12

Jul

How Do You Get The Best Deal On Granite Countertops?

As much as everyone wants to install granite countertops in their homes, there is the issue of money.

Good quality granite counters don’t come cheap, so most homeowners look for ways to cut the costs.

How do you get the best deal on granite countertops? If you are asking this question, you should know that there are plenty of ways you can do it. Some of these ways include:

Take your time

One of the major mistakes homeowners make when they are looking for countertops is being in a hurry. After they have decided on the countertops they want for their homes, they rush to the nearest store and make the purchase. This is wrong.

To secure a great countertop deal, you need to take your time. This calls for you to start the countertop-hunting process early enough. Experts recommend you start the process at least three months before you install the countertops.

This way you can visit various stores and compare their prices.

When you aren’t in a hurry, you will confidently bargain the price without worrying about the seller rejecting your offer.

Buy wholesale

Another way to get a great countertop deal is to buy the countertop slabs wholesale. As you can guess, this calls for you to avoid the retail stores and go straight to wholesale.

Like other products in the market, countertops sell at lower prices in the wholesale stores, so if you have one in your area, buy from there.

Even when you have several wholesale stores in your area, don’t buy from the first store you bump into. Visit different stores and see what they have in stock. You should obviously buy from a store giving you the best deal.

Buy from small local stores.

You might have the impression that the larger stores will have the largest countertop options and give the best deals, but there is nothing from the truth than this.

As a matter of fact, these stores are the worst, and you should avoid them like the plague.

For one, these stores have few countertop options, so you are limited on the number of countertops you can buy from them. Second, the prices in these stores are set in stone—you can’t negotiate.

The small local stores, on the other hand, are a completely different case altogether. Since highly motivated countertop enthusiasts run them, they tend to house plenty of countertop materials, so you have a wide range of materials to choose from.

Since you have a one-on-one conversation with the owners, you can negotiate on the prices, so you walk out with an excellent deal. These small stores often install the countertops free or at a small fee which sees you saving a lot of money.

Go for regular granite colors.

Did you know the color of the slab you choose has a significant impact on the overall price? So to avoid spending an arm and leg on your countertops, go for regular colors such as black, white, and gray. As a rule of thumb, avoid rare colors such as red as you will pay a premium for it.

The same thing applies to veining, and patterns—choose common patterns to get a good deal.

Go the prefab way

A prefabricated stone has already been cut and polished, and it goes for half the price of a custom granite counter.

While prefabricated stones will save you a good chunk of money, you should note that they aren’t good for all situations.

They work best for simple counters requiring few cuts, such as when your cabinets are standard, and you don’t need to make any customization.

Use granite remnants

Are you looking to cover just a small area, such as the backsplash behind the stove? Don’t waste money on full granite slabs. Instead, visit the granite stores and buy granite remnants. These are small granite chunks that have been leftover from previous projects.

Since these pieces are too small to outfit an entire kitchen, most countertop stores sell them at huge bargains.

If you want to give a small area in your kitchen or bathroom a high-end look at a budget, visit these stores and make a purchase. You should work with your granite installers Rockville and expertly install the remnants in a fashionable style.

28

May

How Can You Tell Quality Of Granite?

If you have been shopping for granite countertops, you must have realized that they don’t come cheap. This calls for you to be cautious when purchasing, so you buy high-quality granite surfaces that will look good for long and last for a long time.

Wondering how can you tell quality of granite? There are plenty of ways you can go about it. To help you out, here are some of these ways:

Check the price

This is a dead giveaway. Like any other product, low-quality granite will sell at a much lower price. Hence, if you pop into a countertop store and you find the countertops selling at a lower price than the standard  market prices, chances are the countertops are poor quality, and you should look elsewhere.

Check the color and pattern.

Another way to tell the quality of the stone is to check the color and patterns. As you are inspecting the stone, you should note that granite is natural, so like any other natural product, you should expect diversity, so if you come across a slab with the same color and pattern, it’s most likely not natural granite, and you should avoid buying it.

As mentioned, granite is a natural product, so you should expect every granite slab to be unique. This means that the color, texture, and veins on the countertop surface shouldn’t be the same in all sections of the slab.

