Most countertops are attached and secured to the base cabinets with screws, silicone, or glue. The choice of material used depends on the specific type of countertop being installed.
However, what happens if you’re old counter is already too damaged or worn out? What if you plan to move to a new house but want to reuse your countertop? Well, I am going to show you how to remove glued down countertops quickly.
Learning to remove glued countertops is essential, especially if you want to replace your counter or reuse it elsewhere. The good news is that the process is simple and easy.
To begin, you must first remove everything on the countertop: the caulk and all the screws, and lift off the counter with someone’s help.
Table of Contents
- How to remove glued down countertops
- How do you remove glued down granite countertops
- How do you remove glued formica countertops
- How do you remove glued quartz countertops
- How do you remove glued laminate countertops
- What is the best tool to remove various countertop materials
How to remove glued down countertops
Removing glued-down countertops may seem taxing and require extra care and caution. While you can always hire a professional to do the job, it’s something that you can do yourself. An extra set of hands, a few tools, and a bit of patience are all that you need to complete the task.
A pry bar, a utility knife, a putty knife, and a screwdriver are the tools you need for the process. But before you lift the counter, you must confirm if it’s glued on.
Once you’ve confirmed that this is the case, you can proceed with the following steps.
- Remove all the clutter from your countertop. You don’t want additional damage to your counter and cabinets. Remove everything from the area to give you enough room to work.
- Cut the caulk between the wall and the backsplash with a utility knife. Slide the putty knife in between the backsplash and the wall. You can further simplify the process with a pry bar to help you pry off your countertop. You can also try prying away the backsplash from the wall where there is a stud to prevent any damage to the wall behind your backsplash.
- Even if your countertop has been glued down, don’t be surprised if there are still screws that hold it in place. Remove all the screws and lift your countertop as gently as possible to prevent damage to your cabinets.
- Even if your countertop has been glued down, don’t be surprised if there are still screws that hold it in place. Remove all the screws and lift your countertop as gently as possible to prevent damage to your cabinets.
- Before you detach your countertop entirely, ask for assistance from someone. While you can lift your countertop off the cupboard alone, getting an extra pair of hands to help will ensure your cabinets remain safe and free from damage.
How do you remove glued down granite countertops
Removing your glued-down granite countertops may be slightly different from the steps above.
Here’s how to do it.
- Prepare the power tools you need to remove your glued-down granite countertop before you detach the cabinet front.
- Use an electric circular saw with a metal or wood guide to prevent the blade from getting off the track. The tool will let you cut through your cabinets’ tops and face frames simultaneously. You can also do so without worrying that your cabinets will incur any damage as you cut them up.
A gasoline-powered chainsaw may be a better option at times. Chainsaws can help speed up any job if necessary, and the tool can also give you more power to complete the process as cleanly and quickly as possible.
But whatever tool you use to remove your glued-down granite countertop, don’t forget to wear protective clothing and other gear like goggles or a respirator, as this will prevent you from breathing in any debris or dust may get left behind during and after the removal process.
How do you remove glued formica countertops
Removing glued Formica countertops is an easy but labor-intensive process. The amount you care about during the removal will depend on what you plan to do with the counter and whether you will reuse it elsewhere. But if you have no plans to reuse the material, you don’t have to worry, even if it comes off in parts.
Follow these steps to remove your glued Formica countertop.
- Use a screwdriver to remove all hardware from your cabinets where the Formica counter is attached. Remove the cabinet doors to work better with them on a more stable tabletop.
- Wear your rubber gloves and safety goggles. The safety goggles will protect your eyes if the laminate snaps and breaks while removing the Formica material from the cabinet. Meanwhile, rubber gloves protect your hands from exposure to the solvent that can cause skin burning.
- Paint a solvent layer along the Formica seam. Please turn on your heat gun to low and point it at the seam to help loosen the Formica.
- Place the putty knife into the heated seam, work below the Formica, and pull it away from its underlying base. Don’t wiggle the putty knife; work with it in a single move to avoid scratching the underlying surface.
- Continue applying heat and solvent along the spot you’re working on to dissolve the glue and lessen the work you’ll need to do.
How do you remove glued quartz countertops
Here are the steps for removing glued quartz countertops.
- Remove every clutter and obstruction away from your quartz countertop.
- Disconnect all the supply and drain lines.
- Remove the sink.
- Loosen the glue or adhesive with a caulk softener.
- Dismantle the quartz countertop from your cabinets.
- Lift your quartz countertop off the cabinets.
How do you remove glued laminate countertops
Removing glued laminate countertops is easy as long as you follow the steps below.
- Put 100% acetone in a spritz bottle.
- Put the end of the putty knife below one corner of the laminate corner, and pry it up to form an opening.
- Holding the laminate away from the particle board surface, spritz some acetone in the space between.
- Remove the putty knife and let the acetone sit for a minute.
- Insert the tip of the putty knife below the laminate. Continue pressing into the adhesive to peel away more adhesive from the particle board surface. Spritz acetone on the bond and let it sit for one minute.
- Repeat the entire process until you altogether remove the laminate.
What is the best tool to remove various countertop materials
No matter what material your countertop is made of; there are several basic materials and tools you need to remove them. These include:
- Acetone
- Boxcutter knife
- Caulk softener
- Container to catch water
- Pry bar
- Putty Knife
- Safety Glasses
- Screwdriver
- Spritz bottle
- Work gloves
- Wrench
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John Thompson, Writer and Commentator
Soldier, writer, researcher, consultant, and bon vivant, John Thompson is the author of numerous columns, op-eds, reports, briefs, short stories and books as the “Felicity Files” and “Spirit Over Steel: A Chronology of the Second World War” (version III). Often found hunched over his computer, or in his garden, and now often found doing both. His diverse talent has led him to work in industries and projects such as energy, security and home construction and renovation. To see the entire team at Evolutdesign.com, visit Our Team page.
