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How to Order New Countertops

Modern kitchen with white countertops and cabinets and stainless steel stoveInvesting in new countertops can be a standalone project or part of a larger renovation, like a kitchen or bathroom remodel. Either way, if you’re on the hunt for new counters, you may be a bit unsure where to start. You could go to your nearest big-box home improvement store, but they often have limited selections and long wait times. To ensure that you’re ordering new countertops you’ll love and that will perfectly fit your space, you should partner with the professionals at Granite & Marble Design. As an experienced countertop fabricator and installer, we have a proven process that includes:

Discussing Your Preferences

Our knowledgeable experts will start your countertop selection process by sitting down with you for an in-depth appointment. Instead of trying to push a certain countertop on you like big-box representatives often do,

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Categories: General

What Happens If You Don’t Seal Granite Countertops?

Modern kitchen with granite countertops, white cabinets, and an island with stoolsGranite is the most popular natural stone used for countertops, and for good reason. It has incredibly gorgeous colors and veining patterns that make every slab unique, but this beauty doesn’t take away from the fact that granite is also exceptionally strong. This means that granite counters provide homeowners with years of reliable durability and aesthetics—as long as they are sealed. Yes, the one drawback of granite is that it’s porous and therefore needs to be sealed periodically. Here’s what happens if you don’t seal granite countertops:

Food & Drinks Will Stain Them

Unsealed granite counters are susceptible to stains from food, drinks, and other spills. Since granite is porous, is can quickly absorb food and liquids, which is then hard to get up. Sealing your countertops is the best way to avoid stains

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Categories: Granite Countertop

Do New Countertops Increase Home Value?

White and gray countertops in updated kitchenWith how hot the housing market is right now, you may be considering selling your own. And like most people, you probably want to make some upgrades to your home to ensure you get the highest possible offer. As you search for parts of your house that could be upgraded or replaced, you may consider updating your countertops. In many cases, new countertops can increase home value, depending on:

The Condition of Your Current Counters

Are new countertops a consideration because your current ones are looking worse for wear? If there are any sort of blemishes or damage on your counters that can’t be easily fixed, it would be most beneficial to replace them with brand-new, gleaming countertops.

The Material You Pick

New countertops don’t automatically result in a return on investment—try to steer clear of anything too tr

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Categories: General

How Long Do Granite Countertops Last?

How Long Do Granite Countertops Last?There are many things to consider when making any home upgrade, one of the most important being the lifespan of the product; you want to know something is going to be worth the investment. This is especially true for granite countertops. While not as pricey as they were years ago, granite counters are still a considerable investment, so you want to be sure that they will last you for plenty of years to come. As long as they are properly cared for, your granite countertops should last for more than 100 years. Here’s how to make sure this happens:

Seal Your Counters

While granite is one of the hardest naturally occurring stones, it is also porous. Because of this, it is recommended that you periodically seal granite countertops—typically once a year—to protect them from any sort of staining or bacteria growth.

Use Cutting Boards &amp

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Categories: Granite Countertop

Are Granite Countertops Still in Style?

Are Granite Countertops Still in Style?

For quite some time now, granite has been the leader in countertop materials. However, as trends change and new materials are added to the mix, you may be wondering if granite countertops are even still in style. Unlike other home aspects that are associated with specific periods of design trends, granite countertops continue to be timeless. Here’s why:

It’s One of the Hardest Materials

Your granite countertops will never change in appearance or structure because granite is one of the hardest naturally occurring materials. The ability to resist damage like scratching, chipping, and cracking makes granite a continuously popular option for countertops.

No Two Slabs Look Alike

One of the major reasons why design trends fade is because they become overdone. This is nearly impossible to do with granite countertops because ev

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Categories: Granite Countertop

Why You Should Hire a Pro to Install Your Countertops

Why You Should Hire a Pro to Install Your CountertopsNew countertops can be quite an investment. As such, you might initially think about offsetting the cost of the counters by trying to install them yourselves or hiring a cheap contractor for the job. However, the best course of action is to hire a professional—or team of professionals—to install your countertops. This will ensure that your countertops are:

Accurately Measured

Before you can even begin the actual installation, you’ll want to make sure your countertops are precisely measured for your cabinets or vanity. Professional countertop companies have proven practices to take precise measurements, ensuring that your counters fit perfectly.

Not Damaged

While just about any type of countertop available nowadays is highly durable, an incorrect or poor installation ca

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Categories: General

What Colors Do Quartz Countertops Come In?

What Colors Do Quartz Countertops Come In?Some of the biggest factors that go into choosing new countertops are the color and design of them. With an important upgrade like this, you probably have specific preferences in mind. If you’re choosing quartz countertops, the good news is that you’ll most likely be able to find the exact image you’re looking for. This is because quartz countertops come in a seemingly endless array of colors.

Quartz Is Man-Made

With true stone countertops, like granite and marble, you’re more limited in your color choices because these materials occur in nature. Quartz, on the other hand, is man-made with advanced polymer resins and colorfast pigments. This fact means that you can pretty much pick any color for your quartz countertops. What’s more, quartz can be engineered to mimic the look of its natural stone counterparts, but in a much wider range of hues.

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Categories: Quartz Countertop

Which Countertop Is Easiest to Maintain?

Which Countertop Is Easiest to Maintain?Maybe you’re in the beginning stages of a kitchen or bathroom remodel and you’re trying to decide which countertops to select. Among the many factors that go into making this decision, you have one major question in mind: “Which countertop is easiest to maintain?” After all, with such a busy lifestyle, you don’t want to outfit your kitchen or bathroom with counters that will take up all your time with frequent maintenance and cleaning. While there are numerous countertops available nowadays that require fairly minimal upkeep, Granite & Marble Design offers two stellar options: quartz and porcelain.

Quartz Countertops

While just about everyone loves the beauty of natural stone counters, many of them need to be sealed periodically to prevent any staining or bacteria growth. Quartz counters

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Categories: General

How to Match Your Countertops to Your Cabinets

How to Match Your Countertops to Your Cabinets

Renovating a kitchen can be an exciting process, but picking all of the right components may feel overwhelming. Generally, the starting point for many kitchen remodels is to select bigger fixtures first, like countertops and cabinetry, and then move onto smaller aspects. So, how should you match your countertops to your cabinets to create a cohesive and calming appearance in your kitchen? Start with these helpful tips:

Decide on a Color Palette

As a first step, choose the color palette you’d like to use in your kitchen. While neutrals are a timeless option for kitchens, it’s becoming popular to incorporate deep colors like navy or hunter green. Most design experts recommend keeping it simple by selecting one main color and two complementary accent colors.

Pick Your Countertop Material

You may not r

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Categories: General

How Are Quartz Countertops Made?

How Quartz Countertops Are MadeAs you research different countertop materials, you’ve probably realized that some choices like granite and marble are naturally occurring, while other options like quartz are man-made. However, many times quartz countertops can be crafted to look virtually identical to natural stone alternatives, causing you to wonder exactly how quartz countertops are made. Let’s start with the components:

Components of Quartz Countertops

While quartz itself is a naturally occurring mineral, it must be bonded with something else to become a viable building material like countertops. Generally, the quartz is bound using resins or other binders to form countertops. Plus, to create a wide array of color options, pigments are added as well.

Creating Quartz Countertops

Quartz countertops are made by mixing all of these components together; this is done by using an industrial

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Categories: Quartz Countertop