Tap the countertop

Did you know you can tell the quality of the slab by simply tapping on it? When you are in the countertop store, simply give the countertop a tap and listen to the sound. A natural, good-quality granite should give a ringing sound when tapped, while a cheap, manufactured granite, won’t give the ringing sound.

The poor quality granite won’t make the unique sound because it’s made from resins and quartz crystals that are non-porous, and due to this, the sound produced will be muted or dull.

Do the water test

It might sound like you have to go to the laboratory and test, but this isn’t the case. All you have to do is to pour water on a granite slab and see how it behaves.

If the granite slab is natural and of good quality, it should absorb water, but the water should run off the slab if low quality.

This is because manufactured granite is made from epoxy resins that are nonporous, so they won’t absorb water after pouring it there.

Natural granite, on the other hand, will absorb water. The easiest way to tell that the stone is absorbing water is by looking at the stone. Does the stone darken as the water stays on the surface?

Inspect the granite seams

If you have already installed the countertops, you want to confirm whether you installed the right pieces and take a look at the seams.

If the countertop is poor quality or artificial, it won’t have any change in the pattern along the seams, but with real, good-quality granite, you will have a noticeable change in pattern.

Although most experienced contractors do a good job at minimizing the pattern change as they are lining up the seams, you should still see the seam changes on a closer look.

Check the polish quality.

In the same way, you would judge the quality of a car by the quality of paint, you should judge the quality of granite by the quality of the polish.

As you can expect, the higher the granite quality, the better the polish quality.

The best way to tell the quality of the polish is to gently brush a coin on the polished granite surface. If the surface easily scrapes, the polish and the granite countertop are low quality, but it’s high quality if the polish is resistant to the impact.

Measure the granite thickness

The final thing you should pay attention to the thickness of the slab. According to granite installers Potomac, you should avoid thin granite as it will not only be unpleasant to look at but also brittle upon installation as it can easily break even from the slightest impact.

14

May

4 Disadvantages of Granite Countertops

Although granite counters are one of the most popular countertop materials in the market, they aren’t perfect. Like other materials, they come with their fair share of negatives that you should be aware of if installing them for the first time. To help you out, here are 4 disadvantages of granite countertops and how to go around them:

They are prone to heat damage.

Although the countertops are tough and heat resistant, they aren’t heatproof. While you might get away with placing hot pots and pans on them a few times, repeatedly doing so increases the chances of leaving an ugly scar on the countertops, and you are forced to replace them.

It’s true the countertops are prone to heat damage, but you can prevent it from coming about. One way to do so is to never place hot pots or pans directly on them. When cooking, always have a trivet or hot pad in the kitchen.

If you don’t have the protective devices in place, don’t remove the hot pot from the stove. Let it cool and only place it on the countertops when it has completely cooled.

They are highly susceptible to staining.

Granite is porous in nature. This means that when a liquid or any substance spills on the countertops, it quickly moves to the stone’s inner layers and stains it.

While this is the case, it doesn’t mean that you should avoid installing the countertops simply because they will stain. You can prevent the staining from occurring in the first place.

One way to do it is to seal the countertops. At the time of installation, ask the contractors to seal the surfaces. You also should seal them at least once a year to maintain the protective barrier.

The purpose of sealing the countertops is to reduce the surface’s porosity, so the liquids don’t absorb too quickly.

Although the liquids won’t absorb quickly when you seal granite countertops, it doesn’t mean that you should start spilling the liquids haphazardly on the countertops. Remember, even if the countertops are sealed, the liquids can still seep through and stain the surfaces, so keep any liquids off the countertops.

When a spill happens, move fast and remove it before it soaks into the deeper layers.

The granite surfaces tend to harbor bacteria.

The granite pores that allow water to seep through also harbor bacteria. If you haven’t sealed the countertops, wiping a cleaning towel across the unsealed surface pushes the food, liquid and bacteria in the pores where they grow and develop, and they can be harmful to your health.

