28

Mar

What is Quartz Countertop Pitting

When you asked the quartz countertops installer to work on your kitchen, you have beautiful structures in your home until they start pitting. Now, you are probably wondering why this problem has surfaced. Therefore, this will become a concern for you.

In general, pitting happens when empty pockets are developing in the quartz countertop. Over time, small debris and deposits will enter the tiny holes. Trying to remove the substances from the gaps might cause more imperfections, like a deeper pit compared to before. Even if pitting might happen on quartz countertops, you can still fix the issue. If you want to know more about quartz countertop pitting, you should read this article until the end.

Can it be Fixed?

The answer to this is yes, epoxy can be used to fill most pitting. However, shallow pitting might not be filled properly because there is not enough surface area for the epoxy to stick. When the quartz countertop holes are large enough, it is filled with epoxy and it is mixed to match the natural color of the stone.

The natural stone professional is going to mix an epoxy that is specific to your stone and color where there is pitting. First, a filter is going to be tinted in order to match the stone before being mixed with a hardener. The hardener will quickly harden, so there is not enough time between applying and mixing the stone. The epoxy will take a couple of minutes to set depending on the product that was used.

Proper Sealing

Proper sealing will allow your natural stone countertops to withstand a lot of daily activities in the coming years. However, some stones are prone to staining because of how they were composed structurally. There are differences in how much mineral deposits and some factors that make every stone totally different from each one and more prone to staining compared to others. For instance, darker quartz has higher PSI compared to lighter stones, which means the higher density makes it able to withstand stains and watermarks from happening.

In case you want to buy natural stone for remodeling, or even if you fabricate stone, you should know that fissuring and pitting are natural and common.

Are Fissures and Pitting the Same in Quartz?

In general, fissures and pitting are quartz and other stone imperfections. However, what differentiates these issues from one another is their appearance.

Most of the time, a pit is a tiny space that appears due to deposits in the quartz countertop surface. Aside from that, a fissure normally looks like a crack shape. But these problems could become serious over time, especially if you leave them alone.

Why Choose Professionals When You Can Do Filling on Your Own?

Even if there are DIY solutions, this is a job that you would want a professional to do. A couple of natural stone owners damage their stones when they are trying to fill the pitting with DIY solutions. Choosing and mixing the right epoxy for the countertop, with the right tools, and acquiring the color tint right is worth the money you are paying a professional.

Keep in Mind that it Inherent in Quartz Countertop Surfaces

Another reason for this is that pitting can happen in quartz countertops because of inherent cracks in quartz countertop surfaces.

This is because quartz countertops are constructed from individual crystals, and cracks can form between these crystals. When this is combined with expansion and contraction processes that all-natural stone countertops experience, this will lead to pitting.

You can talk to a quartz countertop installer Montgomery County MD anytime and have your countertops fixed.

21

Mar

Different Kinds of Granite Finishes

In a construction project where an architect is looking to bring richness and exquisiteness, granite is the best option. Granite’s beauty is timeless and this is what will make it a preferred material for construction applications. It can be a residential or commercial project, and the granite stone application means low maintenance and high durability.

Among the best things about granite is its uniqueness. No two slabs are exactly the same, even the ones that are extracted from the same quarry. When you talk to a quartz countertop dealer, you will see the different slabs and prove that one of them is never the same. You can read more about the different finishes now.

Polished

The most common granite countertops finish is polished. The polished finish makes the granite countertop surface glossy and almost similar to a mirror. When the finish is polished, the stone characteristics are highlighted. The textures and colors are more vibrant.

The polished finish is very easy to clean; it is easy to keep the countertops polished and looking new. In addition, the polished finish will seal the stone pores to prevent moisture and water from going into the stone.

You can take care of polished granite, which includes polishing and resealing the stone aside from keeping it clean.

Honed

Granite with a honed finish shows a matte or satin buffed look. This kind of surface finish will have lesser replication and shine in comparison to the polished look, which gives a laxer look. A honed finish induces a calm, off-the-cuff appeal while upkeeping the character and class of the granite and polished finish. For people who are looking a little subdued, honed granite for backsplashes or countertops is an excellent choice.

