29

Oct

How Granite Countertops are Timeless

Some elements of home design are always in style. For instance, porcelain bathtubs have always been linked with comfort and elegance. Large picture windows have attracted bright and natural light, plus the positivity into homes for hundreds of years. In addition, granite has always been a prime material since they were first incorporated in a kitchen or bathroom. Aside from that, granite companies are not hard to find and they will happily install the best countertops for you.

There are a lot of reasons why granite is timeless and its popularity never fades. There are also more reasons why granite will always be popular. Here are the top reasons why granite countertops are still the top choice today:

Its Equity is Forever

When you observe people who are trying to improve their homes for reselling in the future, it would be good to be acquainted with what prospective buyers want. Similar to what you see on TV, people are going to walk away from home because it lacks granite countertops. You should know what homeowners want, and you can tell that there is a higher demand for natural stone right now. If you want to invest money in your home, but cannot install something that will be outdated soon, choose granite.

Possesses Natural Beauty

Granite is naturally beautiful. A kind of igneous rock that is found deep underground, granite is because of quartz and other natural minerals such as phosphorus that undergoes intense heat, pressure, and underground. It will take many years before granite forms. Every piece of natural granite stone will represent something real that comes naturally from the earth with a unique characteristic. The unique phenomenon behind every granite slab makes it timeless.

Composition

A lot of granites have semiprecious stones. They provide different flecks of color that will add interest and appeal to the stone, however they make it more expensive because those slabs are not as common.

Visual Appeal

Even if there are different types of flooring that is available in the market, granite tiles are likely the most sophisticated ones. They are going to highlight neutral themes that are eye-catching. Architects that use granite tiles choose to do so because of their outstanding looks.

Durability

Why does granite continue to be among the best options for a bathroom or kitchen countertop? The reason is that granite resists moisture damage, which can withstand both heat and cold, and is hard to scratch or scruff. It does not lose the natural coloring or patterns over time. Even if granite can stain if you are not cleaning it well, or if you expose it too caustic substances like bleach, regular re-sealing ensures the stone maintains its original beauty. A few materials have the same lifespan as granite. Even marble is another popular natural stone.

Ancient

When people are masking themselves if granite is only a trend, maybe they should look farther back than just the last fifty or a hundred years. Granite has definitely stood the test of time. If you have a granite countertop, what you have in your home is something that has been part of architecture for thousands of years.

A way to determine if something is only part of a trend is whether or not it can look dated after a couple of years. For instance, huge bellbottoms might have been in fashion, but not anymore. But you know what you might have worn in the 1970s, a pair of jeans in 2015, or out in the west like a leather jacket? Granite is the same thing.

You can talk to granite installers Potomac anytime.

 

 

21

Oct

How to Protect Your Countertops Over the Holidays

The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year, especially when you celebrate it with friends and family. However, if the holidays are approaching quickly, you might forget about the care and maintenance of the countertops.

If you want to protect your granite or quartz countertops, you should take note of what the experts say because they can provide the best tips.

During the holiday season, the need for cooking and baking increases, which will definitely land on the countertops. Therefore, you should put measures to protect countertops each time there are festivities. Even if the stone is able to withstand the holiday season, you might have to go the extra mile. Learn more by reading further.

Clean the Countertops Right Away

You should not wait to clean your countertops until the end and clean up messes that happen. The acidic ingredients, hot food, and drinks are going to leave dull spots on the stone if you do not take care of it right away. Remember that the most dangerous messes are those that have different acids. They will only leave dull spots, which is also called etching, but they leave difficult stains. You should give counters thorough cleaning using dish soap after you bake and cook.

Wipe up the Spills

Your kitchen will have a lot of activity over the holidays. With a lot of kitchen traffic, you can forget to care for the counters.

The majority of surfaces can easily get stained. Unfortunately, family gatherings and parties normally do not end with no spills. If you invite family members and loved ones for Christmas or Thanksgiving, make sure you immediately wipe up spills.

Failure can give the liquid enough time to penetrate the stone. If you are wiping up spills right away, you will also prevent the formation of stains.