For example, if you cut meat or vegetables directly on the countertops, the bacteria will get into your food leading to food poisoning upon eating the food.

One way to reduce the bacteria population is to seal the countertops. You also should disinfect the surfaces at least once a week.

Granite countertops are heavy.

Even when you are in the stores, on picking the countertops, you will notice that they are heavy. While the heavy nature of the countertops might mean the countertops are tough and indestructible, it brings about an installation challenge.

If you had not thought it through when building the cabinets, placing the heavy granite slabs on the weak cabinets will bring about a plethora of problems, including binding, cracking or even the ultimate breaking of the cabinets.

The weighty nature of the slabs also means that the granite contractor you hire can’t do the work by himself or with his assistant—he has to hire many people to help with the installation, which increases the installation cost.

To counter this, hire the right contractor from the word go. The experienced contractor will help you install the right cabinets that will carry the countertop’s weight.

Installing the countertops isn’t cheap, but you don’t have to redo it when you hire an experienced contractor that knows what they are doing.

If you are looking to install granite on your surfaces, don’t be in a hurry to settle on the first granite installer you come across. Take your time and interview several granite countertop installers Rockville, then settle on the most qualified.

Remember, installing the countertops is expensive, and you don’t want someone that will install the countertops, then you will have to redo them.

30

Apr

What Color Granite Is Cheapest?

Granite countertops don’t come cheap, and one of the factors that affect the price of the countertops is the countertop’s color. Common colors such as white and black are cheaper compared to rare colors such as green and red. This means that if you are looking to save money, you should go for common countertop colors.

Are you wondering what color granite is cheapest? Tan and black granite are the cheapest, so if you are strapped for money, these are the ones to go for. While this is the case, there are plenty of other cheaper alternatives, including white granite, that you can buy if tan or black isn’t your color. These cheaper alternatives include:

Dallas white

Although it’s known as Dallas, this isn’t where it’s mined. The countertop is quarried in Aguia Branca, Brazil. The countertop is characterized by low water absorption and low porosity, making it an excellent choice for kitchens and bathrooms.

The countertop has a white background and dark crystals scattered throughout, giving your home an interesting appeal.

Although, most slabs have crystals, it’s not uncommon to find some slabs with brown or golden cream veins that make the countertop resemble an abstract art painting.

Due to the tight grain structure of the countertop, you don’t have to install a face resin on the countertops. The lack of resin means that you can place a hot pot on the countertop without worrying about damaging the countertops.

Although, the countertops are tough to take the heat, you should note that continued exposure to heat increases the chances of damaging them. To protect the countertops from damage, use a trivet or a hot pad every time you place a hot object on the countertops.

To get the most from the countertop, ensure that it’s installed by a professional. The Dallas white color pairs excellently with white cabinetry, but if you don’t want your entire bathroom or kitchen to be white, pair it with dark wood cabinetry such as dark walnut.

Azul Platino

Azul Platino has been around for hundreds of years, and it features an off-white background with small bluish-gray specks. It’s also common for the slabs to have black spots or even black or white veining.

Most of the Azul Platino slabs are large, making them ideal choices for kitchen islands and other areas where you need to install large-sized slabs.

Uba Tuba

It’s named after the place it’s mined. Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil. Besides being affordable, the countertop is also beautiful, and when you properly install and take good care of it, it will last for a long time. The countertop features a dark green background with brown, green, and gold flecks scattered across the granite slab.

In some cases, the slab has small veins that can be white, gold, or turquoise.

When you install the countertops, pair them with dark cabinetry to bring out exciting features. You can also pair them with white cabinetry for an elegant contemporary look.

New Caledonia

This is another countertop quarried in Brazil. Although it’s natural, it’s unique in that it has a uniform look such that two slabs look almost similar.

The natural stone countertop features a white background with gray or brown speckles that run uniformly throughout the slab giving it an interesting look. The heavy grain pattern makes it easy to hide the stains, so you don’t have to worry when liquids and foods spill on the countertops.

Since the countertop has a uniform look, it perfectly fits both traditional and contemporary kitchens and bathrooms. To bring out the brown and bedrock minerals, pair them with dark wood-stained cabinetry. On the other hand, if you want to bring out the charcoal flecking, pair it with light cabinetry.

