Tag Archives: quartz countertops

Butcher Block Kitchen Countertops Myths

If you want to redo your kitchen, there are a lot of different countertop materials to consider. Most people think about granite, quartz, and marble countertops.

Butcher block is often forgotten because many people have myths about it. Which are these myths? Here they are.

The butcher block is high maintenance.

Many people must know that taking care of and maintaining a butcher block countertop takes a lot of time. But this isn’t true.

Butcher block countertops do need to be cared for, but they won’t take up much of your time and aren’t that different from caring for other materials.

To keep your butcher block countertop looking and working its best, reseal the surface. You should do this once or twice a year, depending on how often you use your counter.

Butcher block countertops are easier to keep clean and fix than other materials. If your countertops get dents or scratches, you can sand them down and put a new coat of sealant on them.

The countertops scratch easily.

People also worry that butcher block countertops will get scratched easily, which is another reason they don’t use them. People worry that their countertops won’t look good and will be an eyesore in their kitchens instead of a beautiful focal point.

Even though they are softer than stone and will get nicks more easily, the same is true of slate and other hard stones.

If you slide something unfinished over a butcher block countertop, you are about as likely to scratch it as you are to scratch a countertop made of a different material.

No matter what material you use, you need to be careful with this.

To protect your surfaces, use a food-safe coating. This will protect the natural wood from scratches. And, as was said above, if your countertops get scratched over time, you can sand down the finish and reapply the sealant to make them look new again.

The countertops aren’t durable.

Some people decide not to put butcher block countertops in their kitchens because they are worried about how long they will last. In reality, butcher blocks last about the same amount of time as a number of other materials.

When well maintained, they can last about 20 years, the same as laminate and cultured marble.

To extend the life of your countertops, seal the surfaces at least once or twice a year with a sealant that is safe for food and water. You also should smoothen the scratches and stains with sandpaper.

The countertops hold a lot of germs and bacteria.

Everyone has heard it. Butcher block countertops are dirty and dangerous because they hold germs. But this is just a story. Yes, wood is porous, but if you take care of your countertops, you should be able to use them to prepare food and do other cooking-related tasks in a clean way.

To keep your countertops clean, make it a habit to clean them after each use, just like any other material.

Remember that you can’t place a raw steak on any countertop and expect the spot where it was, free of germs or bacteria.

Ensure the butcher block countertop you choose doesn’t have a coating that lets water through.

By doing this, bacteria won’t get into the wood itself. After using the counter, always clean it with either soap and warm water or vinegar and water.

The countertops aren’t water resistant.

Many rumors also say that butcher block countertops can’t stand up to water or heat, but this is untrue.

Yes, water can get into wood countertops that aren’t sealed. The trick is to give your countertops a finish that doesn’t let water in. This will make it less porous.

Several mineral oil products that are safe for food will protect the wood from anything you put on the countertop. Then, all you have to do to protect your countertop is put on a new coat of sealant about twice a year.

It’s not too hard. Even though it’s true that you can’t let water sit on butcher block countertops or they’ll warp, the same is true for stone.

Marble kitchen countertops NC can get permanent stains from water. Like marble, butcher blocks need to be cleaned of any standing water to keep them from getting damaged.

Things You Should Know About Kitchen Countertops

Is this the first time you own kitchen countertops? There are several things you should know about them. These things include:

Some countertops need sealing

If you recently moved to a house with already installed countertops or newly installed units, you should know that some countertops might require you to seal them once a year. As you can guess, this is an additional expense on your part.

The countertops need sealing because they are porous, and the sealant prevents liquids from seeping through and staining the surfaces.

Two of the countertops that require sealing are granite and marble. You also should regularly seal any porous countertops that you might install.

If you aren’t sure whether to seal the units, enquire from a reputable countertop company. You should also research the countertops you have installed in your home.

For peace of mind that your countertops won’t stain the next time you place items on them, please make an effort to seal them at least once a year. When applying the sealant, ensure that its high quality.

You can apply the sealant yourself or hire a professional to help you.

