Rn

Renata

22/05/2007 10:09 AM

Granite Tile countertop dilemma

The countertop is 25.5" deep, the tiles are 12" square with
(virtually) no grout between. How does one make up that extra 1.5"?

I thought of running a strip of the ~1" sq. glass tiles (that are
going to be on the backsplash), but that introduces a more rounded
edge tile, in the middle of the counter.

Thought of building out the backsplash, but that impacts the space
behind the sink.

I suppose I can always cut 1.5" strips outta the 12" tiles, but are
there other practical and/or decorative (& practical) solutions
typically (or even not typically) used in the real world?

Thanx
Renata


This topic has 18 replies

Rn

Renata

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

23/05/2007 8:16 AM

to answer some questions...

I had not found matching bullnose for the front edge, so I was
planning on overhanging the top tile, and cutting 1.5" wide strips to
cover the front.

I plan to polish the edges of the tile.

I like the idea, aesthetically, of even width tiles front and back
(w/a whole tile in the middle) rather than a narrow strip in the back.
But, it does bring the 2nd grout line more into the main field of
work.

My plan is to butt the tiles together and minimize the grout lines.
Grout will be as close to the color of the tile (green) as I can make
it.

Thanx for the ideas so far. You got me thinking of additional
alternatives.

Renata

Rn

Renata

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

01/06/2007 10:23 AM

I think I'm gonna buy this as well, and try it.

Thanx
Renata

On 30 May 2007 15:09:03 -0700, Oughtsix <[email protected]> wrote:

>I bought one of these and intend to use it on some tavertine in the
>bathroom. I haven't tried it yet so I can't give you any kind of
>review about how well it works.
>
>http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93367

c

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

24/05/2007 9:49 AM

On May 23, 7:16 am, Renata <[email protected]> wrote:
> to answer some questions...
>
> I had not found matching bullnose for the front edge, so I was
> planning on overhanging the top tile, and cutting 1.5" wide strips to
> cover the front.
>
> I plan to polish the edges of the tile.
>
> I like the idea, aesthetically, of even width tiles front and back
> (w/a whole tile in the middle) rather than a narrow strip in the back.
> But, it does bring the 2nd grout line more into the main field of
> work.
>
> My plan is to butt the tiles together and minimize the grout lines.
> Grout will be as close to the color of the tile (green) as I can make
> it.
>
> Thanx for the ideas so far. You got me thinking of additional
> alternatives.
>
> Renata

My suggestion for your front edge is to contact your local granite
fabricators and ask how much they will charge to bullnose your edge
tiles. Many fabricators will either charge by the linear foot or by
the hour for this service. Then you will have a nice finished look.

Good luck with your project.
Lynn

www.carrollstileandstone.com


Gj

GROVER

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

24/05/2007 10:07 AM

On May 22, 10:09 am, Renata <[email protected]> wrote:
> The countertop is 25.5" deep, the tiles are 12" square with
> (virtually) no grout between. How does one make up that extra 1.5"?
>
> I thought of running a strip of the ~1" sq. glass tiles (that are
> going to be on the backsplash), but that introduces a more rounded
> edge tile, in the middle of the counter.
>
> Thought of building out the backsplash, but that impacts the space
> behind the sink.
>
> I suppose I can always cut 1.5" strips outta the 12" tiles, but are
> there other practical and/or decorative (& practical) solutions
> typically (or even not typically) used in the real world?
>
> Thanx
> Renata
I don't know if you have already built the base cabinets. If not, you
can build the cabinets to a depth of 22 1/2" and eliminate the need
for the filler tile.
Joe G

Oo

Oughtsix

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

30/05/2007 3:09 PM

I bought one of these and intend to use it on some tavertine in the
bathroom. I haven't tried it yet so I can't give you any kind of
review about how well it works.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93367

t

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

01/06/2007 5:45 PM

I used granite tile for my kitchen counter and finished the edge with
a piece of poplar trim that I'd turned into a no-drip edge using one
of these :

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2125

Painted to go with the tile color.

CM

"Charlie M. 1958"

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

22/05/2007 9:14 AM

Renata wrote:
> The countertop is 25.5" deep, the tiles are 12" square with
> (virtually) no grout between. How does one make up that extra 1.5"?
>
> I thought of running a strip of the ~1" sq. glass tiles (that are
> going to be on the backsplash), but that introduces a more rounded
> edge tile, in the middle of the counter.
>
> Thought of building out the backsplash, but that impacts the space
> behind the sink.
>
> I suppose I can always cut 1.5" strips outta the 12" tiles, but are
> there other practical and/or decorative (& practical) solutions
> typically (or even not typically) used in the real world?
>
> Thanx
> Renata

How is the front edge going to be finished? A lot of tiles are available
in a bull-nose for stepdowns. You could use this on the front edge and
that would eat up the extra 1.5".

ND

"NuWaveDave"

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

22/05/2007 9:22 AM


"Renata" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I suppose I can always cut 1.5" strips outta the 12" tiles, but are
> there other practical and/or decorative (& practical) solutions
> typically (or even not typically) used in the real world?

