At the end of the last post, I had moved the countertop from the garage to the kitchen. To fasten it to the cabinets, I used a silicone adhesive and screws (from the bottom). After reading the directions to the silicone, I discovered I only had five minutes of open time to get the countertop clamped, so I drilled all the holes beforehand and started the screws. (It really does pay to read the directions.) Then the silicone went on.
I used three 54-pound retaining wall blocks as gravity clamps, then quickly tightened the screws (close to 20 of them).
After the silicone adhesive's 24-hour cure time, I installed the cooktop, setting it in the opening, and making the electrical connections (will be behind future drawers).
Then I used silicone caulk to fill the small gap between the sink and the countertop. I intentionally left the gap so the caulk would make a good seal.
I applied a coat of furniture paste wax to the countertop for further protection. I'll add another coat before the clutter returns.
I installed the faucet and made the water supply line connections. While all of this was going on, I had been applying three coats of epoxy to the backsplash, and sanding (same as was done for the countertop). The backsplash was installed to the wall with silicone adhesive, with a bead of silicone caulk under the bottom edge. Done!
Time for recovery. — dismantling the glue-up frame in the garage, and cleaning it all up (so the car can return). Pottery studio cabinets next.
