How to Cut Round Holes in a Countertop

Place a template over your countertop showing where to place the round holes needed for your planned attachments. Templates are included with the attachment, such as sinks or faucets, to make certain your placement leaves room against walls and countertop fronts after creating the hole. Use a pencil to trace the outlines of the holes needed through the template and onto the countertop and then remove the template.

Drill a pilot hole using a 1/8-inch drill bit through the center the drawn area if the template hole that you're cutting is smaller than 6 inches. Attach a hole saw with the same diameter as the hole that your drilling through the countertop to an electric drill. The hole saw is a circular saw bit that you can use with a drill to cut holes through thinner surfaces, such as a countertop. Place the pilot bit at the center of the saw against the pilot hole and then begin cutting into the countertop. The pilot bit will follow the pilot hole already created, helping to keep the hole saw from skidding once it reaches the counter surface. Hold the saw steady as it cuts through the countertop, preventing it from angling as it does so until it’s completely through the surface.

Drill a starter hole at the edge of the drawn circle to handle larger round holes. Attach a 2-inch hole bit to your drill and then drill a hole against the inside edge of the drawn hole. Make certain your drilled hole remains inside the circle and doesn't overlap the drawn line. Use a 2-inch diamond core bit intended for granite cuts instead for solid surface countertops to avoid chipping the material as you drill through.

Lower the blade of a jigsaw through the drilled starter hole. Make certain that the blade you’re using is rated for the material of the countertop. Place the base of the jigsaw flat on the countertop surface and then use the jigsaw blade to cut the remainder of the hole, following the drawn outline closely. Substitute a router with a precision bit to cut through solid surface countertops to avoid chipping the surface with the jigsaw.

Clean up the cut sides with sandpaper placed onto a sanding block, making the sides as smooth and even as possible.