Even if you have already sealed granite countertops, you should note that you still need to take care of your counters. This calls for you to watch what you place on them. As a rule of thumb, don’t place liquids on the surfaces, as they will leak to the inner layers.

It would be best if you also always cleaned the spills that happen as soon as they do. This is because even if you have already sealed your surfaces, the falls will still get to the inner layers when you go for a long time without removing them.

Even with thoroughly sealed counters, always get rid of the spills as soon as they happen.

The countertops aren’t as tough as they look.

When you touch granite, quartz, marble, and other countertops, you might have the impression that they are destructible, but this isn’t the case. Just because the countertops appear challenging doesn’t mean that they are.

To protect your surfaces from damage, avoid cutting directly on them. Please don’t do it now on the countertops when cutting vegetables or chopping meat. Instead, always have a chopping board that prevents you from making marks on the surfaces and simultaneously prevents the spread of bacteria from the meat to the counters.

When you regularly place the hot pots on, most countertops will also be damaged by fire. For your countertops to look good for long and last for as long as possible, avoid placing the hot pots directly on your countertops.

Instead, have hot pads and mats on the counters. When you place your pots, you get them from the stove.

If you don’t have these units, don’t take the pots from the stove. Instead, leave it there until it has completely cooled down.

Besides heat, you also look out for weight, as placing too much weight on the counters will damage this. Many homeowners have the propensity to bathe their young ones on their kitchen sinks. Don’t do this, as you will place too much pressure on the counters.

You also should avoid placing an oversized cooking pot on the counters.

Other homeowners tend to sit on the counters while waiting for the food to cook or when reaching for the top shelf or replacing the bulbs. When you bathe your child in the sink, you place too much pressure on the countertops when you sit or step on them, which expands even the tiniest fissures leading to cracks you didn’t want in the first place.

Countertops need care

Whether you have granite, marble, or quartz countertops Raleigh, you need to give them the best care they deserve. This means that you should regularly clean them.

You might have the impression that you need harsh cleaning products, but this isn’t the case. Simple soap and water are enough to leave your countertops sparkling. You should always avoid harsh chemicals as they cause more harm than good.

Can You Set Hot Things On Quartz Countertops?

The short and sweet answer is no. It’s unwise to place hot things directly on the countertops. This is because the resin on the countertops isn’t as heat resistant as natural stone. Due to this, placing a hot item such as a hot pan will scorch the surfaces, leaving a permanent spot of discoloration, and you don’t want this, do you?

To ensure that your quartz countertops don’t have any damage, you should protect them from harm. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to go about it. These ways include:

Always use potholders and trivets

Potholders are made from cloth or silicon squares, allowing you to grab the hot handles of your pots, so you have an easy time moving your pots from the stove. You can also slip the potholders underneath your hot pot, which comes in handy to protect the counter or table surface.

On the other hand, a trivet is designed for the countertop or table. Trivets are usually thicker or more rigid than potholders and can be quite decorative.

To ensure that you never place the hot pot directly on the countertop, keep the trivets or potholders strategically in an area you can easily reach.

Whether you are interested in trivets or potholders, ensure that you go for high-quality ones that will withstand the test of time.

Lay out the heat mats and towels

Heat mats are similar to trivets but are made from materials such as bamboo rolls, wood blocks, hand towels, and even silicon mats.

When handling hot pans, heat mats create a safe counter space where you can set the pans without worrying about damaged countertops.

Again, like the trivets, get high-quality thick heat mats that protect your surfaces.

Protect your curling iron

Have you installed quartz countertops in your bathroom? You should be cautious of the curling irons and straightening plates as, like hot pans, they can damage your countertops.

When any hot part of the hair tools comes in contact with your countertops, it’s bound to leave unsightly scorch marks, and you don’t want this on your surfaces, do you?

Have spoon rests to ensure that your countertops never get damaged by the hot hair straightening tools. You can also have a stylish trivet-like mat in your bathroom where you place your curling iron.

Make use of coasters.

Rarely will tea and coffee mugs burn through your quartz countertops, but you shouldn’t take the risk as there have been cases where the countertops have been damaged by the repeated placement of hot tea cups on the countertops.

