Step 6: Cut Slots for the Sink Bolts

cut slots for the sink bolts
Photo: Wendell T. Webber
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Carefully turn the slab on edge and prop it up, exposing the underside. Then, mark the stone at the top and bottom of the two sink cutout sides, about an inch away from the edge and the corners.

Using a grinder, cut short, 1/8- to 1/4-inch-deep grooves at your marks. With the wheel in the groove, tilt the grinder sharply to either side to make a small pocket inside the stone. Leave one end of the groove wide enough to slide the head of a sink bolt into the groove.
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    Shopping List

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    1. Soapstone. For the best price, buy directly from an importer (most soapstone comes from Brazil or India). You can find them online, and many will send you samples to help you select the right color. Plan ahead, giving yourself as much as six weeks for delivery time.

    2. Shims to level cabinets.

    3. 2x4s to support the slab when cutting it and act as a brace.

    4. 2½-Inch Deck Screws to hold cabinets level and flush to each other.

    5. Masking Tape for protecting the stone as you cut out for sinks and other fixtures.

    6. Painter's Tape for protecting the stone as you create the joints.

    7. 1/4-by-1½-Inch Carriage Bolts to brace an undermount sink.

    8. Undermount Clips to hold an undermount sink in place. Most new sinks come with the clips, or are available at plumbing-supply stores.

    9. Polyester/Acrylic Stone Seam Adhesive (available through stone suppliers) to form an invisible bond between two slabs. This is a two-part product that has to be mixed before use.

    10. Kitchen and Bath Sealant to secure the sink to the stone. Look for a 100 percent silicone product.

    11. Denatured Alcohol to clean the stone.

    12. Mineral Oil to finish and seal the stone.