If you have been talking to your friends about renovating your home, everyone must be telling you to install granite. While the stone has been around for ages, is it worth getting granite countertops?
There is no definite answer to this, as it depends on you. To help you make an informed decision, here are a few granite features you should know about before making the purchase. Go through them and decide whether granite counters are worth it.
The cost
If you have been shopping for stone kitchen countertops, you must have noticed they don’t come cheap. In fact, price is one of the prime reasons most homeowners go for cheaper alternatives such as laminate.
While the laminates are cheaper to purchase, they don’t last as long as granite, so you have to replace them more often. If you do your calculations, you will find that granite is much cheaper when you factor in the durability aspect.
To get a great countertop deal, don’t be in a hurry when buying. Take time to visit different countertop stores and compare their prices. Avoid buying from the big box stores as they not only sell their countertops at premium prices, but they also don’t have many countertop options to choose from.
Instead, buy from the small countertop stores. There you will find many countertop options, not to mention these stores don’t sell their countertops at high prices.
Quality
Granite is one of the toughest countertop materials you can install in your home. The only thing you need to do is clean and seal the countertops so stains don’t get to the deeper layers.
Although the countertops are tough, and you can chop, slice, and even bake on them, avoid doing it often as you risk scratching the surfaces, hence giving your surfaces an ugly look.
Instead, always have a chopping board in place at all times. To avoid stains and spills on the countertops, have coasters, pads, trivets, and other items that will provide your countertops with an extra layer of protection.
The cool thing is, once you take good care of the countertops, they last forever.
Natural beauty
Since granite is obtained from a natural stone, no two slabs are the same. This gives you a variety of colors and textures, so when you install the countertops, you can be sure no other person in the world has the same countertop slab.
To buy countertops that match your home design, take your time to try different slabs and see how they come in.
As a rule of thumb, never buy a slab from the store. This is because the slab might look good in the store, but otherwise in your home. The right thing to do is to carry the slab home and see how it looks there. Remember, the slab’s look varies depending on the lighting conditions and other factors, so you will have to try out different slabs before you find the find the most ideal for your home.
The heat resistance
Granite is natural, so it can withstand high temperatures. While this is the case, you should note that the countertops aren’t heatproof. This means when you regularly expose them to high temperatures, they are bound to get damaged.
To protect the surfaces from damage, avoid placing hot pots and pans directly on them. Instead, have a trivet in place all the time where you set your hot pots and pans.
Installation
One of the major misconceptions is that granite is tough to install, but this isn’t the case. While the installation isn’t a DIY project, installing the countertops isn’t hard, especially when an expert does the work.
If buying the countertops from the small countertop stores, you don’t have to worry too much about granite countertop installers, as most of these stores have their own installation professionals that don’t come at premium prices.
If you have to hire the installers, take your time to interview three to five of them and settle on the most qualified charging a sensible fee.
Yay or Nay
After reading the above guide, do you think granite counters are worth getting? It’s all up to you. If you think they are worth it, have them installed by experienced granite installers. You also should take good care of them, so they last for a long time.