Bathroom counter cutting for faucet, drain requires precision, care

DEAR MIKE: I got a great buy on a new Corian counter for my bathroom. It has the counter and sink as one piece. The problem is that I need to cut holes in the top for the faucet and I don't know how to do it. What is the safest method to cut them? -- Darren P.

DEAR DARREN: There are many solid-surface, plastic-resin counter tops with Corian being very popular. Kudos to you for scoring a vanity top that works for your bathroom. Corian looks great and cuts surprisingly easily. With a few tips, you'll be slicing and dicing your new counter top in no time.

The safest and most effective method for cutting the material is to use the smallest teeth possible. Smaller teeth means a slower cut, but a smoother one. Larger teeth cut faster but leave a rougher cut.

In many ways, Corian cuts like wood. It used to be that a Corian top would come predrilled, but with so many different available faucet styles and sizes, which have different center spacing, many tops now come without the holes. Spacing can be 4-inch centers, 8-inch widespread faucets, or even one single hole.

To cut the holes for your faucet, use a hole saw. The trick is to choose carefully the location of the holes. Location, size and spacing of the holes is critical.

You must make two measurements. One is the distance from the back edge of the sink bowl to the faucet, and the other is to center the faucet at the midpoint of the sink. Stretch some blue painter's tape in the approximate area where the faucet will sit. The tape will offer some protection against scratches, but mostly it is easier to mark on than the Corian's surface.

To get the proper measurement for the distance from the sink bowl edge to the faucet, you will want to turn the counter top over. It's difficult to tell the thickness of the integrated bowl just by looking at the top.

If you simply drill the holes based on what you see from the top, you may drill into the sink bowl not knowing how thick it is. By turning the top over, you can avoid this.

With the piece upside-down, measure from the back of the counter top to the back of the sink bowl. Now turn the piece right-side-up and transfer this measurement to the blue tape.

If the top has a built-in backsplash, subtract the thickness of the backsplash from your measurement, or you will drill into the bowl. This measurement will give you the location of the back edge of the bowl.

You want to have the edge of the faucet holes about one inch from the back edge of the sink bowl. This will give you enough clearance to install the faucet.

You also will drill a center hole for the pop-up assembly to fit through. The diameter of the holes will be one-and-three-eighths of an inch.

To determine the location of the hole, take the radius of the hole plus one-eighth of an inch and add it to the inch setback. This should give you the needed clearance from the back edge of the sink bowl.

Still, you must double check everything before you start to drill.

To determine the midpoint of the sink, measure the width, divide by two, and mark a line on the blue tape. Then measure the width of the faucet where it will fasten to the sink, typically 4 or 8 inches. Divide this distance by two and mark the tape.

Hold the faucet over your marks to make sure you are satisfied with the location and the distance from the sink bowl, then get ready to start drilling.

A hole saw has a pilot bit, and the saw starts cutting after the pilot bit drills into the center point of the surface. Drill a small hole (smaller than the pilot bit) into each of the three hole locations. This will prevent the pilot bit from wandering.

Then start drilling with the hole saw. The key is to use a very sharp hole saw and let it do the work.

You also don't want to put too much force on the saw as you cut. Keep the drill in a vertical position and don't tilt it; you will be able to feel the saw cutting properly. If the drill tilts to one side, you will hear and feel the difference because the saw will only cut on one side and lift off of the surface on the other.

After drilling each hole, remove the plug from the hole saw and then cut the next hole.