 Hey what's up it's Dan Perry and in this video you're going to learn how to install pre-fabricated marble countertops just like you see here, step by step using basic tools that you probably already have at home. Now the same process can also work for granite countertops as well so let's go ahead and get started. All right step number one is to remove the old countertops. Then make sure your cabinets are flat level and secured firmly to the wall. A flat surface is critical because stone countertops are rigid and will crack if they're forced to flex. Now if your cabinets are not flat and level small adjustments can be made later using shims under the countertop. I'll show you how to do that but in some cases you may need to remove and reinstall the cabinets. Next create a wood template as you see here. Carefully measure the top of cabinets and use those measurements to cut the wood template out of 5-8 inch thick plywood. Then test fit the plywood template and make additional cuts until it fits the countertops perfectly. Then use the plywood template to mark the marble for cutting. Be sure to consider the fabricated edges of the marble which will need to overhang the plywood and the cabinets. You're also going to want to mark the sinkhole as well. And to side note be sure to get pre-fabricated marble which has already been polished on the edges otherwise the project will get much more complicated. So now it's time to make some cuts. We'll use a turbo diamond blade to cut the marble quickly and cleanly. You can use an angle grinder if you want but a circular saw with a bigger blade will cut faster and stay cooler. Cutting thick stone like this takes a lot of time so go slow and don't force it. Just apply consistent pressure and let the blade do the work. Otherwise you'll burn up your blade. Now putting water on it can help you cut the cut faster and reduce a lot of dust if you want to go ahead and add some water in there. A respirator, ear protection and eye protection are essential for cutting any kind of stone like this so make sure you have the proper safety equipment on hand. And also as you can see I've put down some tape so my saw doesn't scratch the top surface of the marble countertop. You also want to cut the sinkhole before the installation. So you're going to want to carefully measure that out and position it using the wood template as your tester and then go ahead and cut that out of the marble as well. And be careful of cutting the inside corners because if the blade grabs it can pull the saw right across the top of the countertop and end up ruining the entire countertop. And it's definitely helpful to have a small angle grinder with a diamond blade on it to help you cut these small inside corners. And once you've cut through the majority of the marble you can give it a few taps with the rubber mallet to break it free so you can go ahead and lift it out. So once all your cuts are done it's time to begin the installation. So first screw down the 5-8 inch thick plywood template to the cabinets using one in 5-8 inch screws or two in screws. Use shims if the cabinets aren't perfectly level. Next get a helper and test fit aka dry fit the countertop. Be careful and keep the stone well supported while moving and positioning it. Set the back of the countertop into place first while holding it vertically then slowly lower down the front until it makes contact with the cabinets. You want to aim for the granite to be as tight against the wall as possible in all areas that will be visible once the installation is completed. However the back splash will cover the edge against the wall so that doesn't need to be perfect. If it doesn't fit make some cuts keeping the mind crooked or out of square walls. Once the countertop has been dry fit successfully take it back off of the cabinets and use a caulking gun and a tube of silicone to generously apply silicone to the entire surface of the plywood. Don't be shy with the silicone. Then carefully move the countertop back in place and you're all set. The silicone will act as an adhesive and a cushion to ensure even contact with the plywood. And now you're ready to install the back splash. Now you can either use some matching stone as a back splash which typically comes with these prefabricated countertops or you can use something else like tile which I used in this project. And lastly go ahead and cock any edges up against the wall if there's a gap there and that's it. Once you install the sink you can step back and enjoy your hard work. Alright so now I want to answer a few questions that you might have at this point. Do you always need plywood? Okay so you don't actually always need plywood. You only need to use plywood as a base for the stone countertop when you're using a two centimeter thick stone because marble and granite both come in either two centimeter or three centimeter thickness. Now if you use the three centimeters thickness obviously it's going to take a lot longer to cut. It's going to be much heavier to move but you're not going to have to use plywood. I usually recommend going with the two centimeter stone it's just so much easier to work with. So what kind of cocking did I use on this countertop? So basically around the edges I used a colored sanded cocking that I just had left over from a tile job I did and this this de lory and gray this was a little bit too dark. I would have gone with something a little bit lighter but just anything that can match the countertops as much as possible doesn't need to be waterproof or anything like that. And then to install the sink I just used this 100% silicone this white silicone to match the color of the sink. I'm Dan Perry and thanks for watching. Be sure to subscribe below to get more videos just like this one and if you enjoy DIY projects and you want to learn how to turn your skills into a profitable business visit handymanstartup.com