# Forum Home Renovation Kitchens  DIY Installation of Caesar Bench Top

## tahlia

Hi All, 
We have recently purchased an ex-display kitchen which came with 20mm Caesar Bench Tops (2 pieces - one is around 2400mm and the other slightly longer). We called a stone mason who wanted $100 per lineal metre to install PLUS around $150 to cut the hole for the sink.  
Obviously we will need to ensure the cabinets are level. Is it hard to install a Caesar bench top, and what support does it need below it (top of the cabinets)? The cabinets have small bits of metal on them which we assume are in place to support the Stone. 
We will DEFINITLEY be getting the stone mason to cut the hole for the sink, but i feel like $100 per lineal metre just to put it on top of the cabinets is a bit much! 
Your advice is much appreciated as we have NO IDEA when it comes to kitchen bench tops.

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## Pulse

just cut the hole for the sink with an angle grinder with a diamond wheel, not sure what he wants to be paid for. Get another quote 
Cheers
Pulse

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## Doc0055

Top of level cabinets is fine to put the tops on, stone masons use silicon on top of the gables to secure the tops to the cabinets. 
$150 to cut the sink hole will be money well spent. The last stone top job that we did (install cabinets) the owner did not have the sink when the stone was put in, I had to go back and cut the sink in and it took me 3 hours.

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## GCP310

is it a standard drop in sink, or an Under slung sink? 
if its under slung, they will need to cut and polish out the cutout, and epoxy the bowl into place, so i can understand the cost. 
most commercial building sites, the stone companies epoxy the tops into place. 
20mm top wont need any sub straights, just make sure your sink cabinet has a sturdy front rail to help support the sink bowl

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## tahlia

Hi, thanks for the advice.
We really want an under bench sink but i think it may turn out to be too expensive so i think a normal sink will have to do.
I really dont want to fork out hundreds of dollars to a guy who is just going to silicon the bench top on and cut a hole.

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## arms

> Hi, thanks for the advice.
> We really want an under bench sink but i think it may turn out to be too expensive so i think a normal sink will have to do.
> I really dont want to fork out hundreds of dollars to a guy who is just going to silicon the bench top on and cut a hole.

  
sounds simple when you put it like that but he is the one taking the risks when cutting the bowl in and joining the tops together ,after all you paid good money to buy the kitchen why wouldnt you pay a reasonable cost to get the kitchen finished to a professional standard ,remember that the top will be the most exposed part of the kitchen and the most obvious if fitted incorrectly

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## tahlia

You have a fair point there - but the kitchen didn't cost us much (the Caesar is worth a lot but as it was ex display we picked it up cheaply). We don't have much money which is why i am trying to get out of it as cheaply as possible. I guess it is better to pay a bit more for someone to install it, that way we are covered if something happens.

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## arms

> You have a fair point there - but the kitchen didn't cost us much (the Caesar is worth a lot but as it was ex display we picked it up cheaply). We don't have much money which is why i am trying to get out of it as cheaply as possible. I guess it is better to pay a bit more for someone to install it, that way we are covered if something happens.

  i dont mean to make you spend more money with my comments and you could find a local handyman (that has done everything) to install the tops for you but he/she will need tenex adhesive to bind the tops together to make a satisfactory joint ,this can only be bought in tubs of a litre at a time ,then the problems that can come with someone out of their depth cutting into caesarstone with a grinder makes me shiver ,ring around first for a few prices ,ask if they have a 4th year apprentice that would like to earn some extra money to do the job for you ,

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## GraemeCook

Good Morning Tahlia 
Hacking a hole in caeser stone with an angle grinder is easy.  Cutting and polishing a precise hole for an underslug sink or a precise rebate for a drop in sink takes expertise. 
The bench top is a real display centre of your kitchen.   Poor finish will destroy this effect, and there may be hygeine considerations. 
The bench tops are easy to install unless the two pieces are to be joined into a single bench;  that takes skill to hide the join. 
Tom is, as usual, talking a lot of sense. 
Cheers 
Graeme

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## tahlia

Thank you all for your advice - and you have convinced me to get it done properly!

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