Removing countertops

[glenn.ammons]

I want to remove some plywood countertops and backsplashes in my kitchen so that I can relaminate them, but I can't figure out how to do it. Each countertop butts up against the backsplash behind it and is attached to the cabinet beneath it by two screws at the front, inside the cabinet. If I remove those screws, the front of the countertop is loose but the back is still held down somehow. No other screws are visible from inside the cabinet.

How are these countertops likely to be attached at the back?

Thanks.

--glenn

[dpb]

[e-mail] wrote: ...

More than likely they attached the backsplash to the countertop then may well have tacked it to the wall in places. I've seen about every possible from finish nail through the top into the cabinet to screwed in to the wall studs before the laminate was laid. You may well have to simply destructively remove a section to actual determine how it was installed.

But, if it's just laminate, I'd probably just scrap the old tops and start over unless it's a really, really large area, the extra cost isn't worth the aggravation of working over old...

[Jim Yanik]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

The only countertop I have removed had the backsplash as part of the CT,and it was *glued* to the drywall with construction adhesive or sealer. I had to redo the drywall after the CT was removed.

[gfretwell]

The trick is to score the drywall down to the powder at the top joint of the backsplash so it doesn't tear the paper off above the glue joint. Just be sure your new backsplash is a tad taller to cover any damage you end up with.

[glenn.ammons]

The backsplash isn't attached to the wall in any obvious way. I've removed the laminate from a couple of the backsplashes and countertops, and I don't see any screws or nails. The old laminate comes off easily, which is one of the reasons I want to replace it.

I was hoping to avoid destruction but it sounds like it's either that or fit the new laminate with the countertops in place, which isn't easy.

Thanks.

--glenn

[marks542004]

on one of mine the countertop was just secured to the cupboard rail at the back.

I used a small putty knife to slide along and find the fasteners.