Friday, May 26, 2017

Choosing the right granite for your home



You may not know this but shopping for granite can be a good experience as well. It is not as boring or fruitless as so many people may have you believe. The first thing that you need to do in order to select the right granite for your home is visit showrooms and quarries that have selections of the large slabs. When you see the entire granite slab you would be in a far better position to judge the wide array of patterns as well as other variations on said surface. This is something that you would never be able to see in the small samples that buyers are normally used to seeing when they go to buy their worktops and granite countertops.
One of the major benefits of granite is that it is extremely durable and its resistance to staining is legendary as well. It is also hard to scorch it or scratch it. It is also quite easy to repair this stone until and unless the damage is really deep or has spread throughout the entire surface. This is one reason why granite can be regarded as a solid return on the investment that you are making for the same.
Most of the people regard granite as a luxury item. This is why if your home has granite in it its resale value will be really high. What most people do not understand is that this so-called luxury item is a lot less expensive compared to so many luxury items out there. If you can do some research you would see that there are service providers who would offer you granite slabs at rates that are remarkably reasonable to say the least. This includes installation fees as well. When it comes to price of countertops only laminate worktops are cheaper than granite.   

A few facts about granite countertops


You may not know this but granite countertops tend to be costlier when compared to other materials used for countertops. Normally the prices, inclusive of installation charges, would be around 60 dollars for each square foot. The stone itself is not that costly but the related costs are pretty much on the higher side. This includes related expenses such as quarry work, polishing, cutting, installations, and transportation. If you are just a homeowner it is always better that you refrain from installing it yourself. Granite is a pretty-strong material but the slab sheets, which are mostly oversized, have to be cut precisely as per the measurements of your kitchen.


They need to fit the counters. At the time when they are being transported they are in a very-delicate state. Special care needs to be taken in order to make sure that the base cabinets are properly reinforced. The slab has to be set at the perfect level. If you do not set the countertop properly then it could break at the time when you try and use it on a regular basis. If you are a homeowner who wants to use granite at home but is unable to pay the price for installing top-quality material you should go for discountedgranite.

You can get these from retailers that stock these stones in groups based on how popular their color and movement are. In case of cuts that belong to the lower tier you will get the consistent traits that the stone is known for. However, the shades of colors may vary on the basis of the latest trend in vogue. It is expected that even in the foreseeable future granite countertops will continue to be a favorite of homeowners, interior designers, and architects. As it is, granite is immensely durable and does not age as quickly.     

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Some information on granite tile countertops


As far as the various kinds of granite countertops are concerned the granite tile countertops are the most inexpensive of their kind. The beauty of these countertops is that you can install them by yourself as well. This is probably one major reason as to why they are so cheap – you do not need pay money to a professional installer to install them at your home. In this style of countertops you install granite tiles on the countertop that you already have. Here you use epoxy to attach the tiles instead of using grout and mortar as may be used in order to install the other kinds of granite countertops.

You might think that this is a lot like installing floor tiles and you are not at all wrong in thinking so. These are basically floor tiles that have been repurposed in order to be used atop countertops. This also implies that you are going to get your fair share of seams, which is something no one really wants in her kitchen. Still what works for it is the fact that it is a cheap way of getting a granite countertop in your kitchen, and that you can install it yourself.


Now, this is one major decision that you need to take. You will either get stylish looking slab granite that will cost you a fortune to buy and a lot to install or you will have to make do with these alternatives that may not be as pretty but work almost as well and save a lot of money as well. You can get these tiles at any home remodeling store and they cost as little as four dollars for each square foot. This price is however only applicable when you are using granite sheets that are 3/4th of an inch.     

Researching for your granite countertop

As any professional granite installer will tell you as well you need to do a fair bit of research in order to buy the granite countertop that you had been looking for so long and hard. As part of this you can read up articles on the internet and then personally go and visit a few quarries or showrooms. You can also talk to other people who have bought and used granite countertops before. This will help you learn a lot and in the process you would be in a position to use their experiences properly in your own life as well.  

Once you have learnt what you need to do from them you can use these countertops in your kitchen, bar, and bathroom. In fact, if you are thinking of remodeling your home or parts of it you would be well served by using granite countertops at your “new” home. You will always be glad later on that you took such a decision. There are several materials in which you would get countertops these days. This includes natural stones such as granite, marble, travertine, limestone, and onyx. However, granite is said to be the most desirable among these options. 