To protect your countertops, always place coasters on the surfaces that will protect the countertops from burning.

Use serving dishes

When serving food, always use serving dishes. While the bottoms of these dishes will get warm, they won’t be dangerously hot that they damage the countertops.

Other tricks to protect your countertops

Besides preventing hot items from landing on your countertops, you can do plenty of other things to keep your countertops looking great. Some of these things include:

Don’t let spills dry on the countertops

You can’t stay away from spills on your kitchen and bathroom countertops, but you should always ensure that they don’t dry on your counters.

When you are tired, it’s tempting to want to finish your meal and wipe the spills later, but you shouldn’t do this as the spills usually dry on surfaces that are hard to remove.

To avoid this, always move with haste and get rid of the spills as soon as they happen.

To prevent spills from coming about in the first place, be cautious of the liquids you handle around your countertops. Keep soda, coffee, wine, and even cooking oils from your counters as a rule of thumb.

Clean the countertops properly

How you clean the countertops comes in handy in determining how your countertops look. To maintain a clean look of your quartz kitchen countertops Durham, clean your surfaces using warm, soapy water.

You should avoid highly alkaline products such as acidic cleaners, degreasers, and glass cleaners, as they are too tough and tend to harm your counters.

Can I Put A Toaster On A Quartz Countertop?

best kitchen countertop contractor

If you love toasted bread, you must be wondering whether you can place your toaster on your quartz countertops. After all, you don’t want to damage your countertops, right?

Well, you shouldn’t place your toaster directly on your countertops without a protective barrier such as a trivet, glass cutting board, or ceramic tile to prevent the heat from transferring from the toaster to the countertops.

What happens when you place the toaster directly on the countertops?

Placing the toaster on the countertops without any form of precaution will bring about a number of issues such as:

Heat from the toaster will damage the polyester resin on the quartz

Quartz is an engineered stone created largely from tough minerals, usually consisting of 90% quartz stone and 10% polyester resin. The polyester resins hold or bind the quartz together, helping quartz to be one of the most durable materials on the market.

Unfortunately, the polyester resin in quartz can be easily damaged by heat from the toaster oven, electric frying pan, oven, crock pot, or any other appliance that produces a lot of heat.

The heat weakens the polyester resins when you place the toaster unprotected on the countertops. In the long term, the resins swell or even swell.

The toaster oven harms indoor air quality.

As you use your toaster, the heat produced by the appliance gets transmitted onto the countertop’s surface, where it emits harmful pollutants into the air.

This happens due to synthetic polyester resins releasing chemicals into the atmosphere.

The pollution from these chemicals can be anything from carbon monoxide to hydrocarbons that can cause respiratory problems, especially for people with asthma, pregnant, and infants, still in their growing stages.

The toaster dulls the countertops.

In most cases, when you use the toaster directly on the countertops, it makes the countertops duller. In some cases, the countertop begins to form stains, which, as you can guess, isn’t a good look.

How can you protect the countertops?

To prevent the dangers of placing the toaster directly on the countertops, you should protect the countertops from damage. How do you do it? Here is how to go about it:

Trivets

Trivets are an excellent way to avoid direct contact with your countertops with the toaster. Trivets are made from steel, ceramic, and even silicone.

The best and most affordable trivets you should go for are silicone trivets. They can tolerate the same high heat as the other trivets made from ceramics and cork.

At the same time, they stay cool, and you can leave your toaster on them for a long time without worrying that they will get too hot to the extent they damage your countertops.

When buying the trivets, ensure that you buy them from a reputable store. This way, you have peace of mind that they are high quality and will give you a long service.

Ceramic tile

Ceramic tiles come with an in-built protective coating that enables the tiles to withstand daily use without showing signs of damage.

The beauty of the tiles is you don’t need any special tools to install them, which makes them an excellent and cost-effective solution to the hot toaster. All you need to do is to align the tile around your appliance, and once you complete the four sides, you are good to go.

