# What to do with a sink cutout?



## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

The counter top for our kitchen will be installed in a few weeks. I asked the template guy if he was going to cut the sink opening on site or at their shop. He said on site. I said I wanted the cutout. After all, I paid for it, right?

OK, so what am I going to do with a piece of 3/4 inch thick quartz (Silestone)? The sink is 33 inches wide x about 20 inches deep. I might give the installer a tip to clean it up for me.

I have a router table so I don't need to make another one. All I can think of at the moment is a patio cart. I have a nice gas grill that the cart could sit next to. In my younger days, I would make a fish cleaning station  .

Have y'all got any ideas? Throw them out there. I would appreciate it.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Can you mill it with woodworking tools like Corian? If so, plane it down and make ZCIs. Use it with abrasive for flattening hand planes.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Dead flat surface for scary sharp method of sharpening. Or what you already thought - another small table surface.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

> Can you mill it with woodworking tools like Corian? If so, plane it down and make ZCIs. Use it with abrasive for flattening hand planes.
> 
> - CharlesA


I don't know. I will have to check. Thanks


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

Sharpening and small glue ups. Easy glue cleanup.


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

No, it's not like corian. It requires the normal tools used for working with stone tops.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

> No, it s not like corian. It requires the normal tools used for working with stone tops.
> 
> - Ger21


bummer.


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## timbertailor (Jul 2, 2014)

They made the extra Italian Quartz (Silestone) in our house into a cutting board.
Also doubles as a hot plate. Will not crack like granite when subjected to extreme heat. And since it is basically glass, will not absorb carbonates, or anything else. Very sterile, once cleaned. Its lack or porosity is the key.
Quartz does not leave seams or need to be sealed\maintained. Good stuff and that is why it is three times more expensive than granite. Great product choice Mike.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

> They made the extra Italian Quartz (Silestone) in our house into a cutting board.
> Also doubles as a hot plate. Will not crack like granite when subjected to extreme heat. And since it is basically glass, will not absorb carbonates, or anything else. Very sterile, once cleaned. Its lack or porosity is the key.
> Quartz does not leave seams or need to be sealedmaintained. Good stuff and that is why it is three times more expensive than granite. Great product choice Mike.
> 
> - timbertailor


Thanks. That is why it was chosen. We used it for our buffet. I like it.
A cutting board sounds like a good idea. A hot plate also.


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## Crank50 (Jan 31, 2014)

Maybe I'm wrong, but my understanding of Stilestone is that it's quartz particles bonded together with resin. Therefore, it can be damaged by high heat before granite can. That is basically the recommendation of a Consumer's Report evaluation and confirmed by my countertop installer. He was as baffled as I was why people pay way more for quartz. He also pointed out that it did not need sealing because it is manufactured from essentially quartz powder and plastic. It is sealed by the nature of its construction. He does like to sell it because it's a higher profit product and not as easy as granite to break accidentally.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Thanks Crank. We already have the Silestone on our buffet. So we stuck with it. My wife likes the idea of no sealing/lo maintenance.

Our buffet


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

Not sure why anyone would want to use a stone cutting board, if they wanted any chance of keeping their knives sharp?


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

> Not sure why anyone would want to use a stone cutting board, if they wanted any chance of keeping their knives sharp?
> 
> - Ger21


All ideas welcome. Got any?


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

If you have a circular saw, you can cut the cutout so it's square, has corners knocked off or whatever you want. Just pick up a cheap diamond blade and, when you use it, dribble a little water on the cut for cooling. I've cut a lot of granite this way.

If you have an angle grinder, you can buy a Harbor Freight diamond blade for it, run painters tape where you'd like to mark it for cutting, say for a circle, then the grinder to cut your lines. By just running around the piece, you can cut shapes limited only by the radius allowed by the cut of a four or five inch wheel.

I buy only variable speed grinders because they allow me to work granite without burning up expensive pads and bits used for these processes. Polishing, for example, requires slower speeds. You can buy a set of pads and, again, with water to keep them cool, you can polish the edges.

Granite supply places (e.g., Master Wholesale, out of Seattle) sell grinding stones you can use to round over the edges (I bit the bullet and bought the router bit for the grinder). They only run about ten bucks and hog a lot of granite off.

Attached is an old planter stand the ex's grandpa repaired using chipboard. To say it looked like hell was an understatement, but that's why they invented dollies, eh? Anyway, it just seemed fun to take a cheap pieces of furniture and high end it, so I cut and polished this top, as described.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

> If you have a circular saw, you can cut the cutout so it s square, has corners knocked off or whatever you want. Just pick up a cheap diamond blade and, when you use it, dribble a little water on the cut for cooling. I ve cut a lot of granite this way.
> 
> Another thing you can do is, run painters tape where you d like to mark it for cutting, say for a circle, then use a angle grinder. By just running around the piece, you can cut shapes limited only by the radius allowed by the cut of a four or five inch wheel.
> 
> ...