Valle Nevado

It’s one of the most popular, affordable countertop granite colors, and it’s loved for its ability to coordinate with many design styles. The countertop features a tight grain structure that minimizes the need to apply a resin to it.

Due to its versatility, you can effectively pair it with both black or white cabinetry. When you pair it with white cabinetry, you bring out the tiny back crystals. On the other hand, when you pair it with black cabinetry, you bring out the pale gray tone of the countertop.

The key to getting the most from it is to work with experienced granite installers Rockville that know what they are doing.

30

Mar

How Do I Get The Best Deal On Granite Countertops?

Although granite counters are beautiful and significantly improve the house’s look, they don’t come cheap. Fortunately, you can do several things to get the countertops at a good price. Are you wondering how do I get the best deal on granite countertops? There are plenty of ways, with the most common ones being:

Shop around and compare prices

What do most homeowners do when they are looking to buy granite counters? They visit the first granite shop and make the purchase. In most cases, they do this because they are in a hurry to get things done and move on to the next thing. This is wrong as they often end up spending too much money than they should have.

To save money and get the best deal, take your time and visit different granite stores and see what they offer. Of course, you should only consider buying from a store stocking high-quality stones at a low cost.

You can’t have ample time if you start your research late, so to ensure you have as much time as you need, start scouting for countertops at least 3 months before you embark on your project.

Buy wholesale

When you buy anything wholesale, you save a lot of money, and you should do the same when you are buying granite counters. The cool thing is most granite stores will sell you the countertops at wholesale prices when you are buying many slabs. There are even some stores that will sell you one slab at a wholesale price—you only need to look.

Be flexible with granite color.

One of the prime factors affecting the price of countertops is the color of the slab, where the rare colors cost more than the easier-to-find colors. As you can guess, this means that if you are looking for a specific rare color, you end up paying a premium for your countertops.

To save money and get a perfect deal, you should be flexible in your color choice. The beauty is since granite is natural, it comes in plenty of colors to choose from. If you are in the granite store and find that your desired granite color is expensive than your budget, choose a cheaper color that is close to your color of choice.

Order from a local supplier

While you can buy the granite slabs from anywhere in the world, it’s good you buy them from your local supplier. The reason for this is because the slabs will be cheaper to transport from the local supplier to your home.

Granite slabs are heavy, and if you ship them from a long-distance, they can cost you an arm and a leg, and you don’t want this, do you?

Granite sellers ship their products in bulk, so they don’t spend as much money as you would if you shipped just a few slabs for your kitchen.

To save even more money on transport, ask the seller if they can transport the slabs for you, for free.

Go for granite remnants.

If you are looking for small granite slabs for certain kitchen elements, such as the backsplash behind the stove, don’t spend a lot of money on whole granite slabs. Instead, get granite remnants.

These are small granite chunks that are leftover from previous projects.

Since they are leftover and often too small to fit an entire kitchen, they are cheaper than entire slabs.

When you are in the granite store, ask for the remnants, and you will get them at a low price, which sees you saving a lot of money.

Go with a standard eased edge.

The type of edge you install on your countertops has a significant impact on the overall cost of granite surfaces, so be cautious of the edge you settle on. As a rule of thumb, choose the standard eased edge as it’s much cheaper than the tiered or bevel edge.

Install the countertops by yourself

If you are a dab hand at DIY projects, save money by bypassing granite installers Rockville and installing the countertops by yourself. Of course, ensure that you follow the right procedure when it comes to their installation.

14

Feb

Do I Need Plywood under Granite Countertops?

If you are asking, do I need plywood under granite countertops? You must be thinking about installing granite in your home, but aren’t sure whether also budget for plywood, right?

Well, you need plywood if your granite slab is less than 3cm thick. You should note that you will still need support in certain situations, even if your countertops are more than 3cm thick. These situations include:

Over the dishwasher.

The dishwasher opening has an opening that goes completely unsupported since there is no cabinet for it to rest on. The plywood support will provide the granite counters with the support it needs.

