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Kitchen Design/Remodeling/Questions Answered by Expert Bryan Dix
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Drilling into Hi-Macs | 11/17/2011 |
| Q: Bryan: Great service you're providing here. I want to install a 24" Grohe shower bar onto my ... A: I hope I found this question quick enough to still be of help to you. Sorry for the delay. Yes, ... | |
| replacing an undermount sink with silestone countertop | 9/25/2011 |
| Q: We purchased silestone countertops and a new sink from Home Depot about 5 years ago. The sink has ... A: I have heard this scenario play out many times. I don't know of any fabricators of stone ... | |
| Crazing in LG Hi-Macs sinks | 9/17/2011 |
| Q: What causes the "crazing" in a LG Hi-macs sink? 1 year after installation, the spider cracks ... A: I apologize for taking so long to answer this. I have been very busy this past week and it slipped ... | |
| spider cracks in my corian sink | 8/26/2011 |
| Q: Is there a way to repairs vein looking lines in the corian sinks? It is only on one side. They look ... A: Unfortunately there is no way to repair those little lines. The industry term for that is called ... | |
| Corian sink problem | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: About 6 years ago we remodled our kitchen. I decided to go with Corian for our sink and it's built ... A: I hate to hear that your sink is doing that. The industry term for what you are describing is ... | |
| Corian? Countertop Stain | 7/17/2011 |
| Q: Bryan, My wife and I are about to purchase a home which has Corian countertops- according to the ... A: Without seeing it in person it is hard for me to tell whether or not it would come out. Sometimes ... | |
| range placement | 5/20/2011 |
| Q: Is it okay to put a range next to a wall? I know it's not the best location but to get everything ... A: I am in the middle of a job right now that has to have the full height backsplash replaced because ... | |
| cabinet under granite | 4/20/2011 |
| Q: I have 17 of my 18 cabinets installed and ready to go, but I got a 15'' instead of a 12'' cabinet ... A: Hey Giuseppe. I think that will be fine. If your granite folks are confident that they can do it, ... | |
| Americast Sink | 4/18/2011 |
| Q: Bryan - I saw you answered a question about an americast sink a while back. Might you have any ... A: Hey Rich. Wow, in a granite countertop, unless you can find someone to rework your sink cutout that ... | |
| removal of top mounted sink from granite counter | 4/14/2011 |
| Q: We have a top mounted synthetic kitchen sink (most likely corian) that appears to have been set ... A: I think you have a situation that I would almost have to see in person in order to be sure about ... | |
| removal of top mounted sink from granite counter | 4/13/2011 |
| Q: We have a top mounted synthetic kitchen sink (most likely corian) that appears to have been set ... A: I would be very surprised if you have a Corian sink top mounted in a granite countertop. I am ... | |
| Black Hi Macs scratches white? | 4/1/2011 |
| Q: We just ordered Hi Macs countertops in Black Pearl. The installation person mentioned that this ... A: Your fabricator is correct. Your Black Pearl Hi Macs is prone to scratching white. Not every ... | |
| replacing countertop | 3/6/2011 |
| Q: I would like to replace my old, 20 year old white, tile counter-top. The only issue I have, due to ... A: Here are my thoughts on what you want to do. It is "possible" to have your Silestone countertops ... | |
| coatings | 1/18/2011 |
| Q: I have a client that has chosen a granite for kitchen countertops; Dynasty Cross-Cut or Frappicinno ... A: I have to admit, I am not as experienced with stone countertops as I wish I was. I have had to do a ... | |
| Vanity Top | 11/19/2010 |
| Q: Greetings Bryan...I am in the process of renovating my bathroom. I would like to replace my vanity ... A: I am more of a solid surface fan than I am a fan of stone countertops for almost any application, ... | |
| Undermount Sink Replacement | 10/18/2010 |
| Q: I would like to replace the cast acrylic undermount sink on my granite countertop. The sink came ... A: I have a feeling that you may have one of the Americast series sinks that American Standard has ... | |
| microwave issues | 8/3/2010 |
| Q: We are currently getting new cabinets. Our Microwave is not the kind of that mounts under the ... A: There is a lot of gray area in your scenario for me but I will try to be helpful on this. I believe ... | |
| REPAIRING - GLUEING KITCHEN FAUCET DOWN TO CORIAN COUNTERTOP | 8/2/2010 |
| Q: My neighbor, an 80-year-old widow woman, has asked if my husband could repair her kitchen faucet to ... A: Hmm, glue down the faucet? I'm not sure that I have ever seen a faucet that was glued down to a ... | |
| Kitchen Island | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: I am building a island. The countertop for it is 6 feet length and the longest width would be 5 ... A: Two feet is way to much for an extended overhang. The general rule is that for 1/2" Corian you need ... | |