This surface is a bit popular when it comes to countertops because it leads to a smoother and better finish.

Leathered Finish

Compared to other surface finishes, this one is relatively new and gaining popularity rapidly in the décor industry. It has a subtle gloss that is lesser than the polished one and it includes a textured look. The texture is going to differ from one piece to another, and some natural stones have a distinct leather finish compared to others.

This type of surface finish is discovered to give a warm and rustic appeal to the surface of the stone. Even if the leathered finish is not as glossy, it normally has more depth compared to a honed finish. Mostly, the leathered finish stone exhibits stain resistance, fingerprints, scratches, and smudges. The downside of the finish is that it does not require an even and smooth surface, and one can put heavy effort into cleaning natural fissures and pits.

Flamed

Granite is a natural stone that has a flamed finish because of the high heat that is applied to the stone surface. This will make the flamed finish quite rare; the truth is, it is popular for outdoor kitchens, but it is not normally used indoors. In order to create a flamed finish, the granite is heated under extreme temperatures that will cause the grain in the stone to change color and burst. The final product contains a rougher surface with an appearance that is natural and faded. Countertops that have flamed finishes are normally muted in color.

Brushed

This type of finish has a textured surface. It is quite smooth without any sheen. It is resistant to scratch, which means it can work amazingly for interiors and exteriors, making it easy to handle.

You can contact granite countertops Potomac anytime if you want to have the best countertops installed.

14

Mar

What to Consider When Replacing Kitchen Countertops

What will you do when it is time to replace the kitchen countertops? In general, you should upgrade when your countertops are not matching the design vision, are too hard to maintain, and/or become irreparable. Solid-surfacing quartz kitchen countertops with deep cracks, scorched marks, and pitted areas are the best for replacing, which are badly stained and broken. Laminate countertops suffer from outdated patterns or colors, water damage, deep knife cuts, or staining that might need replacing as well.

Before you go shopping, you need to do your homework. Find out if the old countertops can be revived or repaired. If you require new countertops, you should shop with the right measurements in hand so you can estimate material costs. Learn more now.

Consider the Existing Material

The high-definition laminate countertops, or materials with a solid surface, screw into place, so changing them is easier, especially if you will replace them for selling. Hard stones will fall prey to pitting or cracks. Therefore, even if it is not the easiest countertop to replace, you might want to do that instead of just repairing it. This is especially true if the countertop is very old and not properly maintained.

The Cabinet Quality

Before you choose the kitchen countertop material, the first thing you need to consider is the quality of your current kitchen cabinets. One thing is that you will need to decide if you want to replace or keep them. If you want to replace the cabinets within the next couple of years, you should replace everything all at once so that you can avoid paying double installation fees.

You should also be sure that your cabinets are able to support the weight of new counters. Other lower-grade cabinets might not have the structural integrity to hold up other countertop materials.

Precise Measurements

Before taking out the tape measure, you need to make a sketch that represents countertop placement in the kitchen. You need to mark off sections of sink countertops, continuous countertops, and peninsula and island countertops to separately measure them. You need to measure the depth and length of each section, then multiply the depth and length to find out the area in inches and write the measurements. Divide the measurements by 144 to determine the square footage of each section. You can add up the square footage numbers so you can get the total square footage of the materials you need. This is going to help you estimate the cost of different materials, which is going to guide you in choosing countertops that can fit your budget.

Backsplash

A new countertop means that you will also need a new backsplash. These two elements go together with one another, and you want to make sure the materials will either match or coordinate.

Normally, the backsplash should be replaced at the same time as your countertop because it is mounted on the top. When you are planning a budget for the countertop replacement, you should not forget to consider the backsplash material cost and installation.

Sink Configuration

You also have to consider the sink configuration when you are ready to replace the countertop. If your sink sits below the countertop level, you might have to replace it when you replace the counters. However, sinks that sit on the counter will normally be replaced or have the plumbing reconfigured before you put in new counters.

The new counter could be taller compared to the previous countertops, which means the sink drain pipe will not reach the bottom.

You can check quartz countertops Rockville anytime when you are ready for new countertops.