How to Put a Faucet on a Corian Countertop
Corian countertops are solid surface counters created by mixing resin with plastic. The mixture results in a strong durable counter with a wide variety of colors and patterns. When you purchase a Corian countertop, it often comes without a faucet hole so you can choose the faucet and sink combination best for your room's décor. Because of this, you'll have to drill the faucet hole yourself prior to faucet installation. Drilling through the material requires only standard bits and a hole saw, but you should take a few precautions to ensure that the process goes smoothly without causing damage to the counter in the process. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Masking tape
- Electric drill
- Drill bit
- Hole saw
- Medium-grit sandpaper
- Sponge
- Faucet
- Adjustable wrench
Instructions
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Measure the distance from the rear of the sink to the rear of the countertop on the bottom of the countertop. Subtract the width of any backsplash used from this measurement and then mark a line across the length of the countertop with a pencil at the distance from the rear of the counter. Choose a location for your faucet between the marked line and the rear of the counter with the center point of your faucet at least 1 inch from the marked line.
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2
Place a piece of masking tape onto the counter at your chosen faucet location, large enough to encompass the entire drilling hole. Mark the center of the faucet on the masking tape with a pencil. The masking tape helps to protect your counter from chipping during the drilling process and makes your marked drilling line visible against the counter surface.
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3
Use an electric drill to drill a locator hole through the countertop at your faucet location. Use a drill bit of a slightly smaller size than the pilot bit on your hole saw. Place the bit against the mark on the masking tape and start the drill. Apply steady pressure to the drill and drive the bit through the counter completely. Remove the drill and then change to your hole saw.
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4
Place the pilot bit of the hole saw at the point of the locator hole drilled through the countertop. Start the saw on low speed and cut through the countertop, using the locator hole as a guide for the pilot bit of the saw. Use as little pressure on the saw as possible, allowing the blade to do most of work of getting through the countertop. Too high a speed or too much pressure may cause the counter to melt around the saw due to the heat.
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5
Remove the saw once you cut through the countertop. Sand the edges of the holes with medium-grit sandpaper to remove any rough areas that the faucet may catch on when pushed through the counter, possibly causing fractures in the counter material. Remove the remnants of the masking tape and then wipe away the pencil marks using a damp sponge.
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Slip the gasket for the faucet over the water supply lines so that the gasket fits at the faucet's base. Push the water supply lines for the faucet through the hole in the counter at the top. Slide the lock nut onto the base of the faucet over the water supply lines and then tighten the nut with an adjustable wrench to secure the faucet in place.
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7
Connect the water supply lines from the house water system beneath the sink to the supply lines of the faucet. Tighten the connecting nut with the wrench and then turn the water on using the knob under the sink. Remove the aerator from the faucet to allow debris in the water lines out. Test the flow of water through the faucet and search for any leaks. Turn off the water supply and adjust the connections between the water supply pipes if you find a leak to correct the fit. Turn the water back on and retest the system to make sure the flow works as expected. Return the aerator to place.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit new tap on table image by .shock from Fotolia.com
