If your current countertops are old, out of style, or you simply no longer like them, you can always change them. If this is your first time, you must wonder, is it hard to change kitchen countertops?
The ease of replacing the countertops depends on your skill level. If you have never done it before, it’s wise you don’t do it as you risk causing excessive damage. Instead, hire an installation professional.
On the other hand, if you are a DIY ninja, you can take on the project. To execute the project successfully, you need to consider plenty of factors that include:
Ease of removing the existing countertop material
To install the new countertop material, you have first to remove the existing one. The ease of removing the material depends on the individual material. For example, laminate countertops or solid-surface materials are easy to remove as they are often screwed into place.
Hard stone counters are hard to remove as they easily crack or pit. Thankfully, if you aren’t planning on reusing them, you can crack them, making your work easy.
Plumbing system
The other thing you need to pay attention to is the plumbing systems. When replacing stone or engineered composite countertops such as Silestone, you have to replace the sink unless the sink is mounted under the existing countertop.
When you have to replace the sink, you have to deal with the plumbing issue, as changing the sink will also impact the faucet configuration. In most cases, you will have to replace the faucet upon replacing the countertops.
Quality of the cabinets
You often place countertops on top of cabinets, so you need to think whether the cabinets can carry the additional weight when making the switch.
If you plan to change the cabinets later on down the road, hold off replacing the countertops until you have fixed the cabinets. This is because removing the countertops in the future will be too expensive, not to mention the risk of damaging the countertops in the process.
Also, most contractors refrain from doing it due to the many risks that come with it. To avoid all this, if you don’t like your cabinets’ current look or have always wanted to improve them, first address them. You will even be better off spending money meant for the countertops to fix the cabinets, then find countertop money later on.
The backsplash material
Countertops and backsplash are like yin and yang—they go together. This means when you install the countertops, you need to think about the backsplash as well. For a uniform look, ensure that the countertop materials match or coordinate with the backsplash.
Lighting
You need to think about how the countertops will look at night or when little sunlight is getting in the house. One of the most attractive lightings is under-cabinet lighting that is easy to install but hard to figure out the wiring, so you will need to take your time and understand it.
While attractive, under-cabinet lighting can cause eye-straining glare when you aim it directly onto a polished stone, so you need to be strategic in your installation.
Old appliances.
How your old appliances will look upon installing the new countertops is an important factor to consider. If you have had your appliances for decades, chances are they are too old, and installing new countertops then leaving the appliances in place is synonymous with wearing a new outfit with an old pair of shoes. It doesn’t look good, does it?
If this is your situation, besides thinking about replacing the countertops, also start shopping for new appliances to give your house an inviting, uniform look.
If your appliances are relatively new and in good shape, you have nothing to worry about as they most likely look the part.
Take your time
The key to successfully changing your countertops is to not be in a hurry. Research the best materials that will look the best for your home. You also need to think about how the countertop materials will look after installation.
While you save money when you install the countertops by yourself, it’s always wise to have an expert countertop replacement NC expert do the work as they do a better job. You also have someone to blame if things don’t go as planned, which is good, isn’t it?