Granite Countertops: Some Considerations
Posted on: 26 October 2017
Once you see beautifully laid granite countertops in someone's kitchen, you may want them for your own house. When you're ready to make this dream a reality, you might find yourself surprised to discover just how many issues need to be thought about and decided upon before the project will be done. Be aware of considerations like those below before you start renovating your kitchen.
The Slabs You'll Have
Your eyes may enjoy lingering over the sample slabs in a showroom, but avoid disappointment by ensuring that you're as delighted with the slabs which will arrive at your address.
For one thing, you've got to ensure that the grade used in the showroom will be the same slab grade that will come to your house. That's because color and patterns are different in each slab, and if you love the way a certain slab looks, there's not a guarantee that your own slabs will look that way. Ensuring that the grade is comparable eliminates some of the guesswork.
Slab Thickness
Excitement may start to bubble up inside when you find out that you can custom order the thickness of each slab you're going to use. If saving money is a priority, you may already be calculating how much can be saved with thinner slabs. However, consider that over years of use in your kitchen, thinner slabs might end up cracking more noticeably than their thick counterparts. Remain within your family's budget, but don't view thickness as a luxury.
Cutting, Sanding, and Polishing Methods
When fact-finding about the countertop contractors you might work with, learn as much about their methods as possible. Is the granite cut by a human being or a machine? Are there people on site to hand sand all the edges of each slab? Compare slabs sanded or polished by people; you might prefer that your own slabs be handled by humans rather than machines.
Maintenance
Your contractors aren't obligated to use an epoxy or sealant on your slabs; find out if they plan to. If not, that's a home project that you can spend an afternoon with. However, you should also dig a little deeper to learn whether additional maintenance is needed even though granite is known to be hearty and strong.
Your countertops will surely reflect your daydreams about them if you can remember these considerations as you plan. Contact a company like Artisan Granite & Marble for more information and assistance.
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