Things to Consider for Installing Countertops in Your Home

Installing countertops involves expending a large amount of money on your home unless you plan properly. Therefore, it is sensible to check a few things so that you could decide how to move forward in the direction. In this article we'll discuss things to consider for installing countertops in your home.

Check what your needs are
The foremost question is to check what your needs are and what kind of countertops your home requires. This depends on the size of the house, your finances and the urge to make your home look great.

• Choose a countertop that fulfill your needs, and design according to your tastes as you had planned

• You could choose countertops for health, resistant to heat and cold, or as matter of modernizing your home for sheer luxury.

Functionally choosing the right material – best material for best purpose
The rule of thumb should be best material for best purpose. Therefore, functionality becomes an important thing you should consider. Functionality is the ability of the countertop being useful. Not all material can have the same functionality; it depends on the material, texture and location of the countertop.

• Materials suitable for countertops are granite, soapstone, quartz, slate, onyx and the like

• Granite is suitable for kitchens. Granite comes in a wide range of colors – blue, brown, red, deep red and in different patterns. Granite is durable and scratch resistant. Granite countertops need maintenance.

• Soapstone is yet another option for countertops. Soapstone varies in color from greenish-black to light gray.

• Slate comes in different colors like gray, red, green and so on.

• Quartz is a non-porous material and is stain-proof. Being non-porous you can make sure that it does not store disease causing germs and thus need low maintenance. Therefore, it's suitable for kitchens and bathrooms.

• Onyx countertops add grace to your home because onyx is semitransparent and comes in diverse color attributes.

Place of Installation of countertops
Choose the material based on the place of countertops to be installed. It could be kitchen, work rooms, or bathrooms. For different parts of your home, you can fit with different countertops of stone material depending on your budget, need and taste.

Choose according to usage
• You could consider granite and quartz for your kitchen countertops as these are scratch resistant and stain-proof (because of fruit juices, alcohol, etc.) and can be cleaned easily

• For work area you can fit with granite or quartz countertops.

• For bathrooms consider the case of kids and the elderly if you are looking for granite, quartz or onyx.

Budget constraints – no constraints, tight budgets
Consider budget constraints. Check for your finances and the probable expenses you can bear without financial unease. If you run on a tight budget, you need to check which countertops suit you. Contrariwise, if you do not have budget constraints, you can go for luxury countertops. However, in all cases you need to research well and plan the expenses properly to avoid wastage or excess expenses.

Personal taste
Your personal taste as well influences your choice for countertop. It influences the color, pattern, texture, and so on of the countertops you choose. You could choose finished stone such as polished, honed or leather. If you are looking for surface to absorb light honed stone will be the ideal choice.

You could also choose beveled edge, chiseled edge or double-eased edge

• Beveled edge countertops are safe with kids' hands and heads unlike sharp edges. Beveled edge gives an elegant look, and the countertops look smooth with a good cosmetic appeal.

• On the other hand, chiseled edge may not be good where you spend time leisurely, say, leaning forward (clothes may get snagged). Should you like to stick to traditional style you could go for, for example, an ogee design

If you are planning to create a traditional look, you could choose leather finish countertops.

Installation

• Countertop installation requires professionals. Check for availability of professionals.

• Check with the seller whether they can provide installation service. Researching well and comparing the cost of installation across service providers could help.

Maintenance cost
It's important to take care of the countertops by maintaining them properly. However, it entails cost. Therefore, ensure you check the probable cost of maintaining countertops. This includes how to maintain (whether you need professional help), how often you should do it, and so on. This helps you judge the suitability of the countertop for your home.

Thus cost of maintenance depends on the type of material you choose for countertops. When planning to get installed countertops, following the points is likely to help you choose according to your choice and ensures optimal cost.

Allied Stone, Inc. specializes in unique and customized kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities. We help you completely customize your bathroom. Allied Stone bathroom vanities in Houston come with only the highest quality stone and level of workmanship. For exceptional designs in granite, marble, onyx, soapstone of the highest quality, visit Allied Stone showroom in Houston.