29

Nov

How Much Weight Can You Put On Granite Countertops?

If you are asking, how much weight can you put on granite countertops? You must be thinking about standing or sitting on your countertops and unsure whether your countertops will take the weight, right?

Granite is fairly thick, often at the very least ¾ of an inch. If the weight is evenly distributed over a large area, the countertops can hold up to 1000 pounds.

If you are planning on standing on the countertops either to change the lights or reach to the top shelf, you most likely won’t have your weight evenly distributed, which increases the chances of damaging the countertops, especially if your countertops have a weak point or small fissures.

While granite is tough and can handle a lot of weight, granite technicians highly discourage sitting or standing on them. If you have to stand or sit on the countertops, place sturdy plywood on the counters where you will now stand or sit on.

The plywood will help distribute the weight over a large area reducing the chances of caving in the countertops with your weight. To avoid splinters, wear shoes.

Besides sitting or standing on the countertops, there are plenty of other things you should avoid doing to maintain your countertops in top shape. They include:

Placing kids in the sink

If you have a double sink, it might seem cute having your little one there as you are cleaning the dishes but don’t do it. Sinks are often the countertops’ weakest areas, and having your three or four-year-old there you will be damaging your precious countertops.

If you enjoy cleaning the dishes or preparing your meals with the kids in the kitchen, bring them seats to sit on the kitchen island as you go about your duties.

Allowing a lot of sun in the kitchen

Every homeowner wants a well-lit kitchen, and there is nothing wrong with this, but allowing a lot of direct sunlight in the kitchen can cause your countertops to fade. Sunlight can also fade some of the sealants you used on your countertops, giving your surfaces a cheap look.

To avoid this, pull down the shades during the peak daylight hours.

Preparing food in the same area

Do you prepare food in the same spot all the time? Over time, the area suffers from etches, scratches, and other signs of wear and tear.

It’s normal to have a favorite food preparation area, but don’t be too attached to it.

Now and then, prepare your food in different areas of the counter. Who knows, you might even discover a new favorite area you never knew existed?

Placing hot pots and pans on the countertop

Granite is a natural stone, so it has a tough look but don’t fall for it. Placing a hot pan directly on it will cause cracking and discoloration. In some cases, you destroy the granite slab to the extent you have to replace it.

To keep your surfaces in good condition, make it a habit to use potholders and trivets to serve as barriers to avoid burning the surfaces.

Leaning on the edges

What happens when you are preparing your meals with your better half in the kitchen? If there are no chairs in the room, they often lean on the edges, isn’t it? This is wrong as, just like standing or sitting, you put extra pressure on the counters, increasing their chances of getting damaged especially if there are fault lines.

As you should avoid sitting, you should definitely avoid opening a beer bottle on the counters.

Dicing directly on the countertops

The same way homeowners think they can place hot items on the countertops and get away with it is the same way they think they can chop directly on the granite kitchen countertops Rockville and cause no harm.

Oh boy, how wrong are they? When you cut directly on the surfaces, you cause fine scratches that can disrupt the waterproof sealant on the countertops, making them more susceptible to damage.

To maintain your countertops in top condition, always use a cutting board whenever you are chopping, slicing, or dicing.

15

Nov

6 Steps On How To Polish Granite Countertops

Polished granite gives your kitchen a sleek, subtle look. Unfortunately, polished countertops are expensive hence not many homeowners can afford them. Luckily, you can install rough countertops then polish them later on. Interested in learning how to polish granite countertops? Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Clean the countertops

Everything begins here as you can’t polish dirty countertops. Thankfully, cleaning the countertops is easy. You need warm water and a mild detergent. Mix the two, then apply them on the surfaces using a soft cloth.

Once you are done with cleaning, dry the surfaces with a microfiber cloth. You should never leave the surfaces wet or damp as you put the surfaces at the risk of staining.

Step 2: Make or buy the polish.

You can get the polish in two ways: you can make it or buy it. To make the polish, get a small bowl, baking soda, warm water, and fork. Mix 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water until you get a smooth thick paste. Ensure the paste is smooth before using it.

If you aren’t a dab hand at DIY projects or you don’t want to go through the trouble of making your own polish, buy the polish from your local retail store. When making the purchase, ensure the polish is suitable for granite. As a rule of thumb, avoid general-purpose polishing products as they have been shown to damage granite.

Step 3: Apply polish.

Once you have your polish, your next step should be to apply the polish on your countertops. Place a thin, even coating of the paste on the surfaces. If using baking soda paste, place small dollops of it across the countertops using a spoon.

If using retail granite polish, spray it lightly over your countertops and let it sit there for at least 2 minutes.

Step 4: Buff the countertops

After applying the polish, use a clean, soft cloth and work the polish into the granite. Start from one corner and work your way evenly over the countertop. Rub the polish into the countertops in small circles, making sure you buff the edges as well.

