Granite Countertops And Kitchen Renovations: Understanding Solid Surfaces And The Care They Need
When doing renovations to your kitchen, solid surfaces like granite are an option that you may want to consider for the countertops. It is important that you know best practices for the installation and kitchen design, as well as caring for your surfaces after installation. The following granite countertop installation and care guide will help you with your kitchen renovations.
Reduce the number of cuts and joints—Cuts and joints make solid surface countertops more vulnerable to damage like cracking and separation. Therefore, you should reduce the number of seams and joints in the granite countertops as much as possible. Try to break up the design in your kitchen with shorter stone slabs to help reduce these vulnerabilities and ensure your new stone surfaces last for years without any damage.
Choose the right sink for granite countertops—It is also important to choose the type of sink you use with granite countertops wisely. If you use sinks that are mounted beneath the surface of granite, they can limit choices if you ever have to change the sink. Therefore, it is a good idea to consider designs that sit on top of the countertop surface, which will also not need to have finished granite edges because they are not exposed.
Profile edges and reducing problems with cracking granite—There are different options for the profiles or edges of the granite countertops. First, make sure that your countertops have as small of an overhang as possible. Today, there are options for clean square profiles, bullnoses, and bevel edges for the granite countertops you have installed for kitchen renovation. With granite surfaces, consider profiles that have fewer cracks to make it easier to clean and care for your new countertops.
Cleaning, polishing, and caring for your newly installed granite surfaces—Unlike quartz, your new granite countertops are going to require regular cleaning and good care. First, make sure that you keep the surfaces clean and free of food debris. In addition, you will want to occasionally polish the granite and remove stains that might occur to keep it looking like new. There may also be repairs that occasionally need to be done to preserve the condition of the stone surfaces in your kitchen.
With good kitchen countertop design and the right care, your new granite countertops surfaces will last for years. Contact a contractor who works with granite countertops to have them help with the design and installation of new surfaces in your kitchen.