Good info. Thanks.


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## watermark (Jan 29, 2013)

A lot of good ideas already. Here is something I made with granite left overs.


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## timbertailor (Jul 2, 2014)

Just lock up your pets and family once the cutting starts and make sure they do it as far away from the garage or house as possible. Quartz\glass fines can be extremely dangerous and have been linked to silicosis, a cancer.

You do not want this stuff hanging around on the ground or anywhere where it can be kicked back up again.


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## Blackcatbone (Sep 14, 2014)

I have a stack of corian remnants that I'm slowly making my way through, using as inlays in tables, tops for dressers, stuff like that, so that type of thing immediately comes to mind. Can the cut edges be buffed or smoothed with sandpaper, like marble or corian? Not familiar with silestone so not sure of the properties. Can it be drilled? If so and you like cheese you could put rubber feet on it, drill and put on handles and make a cheese board. Or just the feet and use it for hot pans for the table.


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## Blackcatbone (Sep 14, 2014)

> If you have an angle grinder, you can buy a Harbor Freight diamond blade for it, run painters tape where you d like to mark it for cutting, say for a circle, then the grinder to cut your lines. By just running around the piece, you can cut shapes limited only by the radius allowed by the cut of a four or five inch wheel.
> 
> I buy only variable speed grinders because they allow me to work granite without burning up expensive pads and bits used for these processes. Polishing, for example, requires slower speeds. You can buy a set of pads and, again, with water to keep them cool, you can polish the edges.
> 
> ...


 Do you know if diamond pads for working with concrete will work on granite? I ask because I was working with concrete for a while and have some that I would like to still use and I can likely get all manner of granite remnants on the cheap or free where I live. There's a bunch of granite shops near me. A friend actually did a granite mosaic on his patio with stuff he got for free. Anyhow, I high end cheap stuff all the time so this is interesting.


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## Ripthorn (Mar 24, 2010)

I made a sofa table out of some extra marble. I used a wet saw to get straight edges, then trimmed it in wood. I was also planning to make a small desk, but we moved cross country and the marble never made it with us.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I use a sink cutout as a surface plate for shop use.
Silestone is good stuff. 
Bill


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

Thanks for your replies. Lots of ideas and expertise shared.

I wish they would hurry up and get here. The template was made Monday and the guy said it would be 2-3 weeks so now it is the waiting game.

One thought I had was to ask them to cut it into a corner configuration. Then I could mount it on some sort of wooden support that I would build. That would allow an area for a small appliance to sit with possible storage underneath for the maple cutting board I made last year. I will have to run it by SWMBO to get approval.


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## GregD (Oct 24, 2009)

> I wish they would hurry up and get here. The template was made Monday and the guy said it would be 2-3 weeks so now it is the waiting game.


We went with granite in our kitchen. SWMBO liked the look of the stone. They made measurements on a Friday and installed the following Monday. I have a sink cutout and a cook top cutout leaning against the garage.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Absolutely, you can bring composites back to original surface quality.

For the heck of it, put a light under it. Years ago, I was doing something for the in-laws, under their counters, which were Corian. I was there well after dark and my trouble lamp made the entire counter glow.



> I have a stack of corian remnants that I m slowly making my way through, using as inlays in tables, tops for dressers, stuff like that, so that type of thing immediately comes to mind. Can the cut edges be buffed or smoothed with sandpaper, like marble or corian? Not familiar with silestone so not sure of the properties. Can it be drilled? If so and you like cheese you could put rubber feet on it, drill and put on handles and make a cheese board. Or just the feet and use it for hot pans for the table.
> 
> - Blackcatbone


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Blackcatbone, just try it on the edge of a piece and see what happens.

Polishing edges, after using a diamond router bit on the angle grinder, I got through the following sequence of grits : 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000.

Skipping a grit slows the process down. If I follow this sequence, it goes reasonably quick.

If your concrete pads meet the criteria above, you're off and running. Otherwise, you can go on line and buy the ones you're missing.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

if you do any turning, it could make a nice steady rest.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

> if you do any turning, it could make a nice steady rest.
> 
> - stefang


No sir. I am out of room to work in my shop/garage.

*Question - can the Silestone be cut with a wet saw? I have borrowed one from my bro in law to cut some brick for our backsplash install.*


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

Yes. In fact, any "engineered stone" material (Silestone, Caeserstone, other quartz-based material) is best cut on a wet saw. Same goes for granite and marble. Or with a circular saw with a hose delivering a steady trickle to the blade. Rig something to hold the hose to the saw. Be sure the motor part of the saw does not get wet. Plug the saw (any power tool you use, for that matter) into a GFCI outlet. No GFCI available? Get a portable GFCI. Or get a GFCI outlet, an electrical box, and a cord, and make your own small GFCI extension cord.


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