Cardboard or wood

You can always use cardboard if you don’t want to invest in a trivet or ceramic tile. Be cautious of your safety when using a board, as the plastic board can melt fast.

As much as a wooden board won’t melt, it is risky to staining, especially when exposed to high temperatures.

Steel baking sheet

Steel baking sheets don’t scratch or damage the surfaces and, at the same time, remain durable enough to withstand heat from different appliances, including toasters.

When buying the sheets for your quartz kitchen countertops Durham, pay close attention to how wide and deep the coaster is. As a rule, ensure that the sheets perfectly fit your appliance.

How Do You Keep Your Countertops Looking Like New?

Every homeowner’s dream is to keep their kitchen countertops looking new for as long as possible. After all, the countertops don’t come cheap, do they?

If you are one of these homeowners, you should know that there are plenty of ways to do it. How you keep your countertops in top shape depends on the nature of your countertops. To help you out, here are some of the ways to keep the various countertops looking new.

Marble

Marble is one of the hardest materials to maintain. Since it’s naturally porous and highly susceptible to etching, you should be cautious when preparing your meals. As a rule of thumb, don’t cut directly on the countertops.

You also should make it a habit to seal the countertops at least once a year.

If there is any surface damage or stains, move with haste and fix them as soon as possible. If there are oil stains on the surfaces, remove them using ammonia, mineral spirits, or hydrogen peroxide. For the food stains, lift them using water-based dish soap and baking soda paste.

Do your surfaces have chemical corrosion? Buff it out with marble polish.

Wood countertops

For elegant-looking butcher block countertops, apply mineral oil at least once a month. If your countertops aren’t butcher block, apply marine oil to keep the stain fade resistant.

Are there marks and burns on the countertops? Sand them out, then remove the stains using lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide.

Stainless steel

If you have stainless steel countertops, you know that scratches are inevitable on the surfaces. Thankfully, you can buff them out with an abrasive pad.

To protect your surfaces from rusting, prevent cast iron pans from contacting the countertops. If there are already rust stains, remove them using lemon juice and baking soda.

Quartz countertops

Quartz countertops are known to be heat, stain, and scratch-resistant. They are also nonporous and don’t need sealing. If your surfaces develop stains, apply a paste of hydrogen peroxide and flour, then let it sit for at least 24 hours.

Soapstone

Soapstone is also naturally nonporous, so it doesn’t require sealing. Unfortunately, nicks and scratches are common, so you should be cautious when working around them. Like marble, don’t cut directly on it. Also, avoid placing hard items on it.

If your countertops have slight discoloration from oil or any other material, rub out the discoloration using mineral oil.

Laminate countertops

The most common problem with laminate countertops is stains. Thankfully, you can remove them using baking soda paste. Leave the paste on the countertops for 3-5 minutes, and the paste will lift the stains out, leaving your countertops spotless.

If you have difficult stains that are hard to remove, get rid of them using bleach.

Concrete

You should start thinking about concrete countertops before you even install them. As a rule of thumb, seal the countertops before you install them. This is to prevent them from staining.

Besides this, make it a habit of applying tung oil a few times a year to keep the surfaces stain resistant. For a glossier look, apply wax regularly.

Solid surface

If there are stains or fine scratches on the surfaces, you can buff them out using a mild abrasive. The most common problem with the countertops is a plastic-like patina developing on the countertops. This patina is difficult to remove as you rarely have the right materials.

To avoid damaging your countertops while trying to remove the patina, let a professional handle it.

Ceramic tile

It’s easy to keep your ceramic tile countertops in top condition. Clean the surfaces regularly with a toothbrush and mildew fighting solution and fight occasional stains with diluted household bleach.

Granite countertops

The most important thing to do to your granite countertops NC is seal them. To prevent the countertops from stains, make it a habit to seal them once a year.

To find out whether your surfaces are properly sealed, splash some water on the surface, and if the water isn’t absorbed, the surfaces are properly sealed, but if the water absorbs fast, you need to apply another layer of sealant.

Thankfully, you can professionally seal the countertops without the input of a professional.

What are Corian countertops?

