28

Aug

What Are The Different Grades Of Granite Countertops?

It’s a fact granite can transform any kitchen or bathroom surface, but before you rush to install granite countertops, you should know granite comes in different grades that include:

Level 1 granite

Often referred to as builder’s grade or commercial grade, level 1 granite is a lower quality granite, often imported from China and sold through big box stores, granite liquidators, or cut into tile.

This granite has a consistent pattern, but it comes in a variety of colors to choose from, including beige, green, brown, grey, and black.

One of the most popular colors is Santa Cecilia, a light beige stone with bursts of burgundy, gold, yellow, and black. There is also Ubatuba that features an elegant dark green background with speckles of brown, gold, and black.

You may also find White Fiorito attractive. It features black and brown speckling on a soft white slab base.

The material is usually pre-fabricated and used in apartments, furniture, and prefabricated models. This granite is usually of a thinner cut, usually 3/8 inch, and it requires you to install a plywood backing to provide it with more strength.

Although, the slab comes with an entry-level price, it’s durable and highly versatile. This makes it an ideal choice for indoor and outdoor projects both in commercial and residential applications.

Level 2: Mid-grade granite

From its name, this is a mid-grade granite with a thickness of ¾ inch. The material is usually imported from India or Brazil, and it’s characterized by unique colors, more uniform patterns, and a variety of markings.

Granite at this level is known as the silver, and as a homeowner, the best stone to buy is one between “single silver” and “double silver.” At this level, you can find most of the colors available in the market ranging from light to absolute black.

The silvers have speckles, veining patterns, or flecks. They might also be uniform with plenty of options to choose from.

Mid-range granite slabs are ideal for projects throughout the house from kitchen islands to vanity tops and Jacuzzis, to hearths and fireplace surrounds.

Since they are imported, the slabs vary between shipments, so you should avoid buying them online. The best way to go about it is to visit the stone yard and see the individual slab and determine whether its ideal for your application.

Level 3: High-grade granite

This is the finest quality of granite, and it’s often referred to as the gold.  Granite of this level often comes in rare colors, unique, striking patterns, or a combination of both.

The best place to use this granite is in the kitchen as a countertop or as a signature piece for islands. You can also use it on smaller vanities, around fireplaces, and tub surrounds.

Level 4 exotic granite

Exotic granite is naturally rare, with quarries producing limited quantities. This makes it the most expensive countertop material and often common with homeowners that want to make a bold statement in their house. Most homeowners install the countertop on fireplaces, coffee tables, and accent pieces.

Choosing a high-quality granite countertop

For the countertop to last for a long time, you should buy a high-quality one. When making the purchase, you should pay attention to several things that include:

Size: A good quality granite slab should be square, rectangle, or any of your desired shapes. The tolerance shouldn’t exceed 1 in length, and the breadth and thickness tolerance shouldn’t exceed 155 inches.

Color: A good quality granite slab should have a uniform color, uniform thickness, and homogenous crystalline texture.

Hardness: The slab should be hard, dense, and sound. You can check the hardness of the stone by pressing it with a hard object. If you press it and chips of the stone split, stay away from the slab.

Polishing: The stone should have one face properly polished and the edges straight and perfectly at a right angle, which can be achieved by machine or hand cutting. This not only gives the countertop an elegant appeal, but it also makes it easy for granite contractors Rockville to install it.

Talking of installation, ensure the stone is installed by experienced contractors. You don’t want technicians to destroy a stone you have spent a leg and arm on, do you? The contractors should also be insured. This way you are sure you will be compensated in the event of an accident.

12

Aug

What Is The Best Stone For Kitchen Countertops? Countertop Replacement Services Providers Answer

With lots of countertop materials in the market, many homeowners are confused about the right ones to go for. Are you wondering, what is the best stone for kitchen countertops? Here are some of the options to choose from as given by countertop replacement services providers:

Granite

Granite is one of the most popular countertop materials in the market. It has been around for centuries and is loved by homeowners as it completely transforms the kitchen when properly installed. The countertops give modest houses a pleasing, luxurious look.

For years, many homeowners have shied away from granite due to its high cost. Thankfully, due to technological advancements, its prices have drastically come down, making it more affordable.

Pros of the stone

  • Significantly adds value to your kitchen
  • Easy to maintain
  • Strong and durable
  • Almost impervious to heat
  • Comes in plenty of colors and designs

Cons

  • Tends to crack when exposed to a lot of stress or improperly installed
  • Not suitable for DIY installation
  • Expensive
  • Porous, so you need to seal it to prevent stains from coming about
  • Knives tend to quickly dull when you cut directly on the stone

Marble

Like granite, marble has been around since time immemorial, where you can see it even in palaces and other buildings that date back to the Roman era.

One of its most significant setbacks is its high price tag, which makes it impractical to install in large kitchens. Homeowners also see it as the material to install in specific areas of the kitchen, such as the island or sections of the countertop reserved as baking centers.

While marble is highly-priced, it doesn’t easily stain or scratch. To reduce its maintenance, you should seal it with a high-quality sealer.

Concrete

Does your kitchen have an unusual shape, and you would like to maintain the unique look? Why not install concrete countertops? Homeowners have the impression the concrete used is the same you find in the sidewalks, but this isn’t the case.