| Granite Breakfast Bar Support | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I'm having a slab of granite installed on a center island. The slab is 6' X 16". The fabricator is ... A: Hey Dave, I would not etch them into the granite. I would just leave them exposed. Etching them ... | |
| appliance installation | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: i want to replace a down draft cooktop with a slide in range. The cooktop is located in an island. ... A: Hey Don. If I could fire some questions back at you I could get more detailed with my ... | |
| Corian Install | 2/16/2010 |
| Q: Bryan, My wife is currently deciding on going with a dark (black) counter top to replace our ... A: Dark solid surface countertops are pretty tough to maintain. They do tend to show more scratches ... | |
| Silestone blemish | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: We just had our Silestone kitchen countertops installed, color "kona beige" which has some dark ... A: The best thing for you to do is to contact Silestone directly about your problem. Any resolution ... | |
| Replacing Kitchen Sink | 12/9/2009 |
| Q: Because of timing I need to replace a sink now, then later on replace the counter top. I would like ... A: Hey Mike, I never say never. But, in my experience, you will not find a dual mount sink that can ... | |
| Hi Mac scratches | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a hi mac solid surface counter top and it has developed many small scratches. Not deep enough ... A: Hey David. More than likely the 600 grit is going to be too fine to remove the scratches. It ... | |
| Corian counter need to change type of range | 11/8/2009 |
| Q: We have fairly new corian counters and now need to replace range. We want to eliminate the slide in ... A: Hey Barb, To cut your Corian properly you will need to use a router with a carbide bit. Spiral ... | |
| Quartz Countertops | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: I have quartz countertops in my kitchen. I want to give the kitchen a "face-lift" including ... A: Hey Angela, There is no way to change the color of quartz countertops. At least if there is a ... | |
| Replace Drop in Range with a Slide in range | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I'm replacing a 30" drop in range with a 30" slide in range. The opening should be OK. It looks ... A: Hey Ed, As long as the opening is okay then you are correct. Just make sure your opening ... | |
| KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS | 10/16/2009 |
| Q: WHEN MEASUREING MY COUNTER TOP OUR GLASS TOP STOVE IS 30".HOME DEPOT SAYS THAT, THAT HAS TO BE ... A: Hey Don, Yep, this is correct. They have to purchase the material in sheets. The sheets are ... | |
| Replacing Kitchen Sink | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: We have corian coutertops with an undermount almond sink. Can we easily replace the sink with ... A: I can't be specific with your question without knowing some more information. There are a lot of ... | |
| Granite Counter Tops | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: I had granite counter tops installed and when they were done with the install they sealed them, but ... A: Here is a website that sells lots of granite products that you may find helpful. ... | |
| butcher block counter top | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: I have a very small butcher block countertop next to my store - I don't know the age of this but ... A: I know a lot about solid surface countertops and not much at all about butcher block tops. I would ... | |
| Under counter space & granite composite sinks | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I'm having a 62" x 25" laminate kitchen counter top and cabinet built. Ideally I'd like to find a ... A: I am about to throw my computer out the window. I am very sorry for the delay again but I haven't ... | |
| counter top | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: cut the hole for the new sink in the new laminate counter top. Not sure what or how, but now I have ... A: Hey Dan, sorry to take so long to answer you. If the sink is sitting flat and doesn't need to be ... | |
| Can kitch faucet be installed directly over laminate | 7/26/2009 |
| Q: I'm having a 62" x 25" laminate kitchen counter top and cabinet built. Ideally I'd like to find a ... A: I apoligize for taking so long to answer you. If it were me, I would go ahead and get the 22 x 25 ... | |
| Cultured Marble | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: How can I fix superficial scratches from cultured marble? Thanks in advance, Richard A: I don't really do any clutured marble repairs myself but this is one that I have done before. You ... | |
| Marble top | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: I have a very old wash stand with a very scratched up marble top. How can I get the scratches out ... A: Hey Rodger. You have to use specific diamond abrasives instead of sandpaper. You will also need ... | |
| Corian sink | 5/29/2009 |
| Q: Is there any way to repair an 8 inch crack in my Corian double sink? I would like to do it myself. ... A: There are some diy kits that you can find online. I hate them, they do not usually work. I have ... | |