Most people know about granite, marble, and quartz countertops, but there are plenty of other countertop materials you should know about. For example, you should know about Corian countertops.

Corian is the brand name of a solid surface countertop created by DuPont. These countertops are made from a natural mineral blend and acrylic polymer composed of Alumina Trihydrate. Although the countertops mimic the appearance of a stone, they have several distinct properties that make them great countertop choices.

Corian countertops pros and cons

Like other countertops, Corian countertops have their good and bad sides.

Pros

Affordable

Compared to granite, quartz, marble, and other countertops in the market, Corian countertops are much cheaper, making them affordable for most people.

They conduct electricity

This is a unique feature that you won’t find in most countertop materials. While this feature might sound gimmicky to most homeowners, it’s real, and you can work with your technicians and install it on your countertops making it possible to charge your phone wirelessly on the countertops.

While this feature might not be attractive to most homeowners, it comes in handy to those that love cooking while reading recipes on their phones or iPads.

If you are thinking about installing this feature on your countertops, you should note that it will cost you, and you will need to give your countertops special care.

It’s non-porous

Unlike marble and granite, Corian countertops are non-porous, meaning that wine, water, and other liquids won’t easily seep through when you spill on them. This makes the countertops easy to maintain and gives you peace of mind that stains won’t easily come about.

The non-porous nature of the countertops also means that you won’t have to keep sealing the countertops to keep them impermeable to liquids.

Cons

Corian isn’t durable.

Although Corian is affordable, it doesn’t have a long life. This means that when you install it, you will have to replace it several times in your lifetime, and as you can guess, this makes the countertop expensive to have.

One of the reasons the countertop has a short life is because it’s prone to scratches and heat damage, so when you consistently place hot pots on it, it gets damaged, and you have to replace it.

How to maintain Corian countertops

Like other countertops in the market, the key to extending the life of Corian countertops is to take good care of them. How do you do this? Here is how to go about it:

Clean the countertops routinely.

Like other countertops, you have to clean the countertops to keep them looking good. The beauty is you don’t have to be fancy how you go about it. Clean the countertops with dish soap and water to eliminate everyday dirt, grime, and food residues.

Once you are done, dry the countertops with a soft cloth to prevent hard water marks and streaks from forming. The soft cloth also makes the countertops look glossy.

For stubborn dirt, get rid of it using an ammonia-based spray cleaner. When buying the cleaner, pay close attention to the packaging and ensure you aren’t buying a glass or window cleaner. While these have ammonia, they will leave streaks on your countertops, and you don’t want this.

To prevent hard water marks and stains, make it a habit to clean spills as soon as they happen.

Regularly polish the countertops.

Corian countertops come with a semi-gloss, matte, and high gloss finish that you can easily maintain by regularly polishing them. While there isn’t a countertop that will give off the same shiny look you find in granite, you can buff and enhance the look of the countertop with glossy finishes.

All you need to do is spray the polish on the countertops, then buff with a dry, soft cloth.

Protect the countertops from damage

As mentioned above, the reason Corian countertops don’t last as long as granite countertops Raleigh and other countertop materials is because they are easily damaged, so you should protect them from damage.

One way to do it is to protect them from hot pots and pans using oven mitts, trivets, and thick towels. You also should avoid cutting directly on the countertops or sitting on them.

4 Problems with Quartz Countertops

Although quartz has its perks, such as beautiful appearance and durability, it also has its unpleasant side. To help you out, here are 4 of the most common problems with quartz countertops:

They discolor

When you visit many countertop stores, the salespeople move with haste to point out that quartz doesn’t stain so you don’t need to give a lot of care to it. While this is true, it’s not the entire truth.

Quartz is ground down into a fine powder and then mixed with resins before it’s reformed into a countertop. Even though the stone itself is resistant to stains, the resins used to make the countertop vary in stain resistance from one manufacturer to another.

This means that if you buy the wrong type of countertop, you will have to deal with stains hence the countertops requiring almost the same care as granite.

