’ll be cutting onsite.
The best place to cut is not always the most-convenient. Sometimes the installers will have to set up and cut in the ground-floor parking lot. It’s inconvenient, but better than an angry phone call to your boss.
Keeping floors, cabinets, and the homeowner’s possessions clean and free of damage is another aspect of jobsite cleanliness.
Covering floors with paper or cardboard is a good protective measure, but only if it can be done safely. If you are going to make the effort, tape everything down securely. And then tape it down a little more. Trying to slide a countertop into place with another guy as the paper shifts underneath your feet can have disastrous results.
Clean the floors periodically as the install progresses. Pay special attention to removing any granite chips; get one of those wedged in the bottom of your boot and you can damage a wood or vinyl floor in no time. Invest in a floor wand for your shop vacuum to completely clean the floors at the end of the install.
If you have to move across carpet during your install, make sure to cover it with jobsite tarps. If there are already stains on the carpet, show them to the homeowner or take digital photos to ensure you don’t get blamed.
Make sure to carry along some clear dishwashing soap to the install. If you make an area of the carpet dirty, clean it with the soap and warm water, and blot it with paper towels. It may save you the expense of a carpet cleaner.
Having the homeowner clean out the contents of lower cabinets can also help keep the jobsite clean. If the installers need to belt-sand a cabinet top or cut away drywall, the mess is much easier to clean up in an empty cabinet base.
Empty lower cabinets also make it easier to shim and caulk the underside of the stone. It also reduces the risk that an heirloom dish or pan is going to be broken or catch some drips of caulk or epoxy.
When the base cabinets are empty, it only takes a couple of minutes to vacuum them. If one of your installers has some time to help the homeowner replace the contents of their base cabinets, I’d encourage it. The more-quickly the homeowners feel like they have their kitchen back, and cleaner than when you started, the better for your reputation.
After everything has been installed, make sure the installers go over each of the countertops very carefully to ensure they are clean. If you use silicone caulk between base counters and backsplash, clean off any residue. Normal kitchen cleaners won’t cut through the silicone, and you’re setting yourself up for a return trip if you leave any silicone haze on the counters.
If you epoxy your seams, clean off all of the excess epoxy. I’ve been called out several times to jobsites where an owner thinks there is some kind of flaw in the stone, only to find the rough spot is epoxy that wasn’t cleaned off properly.
Clean the cabinet fronts and panels with water or a mild kitchen cleaner. Remember that granite dust tends to be disappear when wet and then reappear in a kind of haze when the surface is dry.
I do a thorough cleaning, pack my equipment into the truck, and then go back in to see if any haze appears on the cabinet fronts or panels. Cleaning it a second time with fresh paper towels usually does the trick.
Lastly, after all this effort, I clean and inspect the countertops a final time. On my jobs, I use Marbamist® for the final clean because, well, I like the smell. As the final step in the total countertop experience, it smells like …victory.
Jason Nottestad, a 12-year stone industry veteran, is co-owner of Wisconsin-based Midwest Template Services.