Tag Archives: countertop tricks

Tips for a Great Experience with Tile Countertops

If you can’t afford marble or granite countertops or don’t like their look, you can always go for tile countertops.

Tile countertops were trendy in the 1970s and 1980s, and now they’re making a big comeback. They add color, pattern, and style to kitchens and bathrooms worldwide.

The beauty of the countertops is that you can install them by yourself without involving a contractor.

Would you love to install these countertops? Here are tips for having a great time with them:

Have a firm base

Even though you can tile over old countertops, starting from scratch is always better. When doing it, ensure that the surface you are installing the countertops is solid, properly primed and you use the right tile adhesive for the material.

Remember that it will be hard to tile over existing countertops with curved edges. You also will most likely have problems with the height.

For a great experience, replace any existing countertops with marine-grade plywood board, followed by a layer of 6mm tile backer board. Ensure that the board is firmly attached to the surface and clean, dry, and free of dust.

Use the right tiles

As you can guess, there is no way you will have a great time with your tile countertops if you are using the wrong tiles.

If this is the first time you install the countertops, you might have the impression that all of them are the same, but this isn’t the case. Two of the most popular tile countertops are ceramic and porcelain.

Porcelain tiles are highly resistant to water and can last for a long time. Most porcelain tiles are nano-sealed when made, keeping their surface protected for longer.

If you can’t find porcelain, ceramic tiles are also a good choice, but you should avoid those that need to be sealed, like natural stone or encaustic, unless you are very careful to seal and reseal them often. ‘

When buying the tiles, go with larger format tiles to cut down on the number of tile joints and cuts.

Work on achieving tidy edges.

Putting tiles on countertops is mostly a matter of using a notched trowel to spread tile adhesive and then pushing each tile down firmly, over and over again.

Usually, the hardest part is making the edges look beautiful and neat.

Once you’ve put down your tiles, you’ll need to finish your countertop’s front and back edges. There are a few ways to do this.

One of the ways is using a silicone sealant is the cheapest solution. You should put a thin layer on the edges to make a clean, waterproof seal.

While you can go with silicone, you should note that it’s not always a great choice, especially if the front edge of the tile is rough.

For a clean look, make a mitered edge by cutting the same tiles into smaller pieces. While this is good, it often takes a long time. The good thing is that it makes clean lines, protects the edges of your tiles, and gives your countertop a smooth, professional look.

Use the right grout

On tiled countertops, you should use a resin-based grout that doesn’t soak up stains and doesn’t let them in. This will help keep bacteria, stains, and water from getting on your countertops.

For the best outcome, ensure the grout is level with the tiles and doesn’t go down in any spots. No matter what, you should never let air bubbles form. Use a grout float to help push the grout deep into the spaces.

The goal is to keep spills and germs from getting stuck in the grout lines as much as possible.

Remember that you might need to re-grout at some point, especially if the grout starts to wear down from all your cleaning.

Stains will appear less on colored grout than on white grout, so if your surfaces are busy, you are better off with colored grout.

Apply grout sealant to your tile kitchen countertops NC to prevent the grout from getting dirty.

How Do I Choose A Kitchen Countertop?

Are you looking to buy countertops for your kitchen and wondering, how do I choose a kitchen countertop? Well, there are plenty of tips to consider. These tips include:

Your budget

This is probably the most important thing to consider, as many countertops go at different prices. If you don’t have money, go for laminate countertops but if budget isn’t an issue, try your hand at granite and marble countertops.

As you make your budget, you should note that different stores sell countertops at different prices. For example, the large stores often have limited options and sell their countertops at extremely high prices. On the other hand, the smaller stores sell their countertops at favorable prices and have a wide selection of countertops to choose from.

Before you settle on your budget, first visit these stores, see what is available and compare the prices.

Your cabinets

While cabinets are important, only consider them if you plan to keep them. If you will keep them, as you are choosing the countertops, you should consider the cabinets’ materials, colors, style, and design. If you aren’t sure about the right countertops to go for, get the input of a professional that will help you match all these factors.

Use of the countertops

How will you be using the countertops? This is an important factor to consider. If you love cooking and spend long hours in the kitchen, you should go for tough, durable countertops. If you entertain a lot, chances are there will be people sneaking into the kitchen and seeing what is going on there. Install beautiful, high-end countertops such as granite and marble to impress the guests.

If you have young kids, it would be unwise to buy high-end, white countertops as it’s a matter of time before they stain out from finger paints, jelly, Kool-Aid, and other materials.

Kitchen layout

The countertop materials you choose should match the kitchen layout in color palette and finish. The purpose of this is to build a connection between the kitchen, living room, and other spaces and, as a result, create a sophisticated look.

