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- 1). Turn off the water supply to the sink from under the faucet unit, at the two valve handles. Disconnect the water lines to the faucet unit with your wrench. Disconnect the downspout under the sink from the trap (the curved part of the drain pipe system) with your wrench. Use a razor knife to cut through the caulk around the perimeter of the sink on top. Lift the sink out of the countertop, leaving an open hole.
- 2). Sand the surface of the counter with a power sander to remove any surface gloss. Wipe off the dust.
- 3). Measure to determine the middle of the length of the counter. Use a pencil and square to make a line denoting the countertop's middle from front to back, dividing the counter in two.
- 4). Spread tile adhesive over the front half of the counter, using a notched trowel.
- 5). Press the front course of trim tiles into the adhesive, starting at the middle line and working outward toward the edges. Set the trim tiles so that the finished edges face forward, and are lined up with the edge of the counter. Put spacers between the tiles as you lay them. Cut the tiles at the ends as needed.
- 6). Press a second course of tiles in place just before the front row, using standard tiles (unfinished on all sides). Again, start at the middle line and work toward the sides, putting spacers between them. Cut the end tiles as necessary, by setting them on your tile platform, scoring them with circular blade of the cutter, and snapping them at the score line with the two prongs on the cutter handle.
- 7). Repeat for each row of tiles, course by course, laying more adhesive as needed. Tile the whole counter. Shape the tiles to go around the sink hole, using your tile nippers to chip the tiles into the curved shape you need. The tiles don't have to be exact around the hole, as the lip of the sink will cover them.
- 8). Let the tiles set overnight.
- 9). Remove the spacers. Grout the tiles with a rubber grout float, forcing the grout into the spaces between the tiles. Use a sponge to wipe the grout off the surface.
- 10
Let the grout set for two days. Re-install the sink so the lip of the rim sits on the edges of the tiles around it and covers the exposed parts that you chipped off. Caulk around the perimeter of the sink, and along the back of the countertop where it meets the wall.
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