Cut the 1.5 inch strips and position them at the rear, under the
backsplash where they are likely to go unnoticed.
--
NuWave Dave in Houston

En

"EXT"

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

22/05/2007 11:59 AM

While they are often used for kitchen countertops, they are really intended
for floors. They also create a problem with the front edges, as the tiles do
not come with a polished edge for where the edge is exposed, how do you plan
on addressing this. Leaving the unpolished edge looks real bad and is a
giveaway that the job was a cheap installation.

"Renata" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The countertop is 25.5" deep, the tiles are 12" square with
> (virtually) no grout between. How does one make up that extra 1.5"?
>
> I thought of running a strip of the ~1" sq. glass tiles (that are
> going to be on the backsplash), but that introduces a more rounded
> edge tile, in the middle of the counter.
>
> Thought of building out the backsplash, but that impacts the space
> behind the sink.
>
> I suppose I can always cut 1.5" strips outta the 12" tiles, but are
> there other practical and/or decorative (& practical) solutions
> typically (or even not typically) used in the real world?
>
> Thanx
> Renata

Bb

Bruce

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

06/06/2007 6:13 PM

More of a peninsula than an island, but this is 12" granite tiles with a
hickory edge.

-Bruce
http://www.sdc.org/~brewster/island.jpg

On Sun, 3 Jun 2007 06:20:04 -0600, Kate wrote
(in article <Xly8i.9323$%[email protected]>):

> I'd like to see a photo of the finished countertop.
> We have our granite tile in the garage waiting until we get started on the
> next leg of remodeling...
> AAAGGGHHH.. it will NEVER end!
>
> We did have our tiles rounded so that we could cut thinner finish tiles for
> the edge but I still am not sure about how well it is going to look. At this
> point we're still in the planning stage.
>
>
> Kate
>
> <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> I used granite tile for my kitchen counter and finished the edge with
> a piece of poplar trim that I'd turned into a no-drip edge using one
> of these :
>
> http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2125
>
> Painted to go with the tile color.
>
>
>

Rn

Renata

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

30/05/2007 8:37 AM

On 24 May 2007 10:07:18 -0700, GROVER <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On May 22, 10:09 am, Renata <[email protected]> wrote:
>> The countertop is 25.5" deep, the tiles are 12" square with
>> (virtually) no grout between. How does one make up that extra 1.5"?
>>
>> I thought of running a strip of the ~1" sq. glass tiles (that are
>> going to be on the backsplash), but that introduces a more rounded
>> edge tile, in the middle of the counter.
>>
>> Thought of building out the backsplash, but that impacts the space
>> behind the sink.
>>
>> I suppose I can always cut 1.5" strips outta the 12" tiles, but are
>> there other practical and/or decorative (& practical) solutions
>> typically (or even not typically) used in the real world?
>>
>> Thanx
>> Renata
>I don't know if you have already built the base cabinets. If not, you
>can build the cabinets to a depth of 22 1/2" and eliminate the need
>for the filler tile.
>Joe G

Thought of that but decided I'd rather have a deeper counter and
figure out how to handle the tile issue somehow.
Also, not sure if narrower depth would suit dishwashers and such.

Thanx
Renata

ee

eclipsme

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

22/05/2007 3:18 PM

Renata wrote:
> The countertop is 25.5" deep, the tiles are 12" square with
> (virtually) no grout between. How does one make up that extra 1.5"?
>
> I thought of running a strip of the ~1" sq. glass tiles (that are
> going to be on the backsplash), but that introduces a more rounded
> edge tile, in the middle of the counter.
>
> Thought of building out the backsplash, but that impacts the space
> behind the sink.
>
> I suppose I can always cut 1.5" strips outta the 12" tiles, but are
> there other practical and/or decorative (& practical) solutions
> typically (or even not typically) used in the real world?
>
> Thanx
> Renata
First of all, do not start with a full tile. Start with a half tile plus
.75", then end with a half tile plus .75". Having to fill in the last
row with skinny tiles is a sure sign of a poorly thought out job IMHO.

That said, I like the idea of the glass tiles - breaks it up a bit and
adds some visual interest.

Also, the comment about the front edge is pertinent. How are you going
to cover that? You could cut some 3" tiles. or whatever the front of the
counter is, and have the edges ground smooth, or have the half tiles
above ground smooth. Or perhaps compliment the glass tiles with doing
the edge in glass as well.

many, many choices.

Harvey

Ks

"Kate"

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

03/06/2007 7:20 AM

I'd like to see a photo of the finished countertop.
We have our granite tile in the garage waiting until we get started on the
next leg of remodeling...
AAAGGGHHH.. it will NEVER end!

We did have our tiles rounded so that we could cut thinner finish tiles for
the edge but I still am not sure about how well it is going to look. At this
point we're still in the planning stage.


