I had a granite counter installed I worry about cracking ,how much plywood should be put underneath granite?

Question

the granite was raised they used plywood around the edges.. Should there be a long piece of plywood from one side of the counter to the other side to support the underside of the granite.....the granite is normal depth...i worry about strength of counters...cracks later on...their is no support between the edges of the grainte counters except for pieces of plywood placed underneath.. around the edges.?

Answer 1

depending on the grade of granite and how tight the grains are. some granites have little or no grain. and doesn't need any additional support.others like Lady's dream has long grains and can crack easily.don't set any thing drastically hot on it.the person you bought it from should of told you all of this.don't forget to seal it. its easy just spray it on and wipe off excess in a few minutes i own a cabinet showroom and sell lots of granite. you must of had full overlay doors for them to have to raise it this happens if the templeter didnt pay attention.

Answer 2

There should atleast be 75% off wood underneath your granite countertops.. I am a granite installer and i wont do "strips of wood" just for the sole reason that granite is a fragile product and gets it strenght when you use adhesives to secure it to plywood.. However it should be strong enough as long there is no climbing up on standing on or other mis-uses of the product

Answer 3

It depends on the thickness of the granite but to be safe, put 1" under it. Also, (hindsight) have a heater installed between the plywood and stone. That stuff is forever like an iceburg. If you haven't gone through with it yet, don't get it because it's cool. I wish I would have gone with a plastic. I am buying new glasses and bowls and plates constantly. That stuff does not agree with glass.

Answer 4

in order to support the weight, a good 3/4 or greater plywood underneath will do the trick. as for the edges, you should have a long piece of wood supporting it rather than bits and pieces of plywood. the placement of the joints also play a role in strength, i hope this answers your question.

Answer 5

A solid plywood base of at least 3/4 inch is best, 1/2 inch will suffice.

Answer 6

If your granite is over one inch thick you don't need bracing.I have an 18 inch overhang and it will support over 200 pounds.The granite will not crack.

Answer 7

You should have a warranty, check with the company that installed it and get something in writing. If it lasts more than two years with out cracking, then it probably won't.