Kitchen sink redo: Cutting the countertop to size and fitting sink

In this post, I am cutting the countertop to size and making the new sink cut out.

This is an exciting step, it means we are close to getting things back together and should soon have a functioning kitchen.

First, I had measured the amount of cut off I needed to get the sink right where we want it to sit. I also want to use the cut offs for the backsplash, so I settled on 1" strip from the back and inside edge.

I simply ran the long end down a table saw with the guard set to 1", then clamped a straight edge and ran a circular saw down the short edge. After the cuts, I took a hand sander and smoothed out the sides and rounded the edges.  Voila!

Next, I traced the sink right where we want it to set and used a paddle bit to cut lead ins for the jigsaw.

The jigsaw wasn't quite 'cutting' it, so a little readjusting allowed for the circular saw to run along the straight edge, and within minutes the sink hole was cut.

After rounding and smoothing the edges with a small power sander, we did a dry fit to make sure we didnt need to make any adjustments.

Everything looked right, so it was time to set it back on the sawhorseys and oil it up.

At this point, we are are getting very close to having water back in our kitchen!

Everything, and the kitchen sink...

Years ago, we knew that someday we'd have to tear out the kitchen sink, counter, and cabinet and address the rot that had been persisting in that area. When water started dripping into the basement from inside the wall, we knew it was time.

I know I haven't taken the best pictures so far, but I will do my best to explain the steps, and as always, feel free to ask for clarifications in the comments section.

This project will take weeks to finish, so it will be broken down i to several posts. Here we go:

Step 1: Assess damage and tear out anything with water damage or mold

We could see mold in the cabinet, sub floor and wall plaster, so we tore it all out.

Water damage is typically appearance through discoloration or bulging & peeling of materials. Mold is identifiable as it makes black or dark speckled stains.

Step 2: Check the condition of existing plumming and electrical

Some of our cast iron pipes had rusted through at the joints, which would explain the water in the basement. I tore that out and set it aside to replicate with pvc.

We decided to move an outlet and upgrade our gfci. Also put in a couple switches, one for our cabinet lighting and one for a future in sinkerator. We also needed to add a dedicated outlet for the dishwasher.

The wall cabinets and tile needed to be removed to rearrange them for the new kitchen sink position, so we cut the plaster out 4 feet to replace it with sheetrock.