Besides the support, it’s wise you ask the contractor to install mesh under the countertop at the dishwasher location for additional support.

Bartop overhang

The bar top overhang creates an unbalanced loading condition, so if someone puts weight on the edge of the countertop, it will rotate in the force’s direction. It’s for this reason that you will need additional support for the cantilevered portion of your granite.

Even if the contractor installs mesh under the cantilevered portion of your countertop, the support isn’t enough to provide you with the amazing support you are looking for. For maximum support, install plywood.

Why use plywood to support natural stone?

While it might seem silly to support a stone with wood, it actually makes sense. For once, plywood is durable, while granite is fragile, especially if the slab is thin. This means that the piece of plywood will provide you with the support you are looking for.

Plywood is also inexpensive compared to solid hardwoods. This means you can provide support to your countertops without breaking the bank.

If you were to use stones instead of plywood, you would have to use multiple stones to join the pieces together, which will leave unsightly seams on the countertops. On the other hand, installing plywood means you have a smooth and seamless countertop that you can be proud to show off.

Are there other granite countertop support options?

If you don’t like securing your countertops with plywood or you have no access to it, don’t worry as there are plenty of other options you can go with. These options include:

Corbels

A corbel is a support where the back attaches vertically to the cabinet or wall, and the top acts as the support where you can rest other objects on. Corbels are similar to L-shaped brackets, but they are made as solid 3D objects designed to be seen.

The cool thing is, unlike brackets, corbels are designed to be both aesthetically appealing and functional. Since they leave space for your legs, corbels are perfect supports for a bar top overhang.

Poles

Poles are as simple as they sound. They come straight up from the floor, providing support to the underside of the countertop. Poles make an excellent choice when you are planning to install a large overhang.

While poles are great, provide additional support by installing some subtop, such as plywood or wire mesh.

Brackets

Brackets are like corbels, but they are designed not to be seen. A good example of the hidden countertop bracket is the L-shaped bracket. Brackets work like corbels where you mount them vertically to the cabinets, having a space on top to support the counter.

After installation, there is nothing between the bracket’s top and back, making them almost invisible.

Another popular bracket is the knee wall bracket that is straight and often mounted horizontally into a knee wall. For those wondering what a knee wall is, it’s a short wall that doesn’t extend all the way from the floor to the ceiling.

During installation, you cut holes into the wood underneath where you are planning to install your countertops, then install the metal sheets straight into the wood to support the countertop overhang’s weight.

Work with a professional

Regardless of the type of support you are using on your countertops, ensure the installation is done by a professional granite contractor Rockville. The last thing you want is to hire a novice that botches your expensive countertops.

28

Dec

Can You Remove Granite Countertops and Reuse Them?

Imagine this. You have spent thousands of dollars renovating your house with premium granite counters then due to unforeseen circumstances, you have to move out of the house or sell it.

You can’t imagine moving to the new house without the seamless design, durability, ease of maintenance, and color patterns of granite.

Can you remove granite countertops and reuse them? You wonder. The simple answer is it’s most likely impossible as there are plenty of hurdles you have to go over for it to be a success. These hurdles include:

You have to match the kitchen space layout

Since you had already cut the slabs during installation, the only way you can use them in your new home is if they fit the footprint of your new kitchen cabinetry.

This means if in the old layout the granite had cutout around the wet bar area or around the sink area, for you to reuse your countertops in the new kitchen you should have the exact layout, which as you can guess is highly improbable.

Even if by miracle the old and new kitchen layouts match, you have problems if the new kitchen is larger than the old one.

In such a scenario you have to find matching granite pieces which can be difficult if the granite pattern and color is unique.

Even if you manage to get the piece, you will have a visible seam where you attach the additional slab. As you can guess this can significantly affect the look you are trying to achieve.

So to conclude, for you to successfully remove and reuse your kitchen countertop, the two houses should have similar cabinet layouts. The length and width of the countertop should fit the cabinet dimensions.

If you have excess granite, your contractor can trim it down, but if the granite is not enough, you have plenty of issues to solve.

