Enlarging Existing Hole in Granite? for K-6227-C11

[weatherboy80]

We just purchased a new faucet for our kitchen (Kohler Karbon KOHLER: K-6227-C11: Karbon® articulating deck-mount kitchen faucet: Kitchen Sink Faucets: Faucets: Kitchen). It is a single spout faucet, but it also requires a separate hole for the lever control. We currently have two existing holes (1 3/8") for our old faucet in the granite at 8" apart. However, when reading the instructions for the new Karbon faucet it states that the lever hole should be 2" in diameter, which is a bit unusual for a faucet hole.

So my problem is that the existing hole would need to be enlarged some. I know they do make 2" diamond hole saws, but is there any extra issue with possibly cracking my granite if we tried to enlarge the existing hole? Can the hole be filed some to enlarge it the extra distance. The lever has an overlap so the hole doen't need to be perfect, but I don't want the countertop cracked either.

We might just try and contract this out, but most people I've talked to haven't ever heard of a hole this size.

12089

http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/detail.jsp?item=14477402&prod_num=6227-C11

[Terry]

Wow!
A 2" hole for a kitchen faucet. Who would have guessed.
I guess these only go on new granite.

[weatherboy80]

Yeah, strange why they did that! So no way of getting these thing onto an existing slab of granite. I would imagine some kind of router or dremel tool would work here?

[Basement_Lurker]

ugh, another example of kohler's nonsense. enlarging the remote valve's hole to 2" would be an "easy" proposition for an experienced granite installer. Attempting to do this yourself is foolish and almost guarantying a new countertop.

[weatherboy80]

Yeah, I'm calling around to see who will do this. Love the faucet, not the design!

[hj]

I assume you HAVE tried the faucet to make sure it needs a hole that large. Any granite company has the diamond hole saw to make the hole larger. By the time you buy one, you might be cheaper having it done, without worrying about damaging the top.

[weatherboy80]

Yup, I have the faucet in hand now, measured, and re-read the directions. Leave it to kohler to have a 2" requirement!

[dlarrivee]

I'd take the faucet back, unless it promises to last forever.

[weatherboy80]

For the money I paid it better last forever!

[dlarrivee]

For the money I paid it better last forever!

So when it doesn't, will the next one require a smaller hole again?

[6t7gto]

Color/Finish: Polished Chrome (-CP)
Model Number: K-6227-C11-CP
List price*: $1,014.75

WOW!!!!

[weatherboy80]

Well, I paid nowhere near that price seen on the Kohler site, but you're right it wasn't cheap.

[jadnashua]

I would be very leery about making the hole as it could end up closer to the edge and make the stone weak there. With a hole saw, unless you know what you are doing, it is easy to get it caught and exert a huge amount of torque which may chip or crack things. I stay away from things Kohler - I've learned.

[TWEAK]

If you want to do this, I recommend a diamond wet cutting holesaw. In 2" this will cost you around $175 or more for a good one. Put a bucket underneath, and have someone with a spray bottle constantly flood the hole. Some folks put a piece of sponge in the hole to hold more water. Can't hurt.

I tried a dry diamond once. The 2" bit was about $80. It worked, but not well. I won't do it again. I had too much chipping and overall the anxiety was not worth the savings. Most granite counters are insanely expensive, trying to save a little on a non-optimal tool makes little sense.

You have to have a guide. I use a scrap piece of 3/4 wood. Then cut a hole with a 2" regular holesaw. Make sure your diamond bit fits realtively closely in the hole, but you don't want the diamond to be rubbing on the wood or it will load up. Locate the guide on the counter and CLAMP it in place. Be careful when clamping, this is where a lot of granite is cracked. If you're worried about the counter edge distance (between hole and sink) getting too skinny, there is often no reason why your new hole has to be on the same center as the old one. You can offset it in such a way that the new hole and the old one share a tangent point and thus doesn't use up edge distance. IN your case, this could be a problem if you're wanting the two pieces of the faucet to be on a centerline parallel to the sink edge.

Drilling any hole in a granite slab always involves some risk. Use a light touch, and rock the bit slightly while drilling to clear the slurry. You can't have too much water. With holes close to the sink edge especially... there is always a risk of a (disastrous) crack. And there is also a very good chance of a chip that might end up being visible if it's big enough.

Having said all that... I wouldn't do it. I completely agree with those that don't think much of Kohler. There area many good manufacturers out there. The notion of going to a nonstandard hole in something as expensive as a granite counter for a faucet of mediocre quality just doesn't sound like a good idea, but if you or your significnat other is in love with the style, well then that's more or less it, right?