You should note that you should always use a soft cloth for buffing as using a more abrasive cloth will scratch the granite and damage it.

Step 6: Wipe off excess polish

It’s normal to have an excess polish, and the excess streaks can easily ruin the polished surface’s appearance. To remove the excess polish, use a soft cloth and dampen it lightly with warm water.

Use the cloth to wipe down your countertop and eliminate any remaining baking soda paste or retail granite polish.

If you find excess water on the countertops after wiping it down, dry it off using another cloth.

In most cases, your countertops will polish up nicely, but if your countertops have deep scratches, the above remedies won’t get the work done. In such a case, you have no way out other than to hire a professional to polish the surfaces for you.

The professionals use specialized tools, and they can either wet or dry polish the countertops.

Tips on retaining the shine

Polishing the countertops isn’t enough—you need to take care of them to retain the shine. How do you do this? Here are tips for doing it:

Clean spills as soon as they happen: Leaving liquids on the countertops for a long time causes the granite to develop dark, shadow-like marks that mess with the countertops’ look.

You should note that even bright-colored beverages can stain the countertops, so don’t take any risk. As soon as there are spills on the countertops, get rid of them. When wiping the spills, use a soft cloth as a rough one will damage them.

Buff the countertops: To create a nice shine and temporarily reduce the staining risk, buff the countertops with cooking oil. To do it, apply cooking oil to a clean cloth, then make circular motions across the surface. For best results, granite contractors Potomac recommend you do this periodically, such as daily or once a week.

It doesn’t matter the type of oil you use. You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, or even avocado oil. It’s all up to you.

07

Nov

6 Tips On How To Prepare Cabinets For Granite Countertops

So, you have settled on granite? Good choice. But before you place your newly selected countertops in their assigned area, you have to ensure the space is ready for the new guest. How do you do this? Here are tips on how to prepare cabinets for granite countertops:

Remove the old countertops.

If you are replacing the countertops, you must first remove the old countertops before installing new ones. Start with removing the seal anchoring the countertops to the wall using a knife or any other sharp object.

Depending on the countertops, you may be having screws anchoring the old counters to cabinets. The screws will most likely be underneath, so look them there and remove them if present.

Once the screws are off, it’s time to remove the old countertop.

If the house is new and you are installing the countertops for the first time, the only thing you need to do is to ensure the cabinets are in good condition and level. Place a flat slab on top of them, and it should contact the cabinets in all areas.

If the cabinets aren’t level, you have a reason to worry as installing granite countertops will create pressure points that increase the chances of the countertops breaking.

Level the surfaces

To ensure your countertops have a long life, work on leveling the surfaces. One of the things you can do is to place shims under the cabinets to level the tops. You can also place plywood over the cabinets and place shims underneath the plywood.

You should note that placing plywood over the countertops will add height to the cabinets. Before installing the countertops, ask yourself whether you are comfortable with the added height.

Have enough supports

Granite is heavy, so you shouldn’t have large portions of it hanging over thin air. In areas where the countertops don’t have cabinets to rest on, add supports. There are plenty of materials you can use for this. Consult your contractor.

Remove plumbing

If you already put the plumbing systems in place, you may have to remove them as they often get in the way during installation. Over the years, we have seen homeowners removing the faucets and other plumbing appliances without first turning off the water.

Don’t do this as it often creates a huge mess that takes a lot of time to clear. Sometimes the water causes serious cabinet damage that you have to hire a contractor to help you fix them.

To be safe, turn off the water before you remove any plumbing appliance.

If installing the countertops for the first time, you obviously don’t have sinks or faucets in place. So have them delivered and be ready for installation to make it easy for installers to make a template to the sink’s exact specifications, so you have a perfect installation.

The same thing goes for faucets. If the granite installers have to cut space for them, they need to be on the site at least a day before installation.

Remove the dishes from the cabinets.

If you are like other homeowners, you don’t want your dishes exposed to the chaos of countertop installation so remove them before the installation process begins. Of course, you should place them in a different room.

If you have many dishes and don’t want to go through the trouble of removing them, then returning them, cover the top drawers with a protective sheet to protect them from dust and other debris.

Be present on the day of installation.

Even if everything is in order, you may still have to make last-minute decisions. For example, if you don’t want a lot of sink to show, you have to ask the granite contractor Rockville to move the granite edge flush with the wall of your kitchen sink.

If you don’t mind the top flange of the sink showing, let the contractor know about this to make the necessary adjustments.

The other decision you need to make is the location of the seams. Even if you bought the largest granite slabs, you have to deal with seams as long as your kitchen is large. Discuss with the contractor about the location of the seams. For an even and beautiful look, aim to hide the seams as much as possible.