Attach Countertop To Half Wall

Check the level again before trimming the shims with a utility knife.

Attach countertop to half wall.

Attach three 1 inch by 4 inch wood boards to the wall brace board to hold the countertop. Retape the strip in place. Push the strip back tight against the wall using the combination square to verify the overhang depth. For a tight fit screw the angles to the cabinet first and then draw the top down to meet the steel angle with the second screw.

Be sure to place pressure sticks along the back corners where the corner blocks are located to get the countertop down tight. The fascia laminates and backsplash can now be added. If you re working with bare plywood or particleboard place nails vertically down through the top of the countertop spaced about 4 inches. Make a mark 3 feet from the corner on one wall and 4 feet from the corner on the other wall.

Using a utility knife cut the cardboard along the scribe line. Reinstall the cabinet doors put the drawers back in place and go have a beer. Attach the countertops to the cabinets. Screw the countertop to the cabinet sides using 1 1 2 in.

Cut the boards 2 inches shorter than the depth of the countertop with a circular or table saw. When you measure for your countertop be sure to include the counter overhang which is usually between 3 4 1 inch in front and on open ends. The point where two counters meet in a corner must be square. Run the tip of the compass along the wall with the pencil on the cardboard to transfer the contours of the wall to the strip.

Slide the end of the countertop over the horizontal stud. If you attach a countertop to the wall with absolutely no cabinets whatsoever then use the same bracing techniques on both sides. Seal any gap between the backsplash and the wall or along the edges and the wall with a clear silicone acrylic caulk.