Granite Kitchen Countertops have become all the rage. Considering it is a naturally occurring stone its sudden popularity in home makeover TV shows has ensured its overall return in popularity. However, it has been accepted that granite apart from being aesthetically pleasing is also cost effective and low-maintenance.
Granite is found all over the world and due to its strength and beauty it has been historically used in many different regions for making monuments, temples and other buildings. Granite countertops however, always come across as elegant and stylish. Add to that their strength and durability and people come to think of it as a long term investment in their homes.
Granite is an expensive stone. However, the cost is not only the stone. It includes cutting, polishing, transporting from one place to another and installation that hike up the price further. Which is why, it is always a good idea to avoid DIY projects that might involve granite and leave the job to professionals.
Granite has a very hard surface and is relatively low-maintenance. That said, you would be ill advised to take granite installation lightly. For kitchen granite countertops the best idea is to have a polished finish for the surface. This makes it easier to for you to clean and maintain its beauty. Sealants that keep the granite from staining are easily available and can be used as part of regular cleaning. Even though granite is a strong material if you’re using a polished finish you will have to look after it. This can be managed daily by being attentive to what you’re placing on the surface. Polished surfaces should not be used for cutting or slicing purposes. Acidic foods like lemon juice and vinegar should not be placed on granite counter tops since they will corrode the polished surface over time. The only damage they will do, however, will be to the polish since it is not as strong as actual granite. For daily cleaning, use a small amount of pH balanced dish wash liquid and avoid rough, abrasive cleaning products.
Stonemasons use diamond polishing tools to create the glossy texture instead of coating the surface with polish so for some granite countertops, a penetrating sealant should be applied once a year. Your supplier will recommend the type of sealant to be used.
All damages to kitchen granite countertops don’t need a professional to repair. There are some damages you can easily fix at home. If a hot pan is left on the granite countertop for too long it will sometimes cause a dark grey or black mark. To correct it all you have to do is use very fine steel wool to scrub the mark off. If it’s a glue-like texture you can simply take a credit card or a single sided blade and easily scrape it off. If the problem is more severe it’s always best to call in a professional since you don’t want to risk ruining a granite countertop.
Comments on this entry are closed.