The concrete used on the countertops is usually highly polished and often textured or even acid-stained to give it unique colors.

Pros of the stone

  • You can tint it to your preferred color
  • Gives your kitchen a unique, exotic look
  • Heat and scratch-resistant

Cons

  • You can’t install it on your own—you have to hire a professional to install it for you
  • You have to seal the surfaces to reduce the porosity
  • Cracking can happen
  • Gives the kitchen an industrial look which might be off-putting to potential homebuyers—if looking to sell the house later on.
  • Due to the customization, the cost of the stone might be high.

Quartz

Also known as engineered stone, quartz comes in a wide range of colors and features a nonporous surface that is resistant to staining and scratching.

Pros

  • Even with minimal skills, you can install the countertop material
  • Quartz slabs are uniform, without any imperfections
  • You can custom fabricate the slabs into any size and shape
  • Due to its nonporous nature, the countertops are resistant to stains and impervious to heat and acid
  • Concrete is easy to maintain as you don’t need to seal it.

Cons

  • The countertops are expensive so unaffordable for many people
  • Quartz is heavy, which can add on a lot of weight on your surfaces.

Ceramic tile

Compared to quartz, marble, and other natural stone countertops, ceramic tile is much more affordable. The countertop material has undergone great transformations, so you will easily find porcelain tiles with different designs. You will find tiles that resemble wood, cork, marble, and even leather.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Comes in a wide range of colors and styles
  • Resistant to heat damage from hot pans
  • Ideal for DIYers as they are easy to install
  • Easy to clean

Cons

  • If looking for custom tiles, they can easily get too expensive
  • They don’t carry the same prestige as quartz or granite which might put off future house buyers
  • Ceramic tiles are brittle and can easily crack when put under a lot of stress.

Over to you

There is no definite best stone countertop you can install in your home. The choice solely depends on your tastes and the look you want to create. To choose the right material, consult granite installers Rockville, or any other professionals.

05

Aug

Tips On How To Maintain The Shine On Your Quartz Countertops

There are plenty of reasons you can opt for quartz countertops. They are durable, they last for a long time, they are easy to maintain, among many other things. No homeowner wants ugly countertops, so when you install them, you should take good care of them to retain their great appeal.

To help you out, here are tips on how to keep your countertops looking awesome for years:

Clean them daily

Cleaning the countertops daily not only eliminates dirt and dust, but it also gets rid of germs that might contaminate your food. The cool thing is it’s easy to clean the countertops. Using soap, water, and a soft rag is enough. You can also use a mild detergent, but take care the detergent isn’t too tough for the surfaces; hence end up causing damage.

While regular daily cleaning is enough to keep your surfaces in top shape, you should occasionally use a glass cleaner to clean the countertops deeply. To clean the surfaces, spray the cleaner on your countertops, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off with a wet cloth.

You should stay away from harsh cleaners as they will damage the surfaces. These cleaners are highly acidic or alkaline. Some of the cleaners to stay away from include: bleach, oven cleaner, drain cleaners, Methylene chloride, trichloroethane, and dishwasher rinsing agents.

Get rid of stains as soon as possible.

Although, the countertops are highly resistant to stains, liquids such as coffee and wine can spill on the counters and leave a stain that is hard to remove. To remove the stains, you should use an adhesive remover.

Pour a little bit of cleaner on the stain then let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then remove the stain with a soft cloth. After removing the stain, clean the surfaces with warm water.

Watch the edges

The countertops are tough, but the corners and edges of the surfaces will chip and crack if you consistently strike them with a blunt or sharp object. While you can always hire a countertop restoration professional to fix the surfaces, it’s always good to prevent the chipping in the first place.

When working on the surfaces, avoid working on the edges. If you have many people in the house, let them know how to take care of the surfaces and how to conduct themselves around them.

Keep hot objects away.

The countertops will rarely crack at high temperatures, but when you regularly expose them to hot objects, you put them at the risk of losing their color. To avoid this, you should keep hot pots, pans, and baking sheets from the surfaces.

If you have to place the hot items on the surfaces, use a mat, trivet, or pad.

Use a cutting board

While quartz is highly scratch-resistant, it’s not scratch proof.  So to keep the countertops free of unnecessary scratches and avoid dulling the knives, you should use a cutting board when cutting meat, onions, tomatoes, or any other material.

Keep off permanent markers.

As you are preparing the meals, it’s normal for the kids to come and stay with you in the kitchen. As they are there, it’s tempting to allow them to do their school projects on the kitchen island.

Sometimes they might be using permanent markers that are known to adhere to the surfaces making it hard to remove them.

To remove the colors, you have to use harsh chemicals. While the chemicals will remove the colors, they also tend to damage the countertops. If you have to invite the kids to the kitchen to complete their homework there, ensure they are using water-based markers.

Keep the warranty certificate.

Most reputable manufacturers give a warranty for their products. While quartz is known to last for decades, sometimes problems might come up. For example, the countertops might break or even lose their original color.

When this happens, you can’t return the slabs without the warranty certificate. To have an easy time getting a replacement for your quartz kitchen countertops Potomac, you should keep the warranty certificate.

The certificate also means the countertop company can send a technician to repair or even replace the countertops at no cost on your end.