In most cases, you have to consult an experienced professional to help you choose the right countertop.

Aesthetic look

Your kitchen and even the entire house at large should function as one. This means that the countertops, kitchen cabinets, and other kitchen features should tie together and give you a unique look and feel.

Before you head to the stores, you need to think about the look you want to give your kitchen. Do you want an expensive look? Contemporary or modern? Farmhouse or non-traditional? You need to think about this.

There is no right or wrong look—it all depends on your preferences.

Care and maintenance required.

To keep the countertops in top shape, you have to take good care of them. The beauty is different materials require different levels of care and maintenance. While you will need to clean almost all countertops, some require extra care.

For example, granite and marble countertops are porous, so you will need to regularly seal them to prevent water and other liquids from seeping through and staining them.

Others such as butcher-block countertops need regular sanding to remove scratches and knife marks. They also need oiling to prevent water damage.

Think about your time and the work required to maintain the countertops. If you have the time and don’t mind putting in the work, you can go for plenty of countertops, but if you are lazy or lead a hectic life and don’t have time to give attention to the countertops, go for laminate countertops.

Parting shot

Choosing the right kitchen countertops Raleigh takes time and dedication. Due to the many countertop materials available in the market, it’s easy to be confused about the right one to go for. To have an easy time, work with a professional to guide you.

After getting your desired countertop, have it installed by a professional who knows what they are doing. The last thing you want is wasting so much time and money finding the countertops of your dreams, then they are haphazardly installed.

What Are Laminate Countertops Made Of

Although laminate has been around for a long time, many people still don’t know much about them, so you will often hear them wondering what are laminate countertops made of. If you are one of the people asking this question, here are a few things you should know about the countertops:

What are the countertops made of?

The countertops were invented in the early 1900s by engineers from Westinghouse Company. They invented the product from phenolic resins that serve as an industrial insulator. The engineers later left Westinghouse and created the Formica Company that popularized the material.

The countertops are made by combining layers of resins and paper into a single, semi-rigid plastic sheet. The manufacturers use Brown Kraft paper for the bottom layers. The layers are pressed together while cooked, which forces all of the resins and papers to chemically bond into one plasticized sheet.

The countertops come in different grades, often referred to as “grades.” The most popular grades are: horizontal and vertical. The horizontal grade is the thickest type engineered for heavy use and high impact. Since it’s the thickest, it lasts for a long time. Unfortunately, it’s stiff hence difficult to form.

The vertical grade is often used for backsplashes and other areas that can’t withstand a lot of abuse as the other countertops.

Why should you buy a laminate?

Laminate comes with plenty of attractive features that make it a great choice. Some of these features include:

It’s affordable: If you are strapped for cash, laminate is one of the most affordable materials in the market that you can go for.

Elegant appeal: While the countertops materials are cheap, they resemble their more expensive, premium competitors such as granite and marble. This means you can give your home a high-end look at a meager price.

They are easy to install: Since the countertops are lightweight, they are easy to install. You can easily install them on your own without requiring the services of a professional.

Easy to clean: When you pour a potentially staining product on the countertops, getting rid of it is easy. You only need a clean, moist material. When cleaning, avoid using chemicals and abrasives as they can dull the surface or even destroy the resin.

Unlike marble and granite countertops, the countertops are practically maintenance-free as you don’t need to seal or oil them.

Stain-resistant: Since the countertops are made from plastic, they are waterproof. This means they easily repel stains, so you don’t have to worry about them getting stained and looking ugly.

Versatile: The countertops come in a wide range of colors, textures, and patterns. It’s all up to you to choose the ones that are ideal for you. The beauty of it is that you can even get the countertops customized to your liking.

Cons of the countertops

While the countertops are excellent for use in your home, they have several setbacks:

Easily get damaged: Since they are made from layers that are glued together, they easily get damaged when you aren’t cautious when handling them. When you place hot pans or a cigarette on them, you can easily melt them.

The top of the countertops is also highly susceptible to scratches from sharp knives and other items. Unfortunately, unlike other materials that you can easily repair, the countertops are difficult, so you have no option, other than to replace them.

Don’t have a huge impact on the resale value of the house: Compared to granite and marble countertops, laminate doesn’t add much resale value to the house. So you can’t invest in the countertops with the hope that you will recoup your money once you sell your house.

How do you take care of the countertops?

For you to prevent the countertops from getting damaged, you should take good care of them. As motioned above, when you are cleaning the countertops, always ensure that you don’t use abrasive cleaners. You also should avoid harsh chemicals such as bleach.

Since you can only hire countertop replacement NC professionals to replace the damaged countertops, you should be ultra-cautious what you place on the surfaces. As a rule of thumb, never place hot pans on the surfaces. You also should never place any hot material on the surfaces.