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[K80]Kitchen Cabinets Granite Countertops

by James Mahoney, Jam

Granite is often imported from Europe, Africa, Brazil and other regions of the world rich in natural stone. Granite is an attractive natural stone that will add color and warmth to your kitchen. Granite is an extremely hard material that will not blister, scratch or crack.

The hardness of granite is rivaled only be the hardness of diamonds. In fact diamonds are used to cut and polish granite.

Over the last 10 years kitchen granite countertops have become popular with homeowners, after first being popular with designers for decades. Granite is available in hundreds of colors, from various shades of white to browns, reds, greens, blues, and black. The most popular tones are brown and beige.

As well as being hard kitchen granite countertops can take hot items, like pots and pans, and is very stain resistant to hot grease and oil if it is sealed with a silicone-based impregnator. It can easily be cleaned and cut for a basin. Granite has a cool polished surface that makes it an excellent surface for rolling out pastry dough. The polished finish of granite will not wear off.

Kitchen granite countertops are unique because no two pieces of granite are exactly the same, therefore granite provides an interesting design element and adds certain richness and texture to your kitchen not found in other surfaces. Kitchen granite countertops can create a brilliance and elegance that is only found in nature. Granite adds a personality and character to kitchen countertops that is unsurpassed. Kitchen granite countertops have a natural beauty that is capable of complementing any tone of wood or style of cabinets.

It doesn't matter if you are planning a new home or remodeling an existing kitchen, with granite kitchen countertops you can be sure that you will add to value of your home.

Kitchen remodelers and home builders have experienced a boom in the demand for kitchen granite countertops. Although it can be more expensive to put in granite countertops, they remain the odds on favorite choice for more upscale homes, since they keep their value better than most home improvements

The investment you make in kitchen granite countertops should pay you back at least three times what you invested. If you are selling your home you will find that home buyers wanting kitchen granite countertops will be willing to pay more for your home than if you have ceramic tile or plastic laminate.

Planning out your kitchen granite countertop first involves selecting the right granite color. You should concentrate on the most popular colors. Even though granite tones are usually neutral, you may find that a certain color goes well for your kitchen design.

If you are replacing the old countertop material in your kitchen with granite, carefully diagram all the measurements for the granite installer. If installing new cabinets is part of your kitchen remodel ask the granite fabricator what they recommend for cabinetry.

Since you are using such a superior product as granite, you should think about the right type of sink to go with your new kitchen granite countertop. You should definitely consider going with an undermount stainless steel sink, as opposed to an overmount sink that would be difficult to clean around.

In addition to getting the right kind of sink installed, it is also important to select the just the right faucet to go with the sink. A stainless steel faucet would go well with the looks of a rich kitchen granite countertop.

The next important area is upgrading your cabinet hardware. The handles and knobs should also be of high quality in order to provide good accent to the overall look of the kitchen. Even if you are not replacing the cabinetry having high quality hardware with make those cabinets and the whole kitchen
stand out.

So in planning your kitchen remodeling, just remember that kitchen granite countertops will make a provide a world-class addition and increase the re-sale value of your home.

Kitchen granite countertops in tiles or slabs provide a unique and long-term home remodeling solution. This remains one of the toughest, most sophisticated natural stone choices on the market. Best of all, no two slabs are alike - you will therefore be creating a unique-looking, luxurious kitchen. You can also be sure that with good care, the splendid looks of your granite kitchen countertops will not fade over time.

What are the main benefits of this product and why is it so popular?

1. Value Set In Stone

It is a given that kitchen granite countertops will add to the value of your property. This makes it a sound investment. It adds such elegance to a kitchen, that it will pay for itself once you erect that For Sale sign outside. If you have funds from a home improvement loan available, this may be a sensible way to spend it.

2. Affordable Aesthetic Appeal

Granite is a natural material that is freely available. It has been around for centuries, yet the trend towards home use has only taken hold in the last forty years or so. While it may seem expensive compared to other options, it can be one of the best investments a homeowner can make. If you take the durability into account, this truly becomes one of the more affordable home improvement options. It is a practical and attractive solution for kitchen cabinets.

3. Nature's Unique Designs

The slabs come with subtle elements of color and variety that no man-made product can duplicate fully. It makes a individualistic design statement in your home and adds character to kitchens. You will note that the colors change constantly, as the light in the room changes. The color, specks and other patterns are all the way through the stone, not just a layer on top as with most man-made alternatives. These characteristics are different in every piece of stone.

An amazing array of colors are available. This is in part due to the fact that the material is quarried from all over the world. Each area's stone has its unique qualities. Shading varies from light to all the rich, warm and deep tones. The kitchen granite countertops can be coordinated with almost any sink finish and accessory type, from ceramic to copper and stainless steel. This is not simply a new fad. It has been around for ages and has a solid track record, so to speak.

4. Banish Bacteria

Due to its texture, this is one of the most sanitary materials for a kitchen. As it isn't porous, it won't be prone to harboring bacteria and other kitchen no-no's. Mold and mildew won't get a grip here. Of course, if you make use of granite tiles, you will still have grout lines that are prone to mildew problems and staining.

5. Cleaning Is A Cinch

Maintenance is fairly simple, provided you use some common sense. Daily cleaning will involve little more than a quick wipe with a soft cloth or some paper towels. Use ordinary soapy water. Due to the dense grain the stone isn't very porous and staining therefore isn't a major problem. Once it has been sealed or polished, it is resistant to moisture. The sealing needs to be repeated every 1 to 3 years. Learn to clean as you go along. It is just so much simpler and safer to wipe a mess immediately.

6. Family-Friendly Kitchen

In almost all respects this is an option that is fine with kids in the home. There is very little that they can do that will damage your counters. Perhaps you should just ask them not to hang from the more vulnerable edges, as this may cause a problem in the long run.

7. Room For Repairs

This stone has another feature that makes it popular. If you do have an area that is damaged, it can be repaired. Just don't attempt this yourself. Speak to your supplier, describing the flaw, and get expert advice.

8. Hard To Resist

The hard surface can't be scratched, except by more granite or diamonds. This is where its practicality for kitchen use comes in. You can't afford to tip-toe around cabinets and work stations. You need to be able to do your job without fear of damaging the kitchen granite countertops. Granite gives you this reassurance. The fact that it won't become scratched is one of the main reasons why it retains its shiny appearance for so many years.

9. Turn Up The Heat

These surfaces cope admirably with temperature changes and won't blister or crack. It can even resist frying pan heat. No hot griddle will leave a reminder on your new countertops. Even so, it is advisable to still use pads or trivets when working with hot items.

10. Cooks Love It

Cooks love working on granite kitchen countertops. You can even cut on it without damaging the surface. And you will be amazed by how well your dough suddenly turns out. The cold surface is perfect for handling pastry.

Discover for yourself how keen everyone becomes to get cooking, once you have kitchen granite countertops installed!

Article Source : Pg. 19

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Both James Mahoney & Rika Susan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

James Mahoney has sinced written about articles on various topics from Kitchen Home Improvement, Install Flooring and Kitchen Home Improvement. . James Mahoney's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.

Rika Susan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Parenting, Family Concerns and Baby Shower. - Also read the. Rika Susan's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.