Most countertop stains result from spills, but these aren’t the only things you need to worry about. Quartz counters change their color when exposed to direct sunlight so if your house has large windows allowing a lot of sunlight in, you have to keep closing and opening the drapes to keep the sun out.

Also, the color changes mean you can’t use the countertops outdoors or in grilling spaces.

The countertops have also been shown to stain due to hard water exposure. The iron, magnesium, and calcium in the water leave unsightly deposits on quartz that sometimes come off but sometimes they don’t.

They are expensive to install

Quartz surfaces don’t come cheap so if you are operating on a tight budget, you should look for other options. The reason for the high cost is due to the process involved in their installation. The process involves:

Fabrication: The contractors cut and smooth the slab to the needed shape and size. The larger and more complicated the shape is, the more expensive it’s going to be so if you are looking to save money, you should go for a simple design.

Support addition: If there are areas on the countertops that don’t have cabinets or appear weak, the contractors install extra support on them. The purpose of the extra support is to reduce the risk of the countertops breaking or cracking.

The contractors can install the supports in different ways. They can add extra wooden beams to the wall or secure them close to the cabinets.

Leveling: The purpose of leveling is to reduce the risk of the countertops cracking. The contractors can raise or lower the countertops or cabinets depending on the needs.

They are not resistant to heat

Quartz itself is highly resistant to heat, but the resins used in making the countertops aren’t. This means that placing a hot pan or baking dish directly on the countertops will cause them to have a white discoloration or a cloudy appearance.

To keep your countertops in top shape and avoid damaging them, avoid exposing the countertops to temperatures exceeding 300 degrees Fahrenheit. To ensure that you don’t damage the countertops, always use a hot pad or trivet instead of placing the hot items directly on the surfaces.

When it comes to cutting on the countertops, don’t cut directly on the surfaces. Instead, have a cutting board in place, as the countertops are prone to scratches.

They tend to have ugly seams

When you hire inexperienced contractors to install the countertops for you, they don’t put the slabs together as well as they should and as a result, you have ugly seams that ruin the appearance of the countertops.

Installing the countertops isn’t DIY friendly

Installing quartz countertops is complex thus not fun especially if you love engaging in DIY projects. Although there are easier to install slabs in the market that you can go for, they too require specialized tools to properly install them.

Moving the countertops is also a problem as they are too heavy. Due to this, you have no way out other than to hire professional contractors to install your quartz kitchen countertops Durham.

When hiring the professionals, ensure they are experienced enough. They also should be authorized to practice in your local area. It also doesn’t hurt hiring insured contractors.

Can You Paint Your Kitchen Countertops?

kitchen countertops

If you don’t like the current look of your countertops and don’t have money to install new countertops, you might be thinking about painting them. Can you paint your kitchen countertops? The good news is yes, you can paint the countertops.

That said, before you paint your countertops you need to consider several things:

How long will you be using the painted countertops?
Will you be selling your house or renting your house in the near future?
How will you be using the countertops?

If you are planning to renovate your house in the future, you can go ahead and paint the countertops as you have nothing to lose. After all, it’s temporary. If you don’t like the painted countertops it’s a matter of a few months and you replace the countertops with new ones.

If you will be selling or renting your house in the future, it would be unwise to paint the countertops as painting might bring down the value of the house or make it less attractive to the buyer or renter.

Finally, you should realize that painted countertops aren’t as heat resistant as their unpainted counterparts, so when using them, always have a trivet under the hot pans.

How to paint kitchen countertops

If you feel painting the countertops is the only way to improve their look, you should go ahead and do the painting. How do you do this? Follow these steps:

Choose the right color

You don’t want your countertops to resemble a doodling table, do you? To avoid this, choose the right color for your countertops. For the perfect look, you need a base color and 2-3 more colors that complement each other.

You can see pictures on Pinterest for inspiration or get professional advice from a color expert.

