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Torch-Cutting a Granite Countertop
Question
On the other end of the cabinet there is a 12" square post. I built the cabinet so I could angle it in past the rock, but have discovered the face frame hits the rock in about 4 places that stick out when I try to slide it in. I would like to take off the high spots in order to get the cabinet in. The high spots range from .5" to .75". I have tried a cold chisel, but it takes too long and leaves tool marks. I could trim the cabinet but would rather not go there. I have heard that it is possible to heat granite up with a propane torch and the expanding crystals will make the granite flake off. Does anyone here have experience doing this? Forum Responses
From contributor S: Diamond wheel on a 4" grinder if the score/cut marks will not be visible after the install. All safety to be considered and followed. I don't know that straight propane would do the trick if you wanted to play with fire, but I would think that a setup that added oxygen would do the trick. They carved mountains with kerosene and O2 and iron powder torches can cut over ten feet of concrete... Okay, maybe a little bit of overkill. From the original questioner: The stone will be visible, so grinding is not possible. The use of a stronger torch is scary to me. I don't want to take off too much material. From contributor D: Sounds like it'd be easier to work on the wood instead of the stone. Maybe a little better planning next time? From the original questioner: I decided to go for it and everything came out fine. If you hold the torch on a single spot for about 1 - 2 minutes, the granite flakes (and pops) off very nicely in about .125" thick by 1.5" diameter pieces. I moved around a lot in order to minimize the amount of heat the rock was getting. From contributor R: And it didn't need polishing? From the original questioner: The granite was naturally split, so the pieces that I took off match the rest of the stone perfectly. Would you like to add information to this article? Interested in writing or submitting an article? Have a question about this article? Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below? 
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