Granite Tops – Proper Care & Maintenance

Granite is a popular material to use when it comes to kitchen counter tops ’cause of its hard & non-porous surface. Irrespective of its comparatively strong ability to resist stains and chemical harms, even so, proper maintenance is necessary to ensure the longevity of granite countertops. Maintenance for your countertops includes both cleaning & sealing to keep them looking as good as new for many more years. Here are a few tips on how to seal & clean your counter tops without causing any improper damage.

Daily Cleaning

Caring for granite countertops starts with keeping the surface clean from spills. Should there be a spill, remove it instantly & then rinse with warm water. This is all the more important when an acidic substance such as lemon, orange, or vinegar has been spilled.

Everyday, you should wipe your granite tops with a soft cloth using a mild detergent. This will make sure any surface deposits are removed and keep your counter tops looking new for a long while. Strong chemical cleaners should never be used, ’cause they can damage the sealant. You also want to avoid some powder detergents because surface of counter tops can get scratch by these.

More daily care tips:

- Routinely dust the counter surface – Wash well using warm water after using any cleaners or detergents on the granite – Do not use ammonia or bleach on your counter top – Sanitize the surface with some drops of a pH-neutral cleaner – Though granite counter tops are frequently marketed as resistant to heat, constantly avoid placing hot pots right on them

Periodic Sealing

Another important part of a care routine is sealing granite tops, as the seal enables the countertops to retain the beautiful high gloss finish. Every 6 months, your granite counter top should be resealed. It is often impossible to detect sealant damage, so even if it doesn’t seem worn, granite countertops should still be resealed twice each year.

There are permanent granite sealers, if you want to avoid the hassle typically involved in granite countertop care. Or, you may wish to consider engineered granite which does not require regular sealing.

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How To Know Whether To Refurbish Or Shift Your Home

Your first reaction on entering your new home is more often than not one of satisfaction that you have all that you need. But with time your requirements change, and this could be either due to newly acquired preferences or a change in circumstances. Whatever be the reason, after a few years you will find yourself wishing your residence was different. So the way out of such a scenario could be either by shifting into a new house or to refurbish your old residence.

You can begin by getting to the root of the problem. Your choices and decisions will become clearer to you, if you deliberate upon your problems carefully. First, list out the problems with your present residence. Now think about whether they can be sorted out with simple remodelling plans, such as fixing a new window, changing the wiring or changing the roofline? If your difficulties are more serious like lack of security in the neighbourhood or lack of access to work place or shopping malls, no amount of remodelling is going to help you.

You should consider the respective costs for renovation and moving out before finally deciding on one. Renovation of your residence might be less costly but it will need a lot of effort in finding the problem areas and detailing every single change that you require as well as engaging and managing different service providers. You should also remember the noise and dirt that renovation will entail when the work is in progress.

On the other hand, a shift will involve substantial costs – not just the cost of the new home, but also the cost of moving and a real estate agent’s fees. In addition, a shift will also involve a temporary break in your lifestyle.

Once you clearly understand the pros and cons of both the choices, you will find it much simpler to make the decision.

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Ways Of Having Structural Designs For Table Top

Almost all old tables are worn out, particularly the table top. Rather than purchasing new one, why not make several imaginative works to make it looks good as new? There are businesses that offer services on repairing kitchen area. You can ask them some few things on reconstructing your kitchen and also recreating a new look for your kitchen furniture.

Table tops can be made from hardwood, stainless steel, glass, or granite materials. Use the material that fits with the rest of your kitchen surfaces. Table tops can also come in several shapes. Conventional shapes are rectangular, round, or oval table tops. Round and oval shapes are better since these shapes have no sharp corners that can harm you and your kids. Adding space for additional person is simpler in round and oval table tops.

You can also make a tile table top. Set the tiles on the table top and cut the excess parts. Smooth the jagged edge with tile file. Put ceramic adhesives at the back of the tiles and stick them on the table top. Put grout on the tiles and into the gaps. Let it settle down for 2 days before applying a sealer.

Create a new look for the table top using a cloth. Cut the cloth that will fit the size of the table top. Using decoupage glue, bond the cloth on the table top. Then, put high-gloss shellac for fabric protective covering. Frame the cloth on the table top with tacks or cut glass.

To make a new look for your wood table top, try to refinish it. Scrape off the old finish with a scraper, then, smooth it with sandpaper. Apply polyurethane coating on the table top. Allow it to dry. Then, put on the second layer of polyurethane coating. Let it dry once again, and then apply the third layer of coating.

Nowadays, new designs for table top evolved. Apart from its usual functions in cooking, dining, and writing, tables are now designed with integral power points, and possibly even sink with water and drainage outlets. It can also be set solidly to the kitchen floor.

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Beautiful Counter Tops That Are Environmentally Friendly

A counter top is a level work surface in kitchens & food preparation areas. Usually, it is accompanied by cabinets above & below. A counter top can be created from many different materials, such as stone, to wood, to plastic, to tiles, and even steel, among numerous others.

But because of the growing awareness for the environment, there are now materials for counter tops that are not only durable, but also great looking and eco friendly. So if you\’re searching for a new counter top and are leaning to something that are a little kinder on the environment than laminate or stone, there are now several choices available that are created from recycled products, can be recycled at end-of-life — or are both recycled and recyclable — or are made from renewable resources.

Here are some of the greener counter top alternatives:

1. Stainless steel – On average, Stainless steel counter tops consist of 75% recycled steel & can contain up to 100% recycled content. They are non-porous and antibacterial, and emit no VOCs. The only downside is they scratch and show fingerprints easily.

2. Recycled glass – Nowadays, there are plenty of recycled glass counter tops on the market. Each of them has their own unique charm.

3. BioGlass – This is made of 100% recycled and recyclable glass. It is available in 6 natural colours & can be used for backsplashes or counter tops.

4. Alkemi – This material is made from 35% of a post-industrial waste product called \”fine flake aluminum milling scrap\”. It is available in twelve colours & 3 different surface treatments (textured, classic & honed).

5. Paperstone – It is a material made from either 100% post-consumer cardboard or 100% post-consumer office paper mixed with a non-petroleum based resin. It can be used for as kitchen and bathroom counter tops and comes in a variety of colours.

6. IceStone – This is made in Brooklyn, New York. The product uses 100% glass which is otherwise bound for landfill, mixed with concrete to create a surface that is twice as durable as marble. Like a stone product, it does need to be sealed on regularly. You can get it in different colors.

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categories: interior design and decorating,bay window,counter tops,granite top,table top,kitchen improvement,home improvement