Whether you’re designing your kitchen counters to increase your home’s resale value, or creating your dream kitchen, quality is a priority. Natural stone countertops are a favourite among homeowners, not just because they’re attractive and versatile, but because they’re known for their durability.
New stone counters are an investment and just like any other investment, you want to ensure it provides the quality you’re looking for. This guide is all about quality; why it’s important and how to spot it. That way you can create your dream kitchen with confidence.
WHY IS QUALITY IMPORTANT
Natural stone counters are a beautiful and wise investment. Realtors in the Ottawa market agree, the best way to maximize your R.O.I. on a kitchen renovation is to use stone countertops. There are three elements to consider during your research into quality countertops for your kitchen:
DURABILITY
It’s likely your kitchen counters will see abuse over the years. Including hot pans from the oven, broken dishes, aggressive chopping or dicing. Not to mention the kitchen is usually the gathering place for company. Quality means knowing your counters can stand up to all this and more. It takes some of the stress out of your home improvements. It also gives you the confidence to use your kitchen and those counters as you see fit.
APPEARANCE
When you choose a quality stone for your kitchen counters, it will keep its shiny, new appearance for longer. Stone, with its unique colour blends and veining make a statement of quality. The colours, its veining, and overall appearance seem to sparkle more. We also just discussed durability, there is a connection here as well. Durable counters stay beautiful longer. They’re less likely to chip, fade, stain, etc.
LONGEVITY
Since they’re more durable, a quality countertop will last longer. There are some great perks from having a long-lasting counter. You save money in the long run, and you don’t have to take the time to replace them or renovate again.
WHAT IS A “