Tools Needed to Finish Corian Countertops

Router and Bit

• Use a router to cut and finish beveled or other edge designs. When seaming or joining two pieces of Corian together, a router must be used to make a finish cut between the two pieces. The pieces are then joined and glued together. The router bit must be carbide-tipped as a regular steel-tipped router bit will soon dull and become ineffective.

Circular Saw

• For long straight finish cuts, use a circular saw with a carbide-tipped blades. The more teeth that are on the blade, the smoother the finished cut will be. A heavy duty circular saw must be used with a fence clamped in place. The fence will ensure that the finish cut will be straight, and the carbide-tipped blade will ensure that the cut is smooth.

Drill

• To finish the Corian where the faucets will mount, drill holes using drill bits that are carbide-tipped. If a drill bit does not have a carbide tip, it will dull quickly and may burn or chip the Corian surface. Once you drill the holes, the faucets can be mounted and attached with no sanding or extra cutting necessary.

Orbital Sander

• Finish the Corian surface using an orbital sander and several grades of sandpaper. Begin with a 200-grit sandpaper and progress to a 400-grit, then a 600-grit and continue working your way up to a 2,000-grit sandpaper. Each successive grit will smooth the surface even more than the last one, and by the time you finish sanding the surface with a 2,000-grit sandpaper, the Corian will be nearly glasslike.