One of the crowning touches in a kitchen is the countertops. Granite is by far the most popular choice these days and is available in over 150 colors. Prices vary from around $40 and up per square foot installed. When deciding what granite color is preferred one needs to think about a few things. The most obvious is the color, which can range from black to beautiful shades of green and red. The second thing to consider is the look of the material. Some shades of granite are quite uniform, such as Absolute Black, while others are quite varied and mottled. If one looks at a small sample and thinks that it is perfect, one may be disappointed when the full slab has veins and patches of darker colors. Other items that need to be considered are whether or not an under mounted sink is required, type of edging desired, and the backsplash to accompany the new installation. Another concern is the thickness of the granite slab. 3 cm is the recommended thickness, while 2 cm is more likely to incur fractures and breaks.
Installation usually takes about 1 day, unless the demolition or installation is quite complex. All items in the lower cabinet should be removed to prevent dust and debris from getting in them during the demolition process of the old countertops. Expect a fair amount of dust from the demolition and installation. Also don't expect the old backsplash to be salvageable. Once the granite has been installed the undermount sink will be glued into place and any other items will be dropped in as neccessary. Any seams are then filled with epoxy to conceal them. Now that the granite is in, and the glue has had time to dry, the backsplash needs to be installed as does the sink drains and fixture. If there are cooktops or other appliances, they will need to be installed also. The entire process from the start of installation to finish usually takes approximately a week.
Caring for your granite is pretty simple. Your granite will be installed and sealed so it is ready for use. But you will need to reseal the granite on an annual basis. This is a simple process of just wiping the granite with a liquid sealant available at most hardware stores. While granite is hard, special care needs to be taken not to scratch the surface with hard objects such as diamond rings, tools or knives. People should never walk on top of the countertop or place extremely heavy objects on it. Heat should not be an issue since granite was formed at very high temperatures.
Joel Montfort owns Montfort Designs which is a design and construction company located in Dallas, Tx. He remodels several kitchens every year and is an expert on granite countertops.
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