wrote in message
ps.com...
We are to have granite installed in our 8 year old kitchen. Our
present counter top is formica with wood trim. For the life of me, I
can't see what is holding the counter top to the Merillat solid hickory
cabinets. I am looking under the cabinet at the particle board
substrate and see no fasteners. In pulling up on the top it is obvious
that something is holding the top onto the cabinets very well and
evenly across the length. I would like to remove the top myself since
the cost for the installer to do it is between $600 & $700.

What do you believe is used to attach the top to the cabinets?

I recently did this in my kitchen and I was not going to pay that either, no
point. On my setup the top was held on by drywall type screws that went
from the underneath, through the corners of the cabinet and into the top.
Some of them were particularly hard to find. I thought I had them all,
pulled up, oops, there is another one. Just don't strip the heads, apply
sufficient pressure so your screwdriver does not slip.

By the way, I got rid of it by cutting it up into smaller pieces and setting
them out with the trash over a period of time, a couple per week.

Another thing you might run into is that in the corner the cabinet likely
does not run by the wall and you will need to install a rail attached to the
wall for the granite to sit on back there. No problem there, just screw one
on using any old wood that is perfectly straight and thick enough; use
enough screws as it is holding up granite grin. The key here is that
_everything_ must be level or the granite people will not install (that is a
source for cracking issues the they check - mine did anyway) and you will
need to pay for another call after you relevel. This includes the existing
cabinet top once your counter is removed. Luckily ours was level. I was
dreading it not to be.

You might also consider touching up any painting around there while the top
is off. If the new backsplash is lower now would be the time to paint -
before the new top is in.

My US$0.02,
Tomes