Prepare the surface for painting

Once you have the colors locked in, your next step is to prepare the surfaces for painting. Some of the things you need to do include:

Remove everything from the countertops and relocate them somewhere else.
Remove caulking around your countertop using a screwdriver and knife. When doing it, be cautious you don’t gouge the drywall.
Remove faucet and drain
Place a baggie over the drainpipe and secure it with a rubber band. This will prevent sewer gas from coming into your room.
Plug faucet holes with paper towels or other things to prevent paint from going down those openings.
Sand the countertops
Tape the edges with painter’s tape
Tape up drop cloths around the room using painter’s tape to prevent spray paint from getting into areas you don’t want to paint.
Wipe the countertops with paint thinner to ensure they are completely clean.
Ensure there is as much air coming in as possible by opening the window, placing a box fan in the window pointing on the outside to such the fumes out, or by turning on a vent fan if you have one.

Apply 1-2 coats of your base color

It would be good for the base color to cover the original countertop color, but if your color doesn’t, you can still proceed with the painting as you are still going to add more color on top.

After applying the base color, now apply the first color accent. Pour the paint onto a plate, then proceed to apply it onto your countertops by tapping the paper towel onto a plate and then onto the countertop.

You should apply the color this way until you cover the entire countertop.

Once you are done, give the colors time to dry, then apply the topcoat. For the best results, you may have to do at least 3 coats of the color.

Sand the countertops

It’s common to find uneven spots on the countertops or feel an uneven texture due to paint application. If this is your case, you should lightly sand the countertops. You might have the impression you will harm the look of the countertops by sanding but this isn’t the case.

Since you have multiple color coats, you most likely won’t harm the look of the countertops. Instead, you will get an extra smooth finish.

You can do the painting if you have the skills but for exemplary results, let experts experienced at painting quartz kitchen countertops NC and other materials handle the work.

What Is The Most Durable Countertop? It’s Quartz Countertops

When looking for countertops for your home or business, one of the most important things to consider is the durability of the material. After all, you don’t want a material that will come apart after a few months. Due to the gravity of the issue, you must be asking, what is the most durable countertop?

After analyzing dozens of countertop materials, we can confidently say that quartz countertops are the most durable countertop materials in the market. They aren’t susceptible to knife cuts, don’t chip or crack and they are stain resistant. The countertops are almost indestructible to regular kitchen use.

Why quartz is the most durable countertop material

Quartz is one of the hardest countertop materials you will come across. As mentioned above, it doesn’t scratch or chip so you won’t have to worry about damaging it in your daily use. Quartz is also heat, bacteria, and stain resistant making it the perfect surface for kitchens and bathrooms.

You should note that while quartz is heat resistant, avoid exposing it to extreme heat. When placing hot pots and pans on it, always use a potholder or trivet.

Quartz is made to last

Most quartz counters are designed to last as most manufacturers incorporate excellent touches such as mirrors, colored glass, pearls, and small pieces of semi-precious stones.

It’s easy to maintain

Unlike marble or granite countertops, quartz is non-porous so you don’t need to seal it to prevent stains and other forms of damage from occurring. This means you don’t need to do much to keep the countertops in tip top shape.

Cleaning the countertops is a breeze as all you need is mild soap and water.

Other countertop options

Although quartz is the most durable material, it’s not for everyone. Luckily, there are other options you can go for. While they aren’t as durable as quartz, they can give you the same service, but they will need some extra care. These materials include:

Granite

Granite is often the first choice for most homeowners as it’s extremely popular. You have two options when it comes to granite countertops: natural and engineered countertops.

While both are durable and heat and stain resistant, engineered granite countertops take it a step further. They come in a variety of colors and patterns and come in a more uniformed and consistent look. To keep the surfaces from staining, you need to seal them with a high quality sealing product.

Crushed glass

This is a new entrant in the countertop marketplace and it’s loved by many due to its diversity and many color choices. While glass is naturally tough, crushed glass is tougher especially when engraved in a clear and durable acrylic or cemented onto concrete.

When properly done, acrylic gives the look of glass segments floating in water while crushed glass embedded onto concrete gives a mosaic look.

Besides being durable, crushed glass countertop is stain resistant, easy to clean, eco-friendly and unique. While the glass is tough, it’s brittle around the edges so when you install it, avoid placing too much weight at the corners.