Kate

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
I used granite tile for my kitchen counter and finished the edge with
a piece of poplar trim that I'd turned into a no-drip edge using one
of these :

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2125

Painted to go with the tile color.


cc

"charlie"

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

22/05/2007 8:00 AM


"Renata" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The countertop is 25.5" deep, the tiles are 12" square with
> (virtually) no grout between. How does one make up that extra 1.5"?
>
> I thought of running a strip of the ~1" sq. glass tiles (that are
> going to be on the backsplash), but that introduces a more rounded
> edge tile, in the middle of the counter.
>
> Thought of building out the backsplash, but that impacts the space
> behind the sink.
>
> I suppose I can always cut 1.5" strips outta the 12" tiles, but are
> there other practical and/or decorative (& practical) solutions
> typically (or even not typically) used in the real world?
>
> Thanx
> Renata

use contrasting strips of granite tiles, and position them somewhere in the
field.

here's what i did

http://groups.msn.com/chaniarts/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=179

regards,
charlie
http://glassartists.org/chaniarts

cc

"charlie"

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

24/05/2007 9:57 AM


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On May 23, 7:16 am, Renata <[email protected]> wrote:
>> to answer some questions...
>>
>> I had not found matching bullnose for the front edge, so I was
>> planning on overhanging the top tile, and cutting 1.5" wide strips to
>> cover the front.
>>
>> I plan to polish the edges of the tile.
>>
>> I like the idea, aesthetically, of even width tiles front and back
>> (w/a whole tile in the middle) rather than a narrow strip in the back.
>> But, it does bring the 2nd grout line more into the main field of
>> work.
>>
>> My plan is to butt the tiles together and minimize the grout lines.
>> Grout will be as close to the color of the tile (green) as I can make
>> it.
>>
>> Thanx for the ideas so far. You got me thinking of additional
>> alternatives.
>>
>> Renata
>
> My suggestion for your front edge is to contact your local granite
> fabricators and ask how much they will charge to bullnose your edge
> tiles. Many fabricators will either charge by the linear foot or by
> the hour for this service. Then you will have a nice finished look.
>
> Good luck with your project.
> Lynn
>
> www.carrollstileandstone.com

in my area, it's about $1/running inch. you could get something like
http://www.defusco.com/Power-&-Pneumatic-Tools-Wet-Stone-Grinders-&-Polishers/c78_31/p105/WET-STONE-GRINDER,-ELEC---FLEX-1503-W/-PAD-SET/product_info.html
and do it yourself.

regards,
charlie
http://glassartists.org/chaniarts

cc

"charlie"

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

01/06/2007 9:56 AM


"Renata" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I think I'm gonna buy this as well, and try it.
>
> Thanx
> Renata
>
> On 30 May 2007 15:09:03 -0700, Oughtsix <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I bought one of these and intend to use it on some tavertine in the
>>bathroom. I haven't tried it yet so I can't give you any kind of
>>review about how well it works.
>>
>>http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93367

please report back on it's success and longevity. how are you going to mount
and spin it? you know it has to be used wet? it'll only do a rough grind, so
you still need to polish the edge somehow.

regards,
charlie
http://glassartists.org/chaniarts

Rn

Renata

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

30/05/2007 8:35 AM

On Thu, 24 May 2007 09:57:06 -0700, "charlie"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
><[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On May 23, 7:16 am, Renata <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> to answer some questions...
>>>
>>> I had not found matching bullnose for the front edge, so I was
>>> planning on overhanging the top tile, and cutting 1.5" wide strips to
>>> cover the front.
>>>
>>> I plan to polish the edges of the tile.
>>>
>>> I like the idea, aesthetically, of even width tiles front and back
>>> (w/a whole tile in the middle) rather than a narrow strip in the back.
>>> But, it does bring the 2nd grout line more into the main field of
>>> work.
>>>
>>> My plan is to butt the tiles together and minimize the grout lines.
>>> Grout will be as close to the color of the tile (green) as I can make
>>> it.
>>>
>>> Thanx for the ideas so far. You got me thinking of additional
>>> alternatives.
>>>
>>> Renata
>>
>> My suggestion for your front edge is to contact your local granite
>> fabricators and ask how much they will charge to bullnose your edge
>> tiles. Many fabricators will either charge by the linear foot or by
>> the hour for this service. Then you will have a nice finished look.
>>
>> Good luck with your project.
>> Lynn
>>
>> www.carrollstileandstone.com
>
>in my area, it's about $1/running inch. you could get something like
>http://www.defusco.com/Power-&-Pneumatic-Tools-Wet-Stone-Grinders-&-Polishers/c78_31/p105/WET-STONE-GRINDER,-ELEC---FLEX-1503-W/-PAD-SET/product_info.html
>and do it yourself.
>

Interesting web site. Thanx for the info!

Renata


>regards,
>charlie
>http://glassartists.org/chaniarts
>

Ks

"Kate"

in reply to Renata on 22/05/2007 10:09 AM

01/06/2007 12:38 PM

I've purchased a number of various diamond edged cutting and grinding tools
from HF and all well exceeded my greatest expectations. For the price, you
can't hardly go wrong.

I'd be curious to see how your results turn out, when you get there, would
you be good enough to post a picture? In the binary group, of course.

Kate
O|||||||O


"Oughtsix" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
I bought one of these and intend to use it on some tavertine in the
bathroom. I haven't tried it yet so I can't give you any kind of
review about how well it works.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93367


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