28

Apr

Tips On How To Shine Quartz Countertops

Quartz countertops are an excellent addition to any home. Compared to both natural and artificial countertop materials, they are harder, more durable, and require less maintenance.

For you to keep your home looking spectacular, you have to maintain the countertops shining all the time. Would you love to know how to do it? Here are tips on how to go about it:

Clean the countertops daily

There is no way you can expect to have shining countertops if you don’t clean them. At least once a day, fill a spray bottle with plain water then squirt a couple of drops of mild soap such as dish detergent on the countertops.

Spritz water on the countertop to dilute the soap then use a soft cloth to wipe the counter.  When cleaning, start from one end and move to the other spraying and wiping a few feet at a time.

You shouldn’t worry about scratching the surfaces as quartz is tough. However, avoid using abrasive pads as they can leave streaking in the polish. They also sometimes leave a residue behind.

If you have gone for a long time without cleaning the countertops, it’s common to come across stubborn areas. To clean these areas, apply a small amount of vinegar to the problematic area and leave a wet rag sitting on top for a few minutes to loosen the gunk.

When it comes to soap, don’t use oil-based soaps as they can dull the shine. The best soap to use is standard dish soap.

Apply some polish

What better way to make your countertops shine than to use some polish? The cool thing is that you don’t have to buy the polish—you can make one in your home. To do it, add 25% vinegar to 75% water and mix it in a spray bottle. You can also purchase a vinegar-based spray cleaner.

Spray and polish as you work your way across the counter to keep the surfaces looking excellent. For extra dazzle, give the countertops the final polish using some spray and microfiber cloth.

Refinish the countertops

Do your countertops have a brushed and textured finish that wasn’t meant to be shiny? The solution for this is refinishing the countertops. You should note that different finishes have different results, so before you apply the finish to the entire surface, first apply it on a small area to see how it looks.

Get rid of food residues by thoroughly rinsing the countertops.

Sometimes keeping the countertops shining is as simple as rinsing them. Using a spray bottle, get the countertops as wet as possible. Since quartz is non-porous, nothing gets absorbed into the countertops, and this can leave a film on the surfaces that you won’t see in other materials.

To clean quartz surfaces, you only need to use a sponge to scrub the quartz and wipe the water off with a clean, dry cloth. Once the countertops are thoroughly dry, there shouldn’t be any streaks.

Disinfect the surfaces

It’s also important to disinfect the surfaces after they have come into contact with raw meat, fish, poultry, and seafood. To disinfect the surfaces, use paper towels to remove any residual moisture and other debris.

Then using a clean paper towel, spray the counter with a multi-surface antibacterial spray cleaner and allow it to stand for a few seconds. Work across the countertop while spraying and wiping from one end to the other until you are done.

If you don’t have a paper towel or don’t like using them, use bleach-free disinfecting wipes.

Tips to consider when shining the countertops

One of the main reasons the countertops aren’t shining is they have plenty of stains on them. Instead of going through the trouble of cleaning the stains, prevent them from happening in the first place. You can do this by:

  • Keeping the countertops clean all the time
  • Wiping away spills as quickly as possible
  • Regularly inspecting the countertops and getting rid of any stains or flaws you might come across.

When cleaning the surfaces, quartz countertop contractors Potomac advise against using substances with a high pH. This calls for you to avoid products such as oven cleaners, de-greasers, and ammonia. You also should avoid bleach and acetone.

24

Apr

Countertop Replacement Services: Understanding Faux Stone Countertops

Also known as faux stone, manufactured stone veneer is a manmade material designed to replicate the look of natural stone.

It comes in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes and you can use it in different areas, including: stone backsplash, interior walls, fireplaces, and even in your countertop replacement project, especially if you are strained of money.

Would you like to know more about the stone veneer? Here are a few things you should know about it as given by the countertop replacement services provider:

How is stone veneer made?

The stone is composed of lightweight natural aggregates, Portland cement, and iron oxide that adds the color. The materials are put in a mold then pressed in high pressure resulting in highly dense, realistic-looking finished stone.

The first stone veneer was made in the 19th century and interesting enough, it was made from natural stone.

The manufacturers sliced natural stone into thick slabs then sold them. Although cement is a significant component of the veneer, it wasn’t part of it until the 1950s. Currently, most of the modern veneer stones are made from molds taken from carefully selected natural stone.

Some of the manufacturers go to the extent of replicating the rough and unique textures of natural stone, making it almost impossible to differentiate the two.

Is the stone veneer right for your home?

This is a subjective question. If you don’t like the natural look of stone veneer, you won’t like the surfaces in your home regardless of how good of an investment they are. On the other hand, if you like the natural look, then you will be proud of having the veneers in place.

How does veneer compare to natural stone?