In fact, as far as common people such as you and I are concerned granite is one material that should sit right at the very pinnacle of the wish list. In most cases, people would suggest that you get granite countertops for different parts of your home such as bathroom and kitchen. In fact, granite is also used quite widely as a building material. Granite as a material is extremely durable and can resist stains and scratches quite easily. The same goes for spills and heat as well. They can play a major role in making both the inside and the outside of the home look really well.  

How to cut granite countertops?

Anyone who has ever used a granite countertop at his kitchen will be able to tell you that you definitely need granite on your worktops and countertops in your kitchen and bathroom. After all, they add a lot of value to your home. Now, you may be wondering how a stone like granite is cut to size in order for you to have the countertop and worktop that you want so badly. Normally these granite slabs are around 10 feet long and on an average they are about 6 feet tall. They are normally inch and quarter thick. In spite of what you may think by reading about the thickness these stones are quite heavy.



This is the reason why people who cut these stones use forklifts and similar instruments in their work. At times, cranes are used as well for the purpose of transport. This is needed at time to just take said stone to the cutting table. The cutting table is very important since it is from this one that you need to be accurate. If the work is done well over here your slab would be installed properly at the place where you want it to be. The bridge saws that are being used over here are also quite important as well.


They need to be highly reliable in order for the work to go well. There is a good reason why these saws are known as bridge saws. In these saws, you have a bridge-like setting over the pillars that are expected to sustain the weight. The saw function over it and the granite is cut by the plunge. It is very important that the top brands are used in this regard so that the quality of work is not compromised at all. The technology needs to be of the best-possible quality.     

Granite countertops – what you needed to know about them?

These days granite countertops are all the rage even as home builders and remodelers are using them en masse. There are several reasons as to why granite countertops are as popular as they have become. For starters, the warmth and beauty of these surfaces is unparalleled. This is why if you wish your home to look beautiful this is one material that you would definitely want at your home. From a functional point of view they are great as well and there are some definite reasons for such statements as well. They are as durable as anything can be. On top of that it is pretty easy to take care of them as well.

All these factors have endeared granite to home builders, remodelers, and owners as well. In fact, if as a homeowner you are forward looking this is something that you would want in your home as well. The addition of granite at your home can be admittedly a costly one. This is also one reason why you see granite being used primarily in the upscale homes around the world. As compared to other forms of home improvement granite is something that is expected to retain its value over a longer period of time.

Like other popular stones such as marble, granite has been there from time immemorial; perhaps from the time the planet was formed. It is also one stone that is found all across the world. Granite is highly preferred as a material for construction. Apart from your homes it is used in order to build public buildings such as temples. Its use was especially prevalent in the ancient societies, perhaps before cement came into being. Of late, developers have been using granite for exterior finish as well as in pillars. Thus, as you may see, granite is highly liked by builders of all sorts.   

A few facts about granite countertops

You may not know this but granitecountertops tend to be costlier when compared to other materials used for countertops.Normally the prices, inclusive of installation charges, would be around 60 dollars for each square foot. The stone itself is not that costly but the related costs are pretty much on the higher side. This includes related expenses such as quarry work, polishing, cutting, installations, and transportation. If you are just a homeowner it is always better that you refrain from installing it yourself. Granite is a pretty-strong material but the slab sheets, which are mostly oversized, have to be cut precisely as per the measurements of your kitchen.



They need to fit the counters. At the time when they are being transported they are in a very-delicate state. Special care needs to be taken in order to make sure that the base cabinets are properly reinforced. The slab has to be set at the perfect level. If you do not set the countertop properly then it could break at the time when you try and use it on a regular basis. If you are a homeowner who wants to use granite at home but is unable to pay the price for installing top-quality material you should go for discounted granite.


You can get these from retailers that stock these stones in groups based on how popular their color and movement are. In case of cuts that belong to the lower tier you will get the consistent traits that the stone is known for. However, the shades of colors may vary on the basis of the latest trend in vogue. It is expected that even in the foreseeable future granite countertops will continue to be a favorite of homeowners, interior designers, and architects. As it is, granite is immensely durable and does not age as quickly.