Kitchen Countertops – Granite

There are many options on the market for kitchen countertops. Make an educated choice when you remodel your kitchen. Today we look at:

Granite Counters
As the material of choice for homeowners remodeling their kitchens, granite is one of the most popular materials used for kitchen countertops. Granite countertops look beautiful in almost any style of room and can be polished to a natural high shine or honed to have a more rustic look. Besides marble, granite is considered the decorating standard for luxury countertops, defining elegance in a kitchen.

Although granite comes with the natural characteristics of being resistant to heat, staining, chipping and scratching and is less porous than marble, they come in three different ranges – low, middle and high. The middle to high ranges are the best quality, but the most durable are the mid ranges, in being the most resistant to heat, stains and scratches. As such, some stones can absorb stains if not sealed. Sealing the granite is important to make it even more resistant to staining and becoming dull. As new sealers are almost maintenance-free, there are long-term benefits to cost and convenience in sealing granite countertops.

These kitchen countertops can crack if they are stressed or improperly installed. If installed as slabs, and a slab cracks or breaks, the entire slab will need to be replaced. However, being installed in pieces makes it easy to replace one piece without disturbing the rest of the countertop.

While granite is expensive, it can last a lifetime and it is becoming more affordable as increasingly widespread use brings the price down. These countertops are beautiful, highly durable and come in a variety of colours. They are easy to work on and you can do practically anything on a granite kitchen countertop. They are also of high value to home buyers.