When undertaking countertop replacement, most homeowners replace both the countertops and cabinets. While this is the way it’s supposed to be, not everyone has the budget to replace both simultaneously.
Can you replace just the countertop? Yes, you can do it, but according to granite contractors, you should be cautious of the risks that it comes with. Some of these risks include:
You can invalidate your warranty.
When you install expensive countertops such as granite and quartz, you are given a warranty which gives you peace of mind that you are protected against any damage and countertop problems that might come up.
While this is the case, you should know that if the countertops develop problems during the warranty period and the countertop company realizes that you installed them on old cabinets, the chances are that they will invalidate the warranty even if the problem has nothing to do with the old cabinets.
You can damage the old cabinets.
If you have had your cabinets for more than ten years, the chances are that the cabinets have seriously worn out, and you will be putting them at great risk by placing heavy countertop materials such as quartz, granite, or marble.
To avoid this, if you don’t have the money to replace the cabinets, opt for lighter countertop materials that are easy to move. This way, in the future, when you have money to make the changes, you will have an easy time changing the cabinets.
One of the best countertop materials to go with is laminate. Besides laminate being light, it’s also cheap, so even if it gets damaged during replacement, you won’t incur huge losses. You can also easily replace it even at a tight budget.
When it comes to maintenance, the laminate surface is easy to clean and wipe down, so you have an easy time keeping it clean. The only thing you should keep an eye on is the hot pans and pots that can easily scald the surfaces. As a rule of thumb, never place hot items directly on the countertops.
You don’t give your kitchen a new look you were looking for
The chances are high that you are replacing the countertops because you have had the same kitchen design for a long time, and you want a different look.
When you replace the countertops, you might change the kitchen’s look, but this isn’t satisfactory as you haven’t changed the kitchen design.
To make meaningful change, you may have to add a kitchen island, a new sink, a butcher block, a peninsula, or any other unit, all of which require you to tamper with cabinets.
If you were looking to give your kitchen a new breath of life, you might find changing only the countertops being unmeaningful, which might leave you feeling like you didn’t make the right investment.
Your new countertops might not look the part.
If your cabinets are old, your new modern countertops might not look the part, and as you can guess, this might create a disconnect that gives your kitchen a confused look.
To eliminate the disconnect, ensure that the countertops you are installing blend properly with the cabinets.
Valuable tips when replacing the countertops
Besides ensuring that there isn’t a large disparity between the new countertops and old cabinets, you need to consider plenty of other tips for your new countertop installation to be flawless. Some of these tips include:
Ensure the cabinets are level: It’s normal for cabinets and houses to settle over time, and as you can guess, this causes the cabinets to be unleveled. Before installing the new countertops, check the cabinets and ensure they are level.
Work with an experienced professional: The worst thing you can do is work with an inexperienced contractor to save money. It’s even worse trying to do the project yourself.
Even if you might think that the project is small as you aren’t changing the cabinets, it can be complex, especially because you are dealing with old cabinets.
For your new countertops to be properly installed, let experienced granite countertop installers Durham handle the project.