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Granite Counter Tops Styles
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 How to Choose the Right Granite
The key issue is one of personal taste. There is a vast array of colors and visual textures available, including stone with “movement” – large scale variations in color and pattern.
- Color: The popularity of colors shifts with the times. Reliable favorites which seem to defy trends are black, dark green, browns, subtle reds, silver and yellow/gold. Blue is becoming popular as are stones with more movement.
- Properties: When choosing granite, ask about its physical properties, hardness, strength, abrasion resistance, etc. Any reputable supplier should be familiar with the stone's properties and refer to ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) ratings, if available. The various countries of origin all give their stones their own names. Importers will often re-name their slabs, then fabricators, installers and retail outlets will often do the same. This not only makes it very confusing for the purchaser but also makes it difficult to shop and compare prices.
- Myths about porosity: A lot of manufacturers of man-made countertop materials and natural stone imitations have raised questions about the porosity of natural stone, leading to problems with bacteria build-up. Granite is one of the most cleanable countertop materials available - over 1000 times more easily cleaned than plastic laminate.
- Finishes. Some interior designers and architects are recommending "honed" or flat finishes on granite However, this will show fingerprints, scrapes and un-wiped spills more readily than a polished finish and after a few years of wiping around a sink area the stone will take on a polish in some areas making it appear blotchy.
Caring for Your Granite Counter Top
Granite countertops are popular with home owners and interior designers, not only because of their intrinsic beauty and style, but more so because of their resistance to damage and their enduring quality. But despite their natural strength, proper care of granite countertops has to be practiced to ensure their long life and dependability.
There are two essential aspects you must know with regard to proper granite countertops care. These are the short-term and long-term aspects of caring for granite countertops.
Short-term granite countertops’ care is just the daily wiping and cleaning of your countertops. You don’t need to have special skills or expensive products to go about the daily cleaning of your granite countertops. You don’t even need to wipe very hard. Light wiping or dusting is sufficient granite countertops care.
- Wipe up spills immediately
- Use mild soap and water
- Rinse
- Use soft cloth to dry
However, you must be careful about the kind of cleaner you use. Granite countertops are coated with a sealant that protects the stone from stains and discoloration. Most cleaners are too acidic and may cause damage to the sealant. This will allow chemicals to seep in through the pores of the granite, and this, in turn, causes the discoloration. Many non-acidic cleaners are available in the market, and you should use one of these for your daily cleaning.
The second part of granite countertops care involves long-term effects, and is only done about twice a year. We are talking about reapplying the sealant of your countertop. Even if you are careful in wiping your granite tiles, the sealant still wears off after long periods, and you will need to apply a new coat to maintain the quality of your countertop.
Pilot Flooring’s granite specialists are here to help you choose, install counter and care for your granite counter tops as per your needs. Buy Today-Install Tomorrow-Pay Later!
Get a free home estimate today for all your flooring needs!
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