Tag Archives: Quartz kitchen countertops

Why Is Marble Not Great for Kitchen Counters?

Marble is both classic and trendy, and many of you may be thinking of adding marble worktops to your kitchen. First and foremost, marble has several excellent properties. It is heat-resistant, and you can certainly install an undermount sink with marble countertops.

It’s a stunning natural stone, with each slab being a work of art. Marble develops a patina over time and will last a lifetime, although it may not be ideal for those with OCD or perfectionist tendencies.

Perhaps you’ve heard the scary information about why you shouldn’t use it. Let me walk you through this, okay?

It can stain

Marble is indeed more porous than most granite and quartz countertops. However, different marbles (and granites, for that matter) have varied absorption rates, which you should consider.

Absorption is the rate at which water penetrates a stone, expressed as a percentage of its weight.

The lower the absorbency, the smaller the likelihood of staining.

If you choose that type of marble, spills will not be a problem as long as you clean them up quickly. You should clean marble countertops using warm, soapy water.

Avoid aggressive chemicals, as they may etch the surface. To avoid etching the surface, use a pH-neutral stone cleanser. But what happens if you stain your marble countertops?

There are several poultice solutions that you can use to remove most stains. In the worst-case situation, skilled refinishing businesses can help remove stubborn stains.

It can etch

Acidic compounds on marble countertops produce etching, or surface dulling, over time. If it is not cleaned up quickly, the acid reacts and eats away at the calcium carbonate in the stone, leaving permanent traces that appear as dull, slightly darker patches or rings on the marble.

Strong cleaners can potentially etch the surface. The way light hits the marble impacts how visible the etching is. In some lighting, the scarring is barely visible, but in others, the dulled spots are highlighted.

Acidic compounds on marble countertops produce etching, or surface dulling, over time. If you don’t clean it up quickly enough, the acid reacts and eats away at the calcium carbonate in the stone, leaving permanent traces that appear as dull, slightly darker patches or rings on the marble.

As previously mentioned, strong cleaners can potentially etch the surface. The way light hits the marble impacts how visible the etching is. In some lighting, the scarring is barely visible, but in others, the dulled spots are highlighted.

It requires periodic sealing.

Just because a marble countertop requires sealing does not imply that it is a significant maintenance issue. How often should you seal it? This varies depending on use and UV exposure, but it usually lasts 3-5 years.

The best approach to test a countertop to check if it is sealed (or if it needs to be resealed) is to place a glass of ice water on its surface and wait a bit. If water from condensation beads up on the marble surface when you pick up the glass from the counter, it is sealed.

If you notice a dark ring on the marble countertop, it needs to be resealed.

Rather than relying solely on “the experts” to tell you whether the countertops are right for you, you should consider consulting someone who has lived with marble countertops and has enough experience with them.

Situations when you shouldn’t consider marble countertops

Although marble countertops have their drawbacks, there is always a way to work around them. While this is the case, there are several situations where you should not consider having the counters. You should never think about having the counters if:

You want your countertops to look new all the time

It’s true. The kitchen is the home’s workhorse, and some people simply would not feel comfortable spending money on something they believe will degrade. If you purchase high-quality items, it is paradoxical to lower your definition of quality to accommodate imperfections.

It’s the polar opposite of our modern culture, which encourages us to upgrade as soon as something no longer looks brand new or develops a perceived flaw.

Unfortunately, this worldview is also a major contributor to our environmental crisis. An increasing amount of waste ends up in landfills.

It’s common for marble to fade over time, but this doesn’t mean that they are unusable. If you are looking for countertops that will look good all the time, consider looking elsewhere.

You cook a lot with staining products.

If you rely heavily on fresh tomato-based pasta sauces and curries for your meals, and frequently use candles made from melted wax, you should be cautious.

You should also be cautious if you frequently spill coffee and have a habit of squeezing lemon into water, leaving the wasted lemon on the counter for later, “just in case”.

If this is your lifestyle, you will need to take a lot of care of your counters, which might not be wise if you had them in the first place.

You will feel a loss when the counters wear out.

We are humans. We cannot safeguard our marble kitchen counters, no matter how hard we try. There will be traces of wear. Just like your favorite pair of shoes, you wore them and they began to tell a narrative.

They show traces of wear and love, which makes them all the more valuable; they are now a part of you. If you live with intention, there’s no reason to be concerned about the consequences of a whole life on your counters.

If you feel that every wear on your counters is a sign of loss, you should highly consider getting another countertop. This is because it’s only a matter of time before the counters begin to wear out.

Parting shot

If you have heard that marble countertops aren’t suitable for kitchen installation, you now know why. If you feel that marble is too high maintenance, don’t worry, as there are others, such as quartz kitchen countertops Durham, that you can go for.

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 You Chop On Quartz?

Due to their tough nature, it’s tempting to want to cut directly on your quartz countertops.

