By Kelly Morisseau

Countertop

Your kitchen is old. You’re looking for some way – any way– to update it without blowing the bank account. After much thought, you decide to replace the countertop.

I hate to break it to you, but you may be wasting your money.

With very few exceptions, countertops are not transferable from one set of cabinets to the next. Most people have no idea until it’s too late.

I see it all the time, more during each recession. I’m the bearer of bad news, watching the dawning realization on the faces of the people who visit me in the showroom as I explain that their old cabinets were shallower than they are today, that the heavier counters can’t be transferred (and in most cases, may break because they were fastened well), that the old cabinet layout doesn’t match anything the new stock cabinets can supply, or that the new appliances require a different installation method than your old appliances.

If your kitchen is within the last decade, the cabinets are fairly decent, and you like the layout, but you can’t stand the counters? You win – go for it. You don’t need to replace the cabinets down the road.

And, of course, if your countertop is falling apart, you may not have a choice. At least, you’ll know the options going in.

For the rest of you, here’s a checklist of things to watch before you decide on your new countertops:

Kitchen checklist

* The age and functionality of your cabinets. In many cases, if your countertop is ready to be replaced, so are your cabinets. Check the drawer glides – are they falling apart (do they even have glides?) Check the hinges – are the doors falling off? Handle holes are stripped so the handles no longer stay in place? Is the cabinet finish wearing off?

If you can answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, hold off on the countertop replacement until you can replace the cabinets.

Yes, sometimes you can hire a cabinet maker or handyman to fix the cabinets. I’ve always found when the cabinets are in poor shape, they usually require some major labor. Also, in this neck of the woods, the quality of materials was horribly poor – it’s the equivalent of bandaging rot. If you’re planning to stay in the home until the kids are grown or the your contract runs out, you will be throwing the countertop money away because eventually you’re going to have to do something about the cabinets.

This doesn’t apply to heritage homes where the quality was high – I’ve blogged the story of how my father talked a client out of gutting their 1920s rosewood kitchen. Your mileage may vary, but I’m a strong advocate of not replacing cabinets where woods/craftsmanship can no longer be duplicated. Unless, of course, they’re all rotted, water damaged beyond belief, or have some other issue which prevents a good solution.

* Cabinet style. Cabinets in homes up to the 1980s were built in the home, not in a factory. There were no standards. Some of them were simply frames to hold the doors in place. There are no backs to them (you see the wall when you open the doors), and the shelves run the entire length of all the cabinets.

In this case, the old countertops were part of the cabinet construction. Remove the countertop, and the cabinets may fall apart. If your cabinets fit this description, reconsider the countertop idea.

* The layout. If your kitchen is a U-shape? This is the worst case scenario. Counter seams don’t come apart easily (if installed properly) and it’s difficult to support all points of a U-shape counter when removing it off the existing cabinets, especially if it’s 1/2 ton of granite! Also, any rigid counter is prone to weakness at a cooktop cutout or sink area. Any dip or twist in the moving could cause the counter to snap.

* New appliances. Many people considering new countertops may replace any or all of their appliances. If this is you, you should know that new appliances are not standard. Their widths, and heights may have changed. Many cooktops and ranges have specific cutout requirements and notches, which means that even if you get your new granite counter transferred, you could have some potential challenges if you don’t take study the appliance specifications before you buy.

4030_02 (Credit: Caesarstone)

Where it works (or might work)

As I mentioned, if your kitchen is relatively new, but you can’t stand the counter, you may have this option. I say ‘may’ because of the factors up above — it’s still virtually impossible to lift and replace a granite u-shape counter and hope it doesn’t break AND fits perfectly. (No pressure there.)

For the rest of you, here are some rare exceptions where the counter might be able to be transferred:

* Simple layouts, small kitchens, and some island tops: Galley shapes or single pieces countertops, such as island tops can sometimes be transferred. Easier if it’s laminate. Also easier with a newer style (1980s or later) cabinet, so at least you know the depths will match should you decide to replace the cabinets later.

* Solid surfaces, such as Corian, are easier to work with. If it does break, that piece can be cut away and a new piece installed. Once it’s seamed together, you wouldn’t be able to tell.

There are plenty of ways to fix up your kitchen – lighting, paint, molding, retrofitting rollouts, updating appliances – which will give you far more bang for your buck in the short term.

And that’s my 2 cents for the day.

Kelly Morisseau