| Kitchen Sink Replacement | 5/28/2009 |
| Q: I'm remodeling my kitchen and need to replace the kitchen sink. My contractor says I need to be ... A: In order to answer your question I need a little more information. I am not quite sure if you are ... | |
| Glass cooktop cracks on tile counter | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: I installed a glass cooktop on a new tile counter using silicone and the supplied brackets. After ... A: Hey Guy, Try using some weather stripping. Just use some that is slightly thicker than your ... | |
| laminate countertop & sink replacement | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: We are remodeling our kitchen and would like to put in an undermount sink. Can we do that with a ... A: I am sorry for taking so long to respond. I've been on the road alot this week and your question ... | |
| Drilling into Silestone | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: When our house was built we had Silestone countertops and backsplash installed in the kitchen. We ... A: Hey Bob. I think your best bet is to just get a 1" screw. If it is a little too long then grind it ... | |
| bond bathroom mirror to tile | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: i want to bond a small mirror to the shower tile so that i can shave in the shower. what bonding ... A: Home Depot was right. 100% silicone. Don't over do it. Just dab about a dime sized drop on the ... | |
| granite counter top | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: We bought a 30" slide in range and the cut out is 36". Can the side gaps be filled with anything? ... A: I am afraid I can't think of anything to do that wouldn't look like you were just covering a ... | |
| Corian countertops | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: I am buying a house that has white corian countertops. I want to know is there anyway to change the ... A: Well, there are companies that will spray a solid surface countertop onto any surface. I have ... | |
| Wall Tile | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: I hired a man to fill in the missing grout between the wall tiles in my shower. This is grout that ... A: You are not being scammed. If you are going to do anything to it I would say go ahead and have it ... | |
| Sink/Counter install has no seal | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: We had a remodel on our home after a house fire last year. The kitchen sink is lacking a "seal" and ... A: I always seal the sinks with 100% silicone. GE or DAP that I buy at Lowe's or Home Depot. I would ... | |
| replacing an undermount sink | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: We have an undermount sink that is currently cracked. Our countertops are granite. Is it possible ... A: Hey Tina. Yes it is possible. I am guessing that your sink is some type of stone composite? ... | |
| kitchen counter tops | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: What are the pros & cons between laminate counters and granite counters? A: Well, no countertop is indestructible or without it's own issues but here is my take on laminate and ... | |
| Kitchen counter | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: Should a top or under mounted kitchen sink be installed for new granite kitchen counters? A: This is sort of a matter of opinion. Either one would be okay, but there are a few things you ... | |
| Replacing Kitchen Sink Attached to Granite | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: I would like to replace a sink that is attached to a granite counter top. Is this possible? If so, ... A: It is possible. There are a few things to consider. First, I would not recommend that you tackle ... | |
Kitchen Design/Remodeling
Answers by Expert:
Bryan Dix
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Any questions about solid surface countertop repair. (Corian, Hi Macs, Formica Solid Surface, Gibraltar, Avonite and all other brands. Crack repairs, sink replacements, scratch removal, countertop alterations for design purposes or to accept new appliance installations and more.
Experience
I was the lead fabricator in one of North Carolina's most popular countertop fabrication shops for 5 1/2 years. In charge of residential and commercial fabricating.
In 1998 I struck out on my own to start Complete Solid Surface Refinishing. North Carolina's first repair only specialist. We do not fabricate new countertops, we specialize in making existing solid surface countetops just like new again.
Dupont certification. #6231
Publications
I run The Solid Surface And Stone Countertop Repair BlogAll repairs done to solid surface countertops on the blog were done by me. The stone countertop repairs were submitted to me by other repair specialists around the country.
Also I am an expert author featured at www.ezinearticles.com
Education/Credentials
Dupont certified repair specialist certification #6321
Past/Present Clients
Dupont, Formica, LG Hi Macs, Avonite, Wilsonart. As well as thousands of satisfied homeowners in North Carolina.
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