Plywood under quartz countertop?

kbrinton

I am being asked to believe that my new quartz countertop does not need a solid piece of 3/4" or 5/8" plywood under all parts of it. The new kitchen cabinets have open tops with only wood strips front and back to support the countertop.

Another professional has counseled me to demand the plywood support.

Is quartz countertop installed without plywood -- without any support under most of it?

RTRCon

If your quartz is 3/4 thick with somekind of rolled or applied selfedge then we put 5/8 plywood under it. If its the thicker 3cm(1-1/4 thick), no plywood is needed.

kbrinton

I understand the quartz (Silestone) will be 2cm thick. That is not an inch thick, rather just under 0.8 inch. I think the underlying plywood would be required with this thickness.

kbrinton

And RTRCon, if I quote you to the people doing my job, can I say you are a licensed professional, an experienced non-professional, or are you a handyman like me?

K

RTRCon

Im not in the granite/quartz business, but have been a licensed cabinet installer and interior trim carpenter for the past 15 years if that helps. Were the ones who will put the subtops down if they are called for. In most installs the one who is installing the granite/quartz should be able to tell you what he wants as a subtop if any.

kbrinton

Maybe it was the confidence-building vibes I acquired in the interchange with RTRCon, or maybe it was luck. Today when the cabinet guys came to finish their install, they put on 5/8" plywood roughtop.

Then the countertop template man arrived and informed us we were getting a 3cm (1-1/4") quartz countertop, not 2cm (3/4"). How did that happen? I'd been expecting 2cm all along. Anyway, he asked the cabinet guys to remove the roughtop later, and then did a beautiful exact job of templating.

This forum is great! Hope I can help somebody else some day! Thanks to RTRCon.

K