So you have gone to the granite stores and identified a granite slab you love, and you have confirmed it will look in your home. You have even paid for it, and now it’s time to move it.
Although granite slabs are tough and easily resist scratches, burns, and other forms of abuse, they are prone to cracking if you don’t handle them with care.
For the countertops to reach your home in one piece, you have to move them with caution. To help you out, here are tips on how to move granite countertops.
Have the right moving equipment
The equipment and tools you use for your work will heavily influence the countertops’ safety during transit. The cool thing is there are plenty of safety equipment you can use for your work. They include:
A-frame
The A-frame is wood fashioned and bound together in an “A” shape and it makes it possible to transport large countertop slabs leaning. You need to transport the countertop in a leaning position because the countertops can crack if you transport them flat or horizontally.
Moving straps
To prevent the countertop slab from shifting or wobbling during the move, you have to tie it to the A-frame, and there are no better tools to do this than moving straps. There are all types of straps online and offline you can go for.
When making the purchase, avoid cheap straps as they are often weak, and don’t provide a tight hold. Remember, your countertops are worth thousands. Do you want to secure a thousand-dollar slab with a two-dollar strap?
To avoid accidents, invest in a high-quality strap that will securely hold the countertop in place and give you peace of mind during transportation.
Moving blankets
Moving blankets provide cushioning to the countertops, so the hits aren’t too hard on the countertops. The blankets are a must-have if transporting more than one countertop at a time.
If you can’t find the moving blankets or they are out of your budget, use bubble wrap as it will work just as well. As you are using the padding materials, ensure you hold them in place, so they don’t fall off during the move.
Carrying clamps
The purpose of the carrying clamps is to provide a strong grip to the countertops’ sides, so you have a handle from which to carry the countertops from.
Gloves
Granite can easily slip from your hands, so you can’t trust your hands when carrying the countertops. Regardless of where you are carrying the countertops to, you want gloves with a strong grip to have an easy time moving them.
Extra help
Carrying the countertops isn’t a one-person job, regardless of your physical might. To avoid injuries, risk of damage and have an easy time moving the slabs around, get help from other people. For example, you can get extra hands from the countertop store you are buying the countertops or ask your friends to help out.
Move the countertops using the right techniques.
You might be having all the right equipment, but if you aren’t carrying the countertops properly, you risk damaging them. To help you out, here are tips to remember as you are carrying the slabs:
- Carry the countertops vertically. Not flat or horizontally.
- Don’t drag or push the countertop as you will crack it. To ensure this doesn’t happen, have a few extra people help you lift it.
- Move the countertops one way—don’t have rest stops on your way as you increase the pieces’ chances of breaking if you keep stopping in different areas.
Hire a professional moving company
While you save money moving the countertops by yourself, it comes with plenty of risks. To protect yourself from the risk, let a professional moving company handle the work.
Besides the company moving the countertops safely, it also will most likely be insured, so when an accident happens, you don’t worry who will compensate you for the loss—the insurance company will do it.
A great place to find professionals to move your granite kitchen countertops Reston is from the store you are buying the countertops. As a rule of thumb, ensure the company you are hiring is experienced enough. You don’t want to entrust your expensive purchase to noobs, do you?