How to Cut a Hole in a Counter Top for a Kitchen Sink

New kitchen counters require a hole to accommodate your kitchen sink. There is a general technique for streamlining and performing this seemingly difficult cut. Proper cutting of this hole is essential to professional-level installation.

Things You'll Need

• Counter top
• Kitchen sink
• Masking tape
• Large piece of cardboard
• Measuring tape
• Ruler
• Felt tip marker
• Box cutter
• Drill
• 2 1/2 inch hole saw
• Jigsaw
• Shims or blocks
• Rasp

Instructions

1. Flip your sink upside down on your counter top and place it where you want to cut your hole. Mark the center of the sink on the counter with masking tape.

2. Make a template for cutting your hole if your sink didn't come with one. Place your sink upside down on a piece of cardboard on the floor. Use your felt tip marker to trace your sink onto the cardboard.

3. Measure 3/4 inch inside the outline of your sink using your ruler. Make marks 3/4 inch inside in increments no longer than your ruler all the way around. Connect these measurements using your ruler so that you have a matching outline 3/4 inch inside your original outline.

4. Cut out the template with your box cutter.

5. Place the template on the counter carefully, being mindful of the front-to-back distance. If the sink is too close in the front, the front panel of the counter will interfere with cutting the hole.

6. Secure the template with a couple pieces of masking tape once you are happy with the position.

7. Trace the inside edge of your template with your felt tip marker. This is the area that will be cut out to accommodate your sink.

8. Measure 1 1/4 inch in from each rounded corner and make a mark. This is the center of your 2 1/2 inch hole saw.

9. Use your drill with the hole saw installed to cut a hole at each corner of the tracing of your hole. Place the center of the hole saw over the mark you made in the previous step and place the edge of the saw on the rounded corner.

10. Turn your piece of counter upside down to finish cutting out the sink hole if it is not already installed in the kitchen. If it is installed, begin cutting without the move. Cutting the counter from the bottom side prevents scratches to the counter surface and splintering of the laminate. Splintering can be cleaned up with a rasp if the counter is installed.

11. Brace the cut out from below or insert shims as you cut from hole to hole to prevent the cut out from falling abruptly. Shims are thin wedges of wood.

12. Cut out the hole with your jigsaw by cutting along your template lines between the round holes. When you are done, you will have a rounded rectangle cut out in your counter top.

13. Use a rasp to clean up the edges of your cut where the laminate or wood may have splintered.

Tips & Warnings

• If the plug from your hole gets stuck in your hole saw, insert a screw to pull it out.

• Apply masking tape to the shoe of your jigsaw to prevent it from scratching your counter top.

• Use a piece of scrap wood with a straight edge to keep your jigsaw level during cutting.

References

• Installing a Kitchen Sink
• Installing a Kitchen Counter