Warped Outdoor Kitchen Countertop
by Gina
QUESTION:I have an outdoor kitchen with 3/4" granite countertops. It is about 7-years old. The "grout" from the seams wasn't installed properly and the boards underneath the granite are warped and need to be replaced. I have been told that when lifting my granite it may crumble? Is this actually possible?ANSWER:Hi Gina, sorry to hear about your outdoor kitchen countertop troubles, but yes it is possible that the granite could crumble due to the constant moisture present from the poor installation.Water seeps through the grout and remains in the area between the plywood and tiles. It then absorbs into the granite potentially saturating the granite. The water could then decompose the granite making it unstable. It isn't a certainty, but it's something you should be aware could happen upon removal and repair and just FYI it could happen this way for nearly any type of stone or countertop material. The original outdoor kitchen countertop installation should have used pressure treated plywood or marine grade plywood with a waterproof cement backer board on top of the plywood. This would effectively seal the plywood and keep moisture out so the plywood would not warp and rot. So, for the repair you certainly want to interview the contractor and get detailed answers regarding exactly how the re-installation will be done and what materials will be used to make the structure as water resistant as possible. Good Luck, Ryan P.S. Get all the facts, answers, explanations and simple solutions with step-by-step instructions for any issue, problem or question with our Granite & Marble Maintenance Manuals.
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