- Q.I've been unsuccessful in
finding a permanent method of securing dishwashers to
the underside of stone countertops. I've tried using
construction adhesive and epoxy to secure the small
metal tabs, but with no long-term success. One
countertop installer said he uses a hammer drill to
drill a hole about half the thickness of the
countertop. He inserts a cut-off plastic anchor in the
hole and secures the tab on the dishwasher with a
screw. This seems extremely risky. Do you have any
suggestions?
A.Mike Barrett
responds: I do it the same way as that
countertop installer, and have never had any
problem. The metal tabs on top of the dishwashers
are usually far enough back that there's no risk of
creating a stress crack at the edge of the counter.
I nearly always install 1 1/4-inch-thick counters.
On thinner, 3/4-inch counters, we double the front
edge thickness and carry it far enough back that we
can safely drill into that.
If you're worried, you could try using a bead of
silicone instead of drilling. Wedge the tab into
place over the silicone until it sets up.
Some installers use epoxy anchors, which require
a bigger hole. The problem with this is that the
installed anchor protrudes down about 3/8 inch,
which can get in the way of the top-mount controls
on a lot of the new dishwashers.
Another way to avoid drilling the stone is to
steer your customers toward one of the dishwashers
that allow you to secure the unit to the cabinet
sides, such as some of the Bosch units.
Mike Barrett is the owner of Vermont
Precision Stone in South Burlington, Vt.