Can you chop on quartz? Yes, you can do it, but you don’t have to. As much as you will find quartz in most commercial kitchens, chefs don’t cut directly on it. In fact, they make it clear that every staff using the kitchen should use a cutting board, even if quartz is known to be highly resistant to scratching.

Even if quartz is tough and scratch-resistant and you won’t immediately notice the scratches when you cut directly on it, when you repeatedly cut on the surfaces, you wear out the seal that quartz surfaces are fabricated with, which means that the food substances start going past the surface and into the core, damaging your precious countertops.

Due to the drawbacks of chopping directly on quartz, you should avoid doing it, at all times.

Other things you shouldn’t do on your quartz countertops

Besides not chopping on quartz, there are plenty of other things you shouldn’t do to keep your surfaces in top shape. These things include:

Don’t chip the corners

While quartz surfaces are highly chip-resistant, they aren’t chip-proof. This means that when you exert enough pressure on them, they are bound to chip away, and you are left with worn-out, ugly countertop surfaces.

To avoid this, take extra caution, especially around the corners, sinks, and dishwashers.

If your kitchen is too busy and you suspect there will be unavoidable chips, install multi-colored surfaces that hide chips more than monotone designs.

Avoid concentrated bleach and cleaners.

Cleaning is one of the excellent ways to keep your countertops in top shape, but you should be cautious of the bleach and cleaner you use as some cleaners contain bleach and other harmful products that can damage your countertops.

In most cases, all you need is soap and water to keep your surfaces in top shape, but if you have to use cleaning products, pay close attention to the contents and ensure that it doesn’t contain any bleach.

You should avoid acidic cleaners the same way you should stay clear of high pH cleaners as they cause the same damage as acidic cleaners.

Avoid writing the countertops.

A clean and well-maintained quartz surface is inviting, and you might be tempted to write on it, but don’t, as writings on the countertops gives them a cheap look. The situation is even worse when you write using permanent markers that won’t come out.

In the event, the kids write or draw on the countertops, move with haste, remove the marks using a dry cloth, and rinse with warm water.

Avoid cooking grease

You will rarely have your quartz countertops in the kitchen, and they go for a long time without getting greased. When grease splashes on your countertops, don’t worry. Instead, simply clean it using soap and water. If this doesn’t remove the grease, use a degreasing product.

To avoid damage, ensure that the product doesn’t have bleach or any other lethal contents that can damage your quartz surfaces.

Don’t keep solvents and chemicals on the countertops

Keep the solvents and powerful chemicals away from your countertops. These include: paint removers, furniture strippers, nail polish remover, oil soaps, bluing, and any other product.

If you have to have these chemicals on the countertops, don’t place them directly there. Instead, have a solid container to hold the products you are sure won’t leak.

Don’t place hot items on the countertops.

Quartz countertops are heat resistant but not heatproof. This means that you might get away with placing hot items directly on the countertops, but when you repeatedly do it, it’s a matter of time before you cause extensive damage.

You shouldn’t place hot items directly on the countertops to avoid this. Instead, have hot mats and trivets in a place where you put the hot items after removing them from the oven. The hot things that shouldn’t come into contact with your quartz kitchen countertops NC are: frying pans, crock pots, griddles, roaster ovens, and heat lamps.

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.

Everything you should know about kitchen countertop options

Kitchen countertops have to bear a lot of wear and tear because of regular exposure to heat, knives, heavy utensils, acids, foods spills and more. If you want your countertop to look good and seve you for a long period of time, you should pay attention while selecting the countertop material for your kitchen. There are plenty of materials available for kitchen island countertops, every material has its own pros and cons. In order to make an informed decision, you should consider every aspect of the respective material. Then only you will be able to make the right choice for your kitchen countertop.

Selecting the right kitchen countertop surface

You can always rely on the opinion of your kitchen remodeler or interior decorator to choose the kitchen countertop material, but if you want a personalized touch, you should take interest in countertop surfaces available on the market. To narrow down your search for ideal kitchen countertop and kitchen island surface, below mentioned is the pros and cons to the popular kitchen countertop materials:

Granite kitchen countertop

Granite is ruling the kitchen countertop market for years. It is the first choice of the homeowners and interior decorators when it comes to the kitchen countertops. This material has its own perks and flaws.

Pros:

It is durable and long-lasting
It is easy to clean
It looks beautiful and increases the value of the property
It resist chips and cracks

Cons:

It is quite expensive
It requires annual sealing

Quartz kitchen countertops

Quartz, especially engineered quartz is gaining a lot of popularity in the kitchen countertop market. This manmade countertop material is highly customizable and offer many benefits, and it has its own flaws as well.

Pros:

It is highly durable
It is Available in plenty of colors and textures
It has bacteria resistant qualities

Cons:

Quartz get discolored over time
It is not a heat resistant material

Tile kitchen countertops

Tile is not a new name in the kitchen countertop market. Tile countertops are one of the best choices available in mid to low-budget.

Pros:

It is affordable material
It is easy to clean

Cons:

It get chipped easily
Annual sealing is required