Soapstone

You might think I’m absurd placing soapstone as a durable countertop material. While it’s not as tough as granite, it’s more pliable. Soapstone is made from quarried stone and it’s a steatite stone made up of dolomite, magnesite, and chlorite.

Other stones contain some talc that is responsible for the milky or powdery look and feel.

Unlike granite, soapstone is non-porous so it’s less likely to stain. It’s also easy to clean as it doesn’t require any sealing or re-sealing.

Since its smooth, avoid cutting directly on it. Also, avoid dropping heavy glass objects or iron pan on it as it can lead to serious damage.

Marble

Whether pure white or streaked, marble is one of the most beautiful countertop materials you can install in your home. While it’s beloved by emperors and artisans, it’s extremely prone to scratches so you have to replace it after a few years. This makes marble countertops NC the least durable countertops in my list.

If you have always dreamt of installing the countertop, install it for its beauty. Not durability.

How Do I Know What My Countertop Is Made Of? Granite Contractors Answer It

If you are asking this question, how do I know what my countertop is made of, you must have moved to a new house, and aren’t sure of the material used to cover your countertops. Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. According to granite contractors, there are plenty of new homeowners that can’t tell whether their countertops are made from marble, quartz, or granite. To help you out, here are three of the most popular countertop materials and how they compare:

Marble

Marble is said to be the most elegant natural stone in the world. Just like granite, it has been around for years, and it has been used to construct palaces for kings and statues dedicated to gods.

Impurity free marble is solid white. Unfortunately, most of the marble contains other minerals that give it a myriad of colors such as black, pink, gray, and yellow.

Real marble tends to have unparalleled glossiness. When you are inspecting the stone, don’t take this as a telltale sign your countertop is made from marble as unscrupulous business people can replicate it by adding small pieces of glass and other materials.

The colors of the countertops will appear as veins or swirls throughout the stone, and since the countertop is natural, it won’t have repeating or symmetrical patterns.

Unlike granite, marble is translucent; hence you can see a few millimeters past the surface, which gives the material more depth.

Granite

Granite has been around for years, and it’s one of the most popular countertop materials in the market. It contains an assortment of different minerals such as: mica, feldspar, and quartz. It comes in different colors such as brown, gray, white, and red.

Granite is referred to as a phanerite rock. This means it contains crystals and mineral clumps that are large enough to distinguish with naked eyes. When you look at a granite slab, you will see various pieces in a speckled pattern that come together to form the stone.

You will come across some granite that has a veined look similar to marble, but when you look at it closely, the color patches tend to be grainy and blurry, instead of having distinct streaks. Since the stone is opaque, you can only see the outermost layer of the surface.

Quartz

Quartz counters are humanmade, where they are made by mixing ground quartz stone, resins, and polymers. Some quartz countertops can be a mix of ground granite, marble and other natural stones giving birth to engineered stone.

Since the countertops are humanmade, they come in a variety of colors and patterns.

If you are new with countertops and would love to know whether you are using real or fake countertops, you should look at the pattern. Every slab of marble or granite is unique since it’s made from natural stone. As a consequence, no two areas of the stone will look the same.

Since quartz is humanmade, it tends to have a fairly uniform color and consistency throughout with little variation in patterns and texture.

So what should you do after knowing?

Once you have known the countertops you have in your home, the next move should be to take care of them. In most cases, you give the same care to all types of countertops.

One of the things you should do is to clean the countertops. When you notice dirt, clean the countertops with mild soap and sponge. Avoid using harsh chemicals as they will etch the surfaces.

You also should avoid placing a lot of weight on the countertops. Marble, granite, and quartz countertops appear sturdy and indestructible, but they easily crack when you place a lot of weight on them.

To keep them in shape, avoid sitting on them. You also should avoid placing a heavy cooking item at the edges of the countertops.

Finally, you should make a habit of clearing any debris from the countertops as soon as it happens. This ensures the countertops don’t stain, so you don’t have to undertake countertop replacement Raleigh. Just like when cleaning the surfaces, avoid getting rid of dirt using harsh products that can harm the surfaces.