Cutting a new vanity top

[TedL]

Our new (to us) house has a vanity top showing cracking/crazing in the bowl. I'd like to replace it with a reasonably priced stock unit, but there's a problem....it's 58 inches long.

Can cultured marble, or any of the other commonly stocked (at big boxes) materials be cut with a circular, sawzall, or other "ordinary" power tool?

The vanity top will be dropped in between two tiled walls, so the cut ends (I'll need to take 1.5 inch off both ends to keep the bowl in the right place) needn't be finished.

I really want some kind of solid surface with the faucet contained within a depression that channels water (from wet hands shutting it off) into the bowl, rather than letting it run along the counter.

 

[Markts30]

Use a regular circular saw with a diamond blade.
Keep it wet while cutting - I use a small pump type weed sprayer when using my saw to cut concrete and the like...
Cut slowly and should work well....
Makae sure you are using a grounded cord and plugged into a GFCI splitter or outlet for safety...

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jadnashua]

Most any blade with a carbide bit will work, including a router.

 

[Bob NH]

I got two custom-molded vanity tops of odd width and lengths for a very reasonable price. They were 43" long, about 19.8" deep to fit a 40 year old custom installation, and they even accommodated the slightly out-of-square of the walls. They had the recessed bowls like you described. Cost for each was $215 in 2004.

They were a faux marble from a resin material with the typical color variation. They are more rugged than the cultured marble that I saw, which reminded me of porous plaster with surface finish.

When you go to cut, you may want to have a pattern from plywood or masonite. It is very hard to measure and then lay out to fit a non-square configuration.

With a 58" long piece you will want to be very careful about straightness of the back wall. If you have 1/4" of bow in the wall, and a molded-in backsplash, the variation in spacing from the wall or variation of thickness of the backsplash will be quite apparent.

 

[Randyj]

With a 58" long piece you will want to be very careful about straightness of the back wall. If you have 1/4" of bow in the wall, and a molded-in backsplash, the variation in spacing from the wall or variation of thickness of the backsplash will be quite apparent.

Somebody told me..."that's why God invented caulk..."

 

[TedL]

Thanks, everyone.

BobNH, who was your source for the tops? I'm in the Albany, NY area, so if it was a regional company...............