Avoid Any Damage

There are a lot of things you can do in order to protect stone countertops and it helps prevent damage. Ask your guests to use coasters to avoid spilled liquids and drink rings. They should be placed out to make them accessible to anyone. This will also encourage your guests to use coasters without you having to prompt them.

One way to avoid damage is to use heat-resistant pads. These kitchen essentials are excellent for pots and pans, together with casserole dishes, crockpots, and others.

Even if this is given, it should be said that you must always a cutting board when you prepare food. Sharp knives could leave etches on stone countertops, which cannot be repaired most of the time.

Seal Your Countertops

Since granite is a natural stone, it should be resealed. The primary way you can protect granite countertops is to have them resealed regularly. If your granite countertops are sealed within the past years, then you might want to make this a top priority. A sealed countertop will be resistant to stains, spills, and heat, taking the stress off your shoulders and worrying about any damage. Aside from that, resealing is a good habit. In case you have more questions about resealing your countertops, you should take them to your countertop installers.

Only Use Mild Household Cleaners

Quartz or granite countertops are tougher and resistant to stains, scorches, and scratches. Even if the finishing enables them to be stain-resistant, they use cleaners to protect counters from stains despite the kind of stone.

Using mild household products because they help clean counters while protecting them from any permanent damage. Avoid using harsh cleaners to get rid of stubborn spills and stains.

You can talk to countertop replacement services Potomac anytime if you want them to check your countertops before the holidays.

 

12

Oct

Why You Should Stay Away from Chinese Quartz Countertops

In everyday life, people can pay more attention to the concept of environmental protection. This is especially under the widespread of “low carbon”, which is a popular new proposition. This is primarily for going “green” and protecting the environment. The stone is more particular with circular economy and conservation of energy and has become the product’s mainstream trend in product development.

Every day, the company normally has some questions from clients. For instance, how do Chinese quartz slabs perform? You can compare Chinese vs. American quartz kitchen countertops, but there are major reasons why you should not choose the Chinese ones. Read this article until the end to learn more.

The Tariff

Among the biggest issues when it comes to Chinese quartz countertops and general pricing cost because of new regulations from China. Chinese Quartz recently had a steep tariff of more than 300% that has been put in place. For instance, if you paid $1,000 for a Chinese quartz slab, you would end up paying $4,000. This can also lead to a decline in the availability of Chinese quartz in the USA.

Resin Pooling

Quartz countertops imply that they are made using 100% natural stone, but the beauty in this product comes from engineered stone. Actually, quartz countertops are made of 93% quartz, mixed with dyes and resin. This will render durable, non-porous, and consistent color in such a way that natural stone is.

One issue that comes from overseas quartz countertops and mainly in the Chinese variety is resin pooling. This is because of countertop inconsistency that could lead to large colored resin pools that are marring in the counter surface.

Slab Thickness is Inconsistent

You will not always get what you see with Chinese quartz countertops. A lot of people already reported issues with the different or incorrect thicknesses of Chinese quartz countertops. There have been rising issues because of the material being sold and advertised while certain thicknesses and countertops being delivered do not have the accurate thickness. Since the material is thinner, it could make countertops less durable and it creates an issue when it comes to countertop installation. In case the material is too thick, this causes misalignment from the right template and they might not correctly fit in your kitchen.

Material Quantities are Inconsistent

Even if every quartz manufacturer follows a strict quartz o resin ratio, a lot of Chinese products have less consistency. Some can use higher percentages of resin that has less quartz stone.

This contributes to resin pooling, and it also provides a more flexible countertop that can be bent while being transported. The inconsistencies in ratio mean that the countertop’s quality is inconsistent. You will not know the material’s quality you are buying because you might not be able to visually detect the problem.

Chemical Standards

The USA is among the strictest countries when it comes to stands of health and safety. Therefore, products being produced in the USA go through the rigorous product and quality checks, which ensures that the production method follows the law. The Chinese standards are different from the USA, and, the chemicals used in the production might not be safe. For instance, Chinese quartz countertops could emit a smell during the first year or more in your home because of excess chemicals used in China’s production. This is an important consideration because the USA has specific regulations on what chemicals can be used in the surface product that comes in contact with food.

You can contact quartz countertop dealer Montgomery County MD to have the best ones installed in your kitchen.