15

Mar

What Is the Best Countertop for Your Money?

While every homeowner wants to revamp their home with new countertops, there is the issue of money. So you will often hear many homeowners asking, what is the best countertop for your money?

According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, quartz countertops are the best to go for when looking for an affordable countertop material that will give you a long service.

Why quartz countertops are the best option

Also known as engineered stone, quartz is made from stone chunks mixed with resins and coloring. The material comes with plenty of benefits. One of the benefits is that it’s impervious to stains and excellently stands up to acidic foods without requiring any sealing.

Since it’s made from stone waste, it’s considered a greener choice, so if you are into conserving the environment, quartz is an excellent material to go for.

Quartz is also scratch and chip-resistant, so you don’t need to do much to keep it in top shape.

Years ago, homeowners used to throw shade on the countertops as they had patterns that were too uniform and consistent that they didn’t look like real stone. Currently, manufacturers are creating irregularities in their countertops, giving them a natural look.

If you visit many countertop stores, you will find countertops mimicking granite variegation and marble swirls.

The countertops come in plenty of composites such as Formica solid surfacing, Corian Quartz, and Silestone. It’s up to you to choose the ideal one, depending on your budget, the look you want, and the design of your kitchen or bathroom.

To get the most from the countertops, ensure an expert installs them. While the countertops don’t require much care, you still have to pay attention to them. For example, you should wipe them regularly to clean any dirt that might be present.

While they are stain-resistant, they aren’t stain-proof, so you should make a habit to clean the spills as soon as they happen.

The countertops are tough, but you shouldn’t place hot items directly on them as the surfaces aren’t heatproof.

Other countertop options

If you don’t want quartz, there are plenty of other kitchen countertop options you can go with. They include:

Granite countertops

Once only seen in the homes of people of means, granite is one of the most popular countertop materials you can install in your kitchen or bathroom. And no, you don’t need to have a lot of money to install it.

Granite comes in a multitude of colors, such as mottled white, vibrant blue, variegated brown, deep red, and many others.

Like quartz, granite is durable and highly resistant to heat. Its major downfall is it’s porous, so it requires some sealing to prevent it from staining.

Marble countertops

Marble countertops don’t come cheap, so you should be ready to part with a substantial amount to afford them. Marble is popular in kitchens as it has naturally cool temperatures. It’s also heat resistant and stands up well to hot pans and pots.

Its major downside is that, like granite, you have to seal it to prevent it from staining.

Laminate

Popularly known as Formica, laminate is an assortment of fiberglass, paper, wood, and plastics, making it extremely affordable. Laminate comes in a wide range of sizes, colors, designs, and shapes to choose from. One of the most unique attributes of the material is that it comes with a sealant layer resistant to heat, water, and scratch.

At the time of purchase, you buy it as one large piece of sheet, so you don’t have to deal or worry about seams. When it comes to installation, you can easily install it if you are a dab hand at DIY projects. Cleaning it is also easy as all you need is to wipe it with a soft cloth and detergent.

What should you consider when buying kitchen countertops?

Whether you are looking to buy granite, quartz kitchen countertops, or any other countertop material, you should consider plenty of factors. Some of the factors to consider include: color and design, size and shape of the material, durability, and ease of maintenance, cost of buying and installing the countertops, among many other things.

14

Feb

Tips on How to Move Granite Countertops

So you have gone to the granite stores and identified a granite slab you love, and you have confirmed it will look in your home. You have even paid for it, and now it’s time to move it.

Although granite slabs are tough and easily resist scratches, burns, and other forms of abuse, they are prone to cracking if you don’t handle them with care.

For the countertops to reach your home in one piece, you have to move them with caution. To help you out, here are tips on how to move granite countertops.

Have the right moving equipment

The equipment and tools you use for your work will heavily influence the countertops’ safety during transit. The cool thing is there are plenty of safety equipment you can use for your work. They include:

A-frame

The A-frame is wood fashioned and bound together in an “A” shape and it makes it possible to transport large countertop slabs leaning. You need to transport the countertop in a leaning position because the countertops can crack if you transport them flat or horizontally.

Moving straps

To prevent the countertop slab from shifting or wobbling during the move, you have to tie it to the A-frame, and there are no better tools to do this than moving straps. There are all types of straps online and offline you can go for.

When making the purchase, avoid cheap straps as they are often weak, and don’t provide a tight hold. Remember, your countertops are worth thousands. Do you want to secure a thousand-dollar slab with a two-dollar strap?

To avoid accidents, invest in a high-quality strap that will securely hold the countertop in place and give you peace of mind during transportation.

Moving blankets

Moving blankets provide cushioning to the countertops, so the hits aren’t too hard on the countertops. The blankets are a must-have if transporting more than one countertop at a time.

If you can’t find the moving blankets or they are out of your budget, use bubble wrap as it will work just as well. As you are using the padding materials, ensure you hold them in place, so they don’t fall off during the move.

Carrying clamps

The purpose of the carrying clamps is to provide a strong grip to the countertops’ sides, so you have a handle from which to carry the countertops from.

Gloves

Granite can easily slip from your hands, so you can’t trust your hands when carrying the countertops. Regardless of where you are carrying the countertops to, you want gloves with a strong grip to have an easy time moving them.

Extra help

Carrying the countertops isn’t a one-person job, regardless of your physical might. To avoid injuries, risk of damage and have an easy time moving the slabs around, get help from other people. For example, you can get extra hands from the countertop store you are buying the countertops or ask your friends to help out.

Move the countertops using the right techniques.

You might be having all the right equipment, but if you aren’t carrying the countertops properly, you risk damaging them. To help you out, here are tips to remember as you are carrying the slabs:

  • Carry the countertops vertically. Not flat or horizontally.
  • Don’t drag or push the countertop as you will crack it. To ensure this doesn’t happen, have a few extra people help you lift it.
  • Move the countertops one way—don’t have rest stops on your way as you increase the pieces’ chances of breaking if you keep stopping in different areas.

Hire a professional moving company

While you save money moving the countertops by yourself, it comes with plenty of risks. To protect yourself from the risk, let a professional moving company handle the work.

Besides the company moving the countertops safely, it also will most likely be insured, so when an accident happens, you don’t worry who will compensate you for the loss—the insurance company will do it.

A great place to find professionals to move your granite kitchen countertops Reston is from the store you are buying the countertops. As a rule of thumb, ensure the company you are hiring is experienced enough. You don’t want to entrust your expensive purchase to noobs, do you?