High granite damage risk

Most homeowners install granite for its tough and indestructible nature, but you should know that granite is heavy and brittle.

This means it’s almost impossible to remove the countertops in one large slab as the risk of damage is high.

For you to safely remove the countertop, hire a professional to come with special tools, which as you might guess isn’t cheap.

You also have to involve several people to hold along the countertop’s length to avoid pressure points that might lead to cracking.

Even when you hire experienced contractors, most of them will require you to sign a contract that frees them from liability should the granite crack during removal. This is due to the high risk of damage that comes with removing the stone.

Before you decide to remove the granite, find out the type of granite you have. Granite can be weaker and fragile or it can be harder and stronger. Obviously, you should go for one that is harder and stronger as it will be easier to handle and move without risking a lot of damage.

You also should consider the thickness of the granite counter. It’s better to remove a thicker slab than a thinner one. To tell how thin your countertop is, check it from beneath the cabinet.

If there is plywood below the granite, then the countertop is thin and has high chances of cracking but if there is no plywood, the stone is thick and there are chances of removing it with no issues.

Work with an expert contractor

There are plenty of perks that come with removing and reusing granite counters. One is you don’t leave behind your precious countertops you spent a lot of money on.

Secondly, you don’t have to break the bank to purchase new countertops in your new home.

While this is great, as discussed above, it comes with plenty of challenges you have to be strategic when approaching them. To increase the chances of the process being successful, work with experienced granite contractors Rockville.

The contractors should have removed and reused other countertops in the past. When you hire the right ones, they will help you decide whether it’s wise to remove the countertops or not.

The contractors will also remove and reinstall the countertops if the stone is healthy enough for reuse.

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.

31

Oct

How To Shop For Granite Countertops

Granite always delivers: It brings exclusivity, adds a touch of elegance, and improves the value of your home. To get the most from it, you have to buy the right one. Not sure how to go about it? Here are tips on how to shop for granite countertops:

Know what you want

You can’t buy any slab you come across—you need to know what you want and what will look the best for your home. Remember, granite comes in a wide array of colors and patterns. It also comes in plenty of edges, with the most common edges being: square, rough, bullnose, and rounded.

You also need to know the size of the countertop you need. This will require you to take a tape measure and measure the number of square feet of surface area you need. As you take the measurements, remember to include edge allowances, overhangs, backsplashes, seam allowances, and other things.

If you aren’t sure about the right countertop that will look the best for your home, get a professional’s input. The technician will even help you choose the right shape of slab, the right size, the appropriate slab thickness, and many other things.

Once you know what you want, start visiting different countertop and home improvement stores asking for quotes. Most companies will give you a free quote, and all you need is to compare the quotes and settle on the most sensible.

While the cheapest quote might be attractive, be cautious about it as the contractors might be selling substandard products.

Simultaneously, avoid extremely priced countertops as the company might be trying to rip you off.

Don’t buy the slabs countertops.

While online shopping is convenient, you shouldn’t buy the countertop slabs online. This is because a slab might be looking good in the store photos, but have a completely different look in your kitchen or bathroom, often due to lighting.

When looking to buy granite, the best way to go about it is by visiting the local showroom and physically inspecting each granite slab. Even after inspecting the slab at the store, don’t make the final commitment to buy the slab.

Take a sample of the slab to your home and see how it looks on your surfaces. If you like the look, go ahead and make the purchase.

Pay attention to the seams.

Seams make it easy to join different countertop slabs, but they can also mess with the counters’ look. If you have to use more than one slab, you have to deal with seams. The seams’ quality will vary depending on the length and width of the cabinets, the actual physical size of the slab, and access to the property.

To ensure your property doesn’t have ugly seams, work with experienced contractors who will help you minimize the number of seams in your countertops. They do this by ensuring they work with whole slabs as much as possible.

Before installing the countertops, enquire from the contractors where the seams will be located and how visible they will.  This will ensure everyone is on the same page, and there are no surprises once you have installed the countertops.

Invest in a good thickness

Thin countertop slabs are not only cheap-looking, but they also don’t hold a lot of weight. When you are at the store, always go for a thick slab. Thankfully, you can tell how thick a slab is by looking at it.

Other than thickness, also touch the slab. If it feels weak or has an abnormal texture, stay away from it.

Work with a professional

Buying the right countertops is one thing and an entire ball game to properly install the countertops. Unless you are a dab hand at DIY projects, you should let granite installers Rockville handle the installation.

As you are hiring, ensure the contractor knows geometry. This knowledge will come in handy at ensuring you have as few seams as possible. To find such a professional, take your time and ask them as many questions as possible before hiring.

After installing the countertops, remember to take good care of them. As a rule of thumb, avoid placing hot items or weighty items directly on the surfaces. You also should avoid cleaning the surfaces with vinegar and other tough products that can etch the surfaces.

30

Sep

Why Is Marble So Popular And Not Granite Countertops?

With so many kitchen countertop options available such as quartz and granite countertops, when you mention countertops, the first thing that comes to the minds of most homeowners is marble. You must be wondering, why is marble so popular? There are plenty of reasons for this.

Humble beginnings

Before we go into details as to why marble is so popular, we need to go back down memory lane and first understand the history of the stone.

Marble was first used by the ancient Greeks, who used it to construct fireplaces, walls, fountains, kitchen hoods, and many other structures. Some of the notable masterpieces include: the Pantheon, Pisa Cathedral, the Taj Mahal, and Lincoln Memorial.

Why marble is so popular

Marble has plenty of attractive features that make it popular. These features include:

It’s durable

The main reason you will find marble in structures that have been around for centuries is because it’s exceptionally durable and resilient. When properly installed, it won’t chip or dent. When you install it in your kitchen or bathroom, you don’t worry about damaging it when you drop something on it or run into it.

On first look, marble appears fragile, but this isn’t the case. After all, some buildings are still standing centuries after construction.

Marble significantly improves your home value.

When you were scouting for a house, what impression did you have when the real estate agent told you the counters were made from marble? I’m sure you had the impression the house is a high-end property, right? This is what marble does to every home.

The premium stone not only gives you a sense of prestige, it also increases the value of your home. So if you are looking to sell the house at a later date, you sell it at a higher price.

Marble is beautiful

One of the reasons marble was used even in ancient buildings is due to its beauty. Marble comes in a wide array of colors and hues from which you will find one that will fit your décor and home design. If looking to give your house a sense of space, there are white countertops to go for.

If you have a large kitchen and looking to give the impression of elegance, go with one of the many dark options. You only need to ensure a professional undertakes marble countertop installation.

The countertops are easy to maintain

In addition to significantly improving your home value, marble is extremely easy to maintain. To clean it, you need to use mild soap and water. Use a soft cloth to wipe it down. If you have sealed the surfaces, you don’t need to scrub sticky spills. Wipe them as they happen.

Guide to buying marble countertops

Now that we have learned why marble is popular and the ways it can benefit your property, now let’s look at how to buy the ideal slab for your home. You need to consider plenty of factors such as:

Veining patterns

Different quarries have different ways of cutting marble that gives the stone different veining patterns. Some of the ways to cut the stone include: fleuri cut, crosscut, and many others. When making the purchase, carefully consider these patterns and only buy a stone that complements your home.

Cracks and fissures

You need to know the difference between cracks and fissures. Cracks are often large, and they are a sign the slab has been dropped or improperly handled. Don’t buy a slab with cracks on it.

Fissures, on the other hand, are small and natural. They aren’t a sign of a deformity, and there is no harm in buying a stone with fissures, especially if looking for a stone that will give your house a more rustic look.

Origin

Where is the stone mined from? You need to consider this when making the purchase. The best stones are those from Italy, so do your due diligence and make sure the stone you are buying is from Statuario or Carrara. Avoid buying those from china as they aren’t as beautiful and don’t last long.

Parting shot

Above are some of the reasons marble is so popular, and if you love it, you should go ahead and install it in your home. For best results, make sure professional granite countertop installers Rockville or other professionals install it. After installing the stone, finish the look with a penetrating sealer to give the stone a long life.