In addition to being highly versatile, manufactured stone is cheaper, where it costs up to 1/3 the cost of natural stone. Since most of the manufacturers aim to produce veneer stones that closely resemble solid stone as much as possible, veneer stones tend to exhibit the same variations in size, shape, texture, and color to natural stone.

Just like natural stone countertops, stone veneer is maintenance-free. All you need to keep it looking spectacular is washing it to remove dirt and dust.

Since the material is cheap, you can save on your project without sacrificing on custom details.

Can you install the veneers by yourself?

Yes, you can install the material by yourself if you have the skills, but for ideal results, you should handle the project by yourself. If you have never done it before, let an expert veneer contractor help you out.

If you are confident in your skills, you should go ahead and try to install the veneers by yourself. Before you begin the project, check with the building inspector about the local building code requirements. You don’t want to be on the wrong side of the law, do you?

You should then choose veneer from different boxes that vary in shapes and color. When it comes to the installation, begin working from the corners, then work your way down from the top. This prevents mortar from staining the stones below.

If you discover the mortar dripping on one of the stones, wait for a day or two for it to dry before brushing it off with a whisk broom. If possible, hide the edges that you trimmed by pointing them up or down, above or below your eye level.

Once you are done, you can paint your new countertops to your preferred colors or let them retain their original color.

Conclusion

There is no denying that manufactured stone veneer comes with plenty of benefits. It’s cheaper, lightweight, comes in a wide range of colors, and ideal for both domestic and commercial applications.

If you feel it’s right for your home, work with reputable granite installers Rockville or any other professionals that will not only help you find the ideal material for your home, but also help you with the installation.

You can find contractors from friends or relatives. If none of them have hired a contractor in the recent past, try a Google search. When doing your research, pay attention to the reviews as they will guide you on the reputation of the contractor.

10

Apr

Tricks On How To Save Money When Buying Granite Countertops

This is what homeowners do when they are looking to buy granite countertops and other countertop materials: they find a local stone yard, pick a slab they like, get the price, and buy.

While this might seem like a highly convenient way of buying the countertops, it’s wrong, and you end up spending a lot of money than you should. Are you looking to save money when having a kitchen remodel project? Here are some of the tips to consider when buying the countertops:

Shop around

You will find kitchen countertops in big box stores, countertop fabricators, kitchen and bathroom design studios, and in other companies specializing in countertop materials.

For you to get the best price, don’t buy from the first company you come across. Take time to visit different companies and see what they have to offer. If you have friends and family that recently installed countertops, ask them where they got them from.

Visit different stores until you find a store selling high-quality countertops at the least price.

Buy the countertops in wholesale

As you are doing your research, keep a close eye on the companies that allow you to buy the countertops in wholesale. Just like any other item, when you buy in wholesale, you end up saving a lot of money.

For you to get a wholesale offer, you have to buy the countertops in bulk, so this option will work in your favor if you have a large kitchen.

Don’t waste the countertop material

To maintain a uniform countertop, countertop experts recommend you buy the entire slab in one piece. When you do this, it’s not uncommon to be left with more material than you need. The cool thing is that you don’t have to throw away the remaining material.

You can use the leftover stone in many ways, such as using it to cover a backsplash, use it as a durable finish for the sides of an island, or as a flooring transition between the kitchen and dining room.

Scour the boneyard

If you have a small kitchen and color consistency isn’t an essential factor for you, you don’t have to buy premium countertop materials from a countertop store. You can visit the local boneyard and get the countertops at a fraction of the cost.

Boneyards are areas in stone yards where homeowners return the stone slab leftovers once they can’t use them anymore.

Buy a more common color

Granite countertops and other stone countertop materials have tremendously lowered their costs, mainly due to improvement in manufacturing technology. While this is the case, you should note that countertops of a rare color are still expensive.

Luckily, the countertops come in many more affordable colors. To save money, avoid the rare colors. You might argue that the unique color will add more value to your overall house, but this isn’t the case.

Unless you have extra money and you want the look, there is no point in spending a lot of money on a rare color.

Go for a prefabricated material

A prefabricated stone is one that is already cut and polished. This stone is perfect for simple counters requiring few cuts. Highly consider going for prefabricated materials if your countertop cabinets are standard.

The materials come with three finished edges and a polished surface. While they are as good as the new ones, they cost half as much, which saves you a lot of money.

Buy from a local supplier

When you buy from a distant supplier, you have to handle the shipping costs, which can be high, especially if you are getting them from a different state. To save money, buy the countertops from a local supplier.

This way, you won’t pay much for shipping. When you place a large order, the supplier delivers the countertops at no cost.

DIY wherever possible

If you are a handy person, there are plenty of ways you can save money on your kitchen remodeling project. If you have the skills, instead of hiring granite countertop installers Rockville, do the work yourself.

Countertop installation isn’t an easy feat, so if it’s beyond your skill level, do the easy tasks such as sealing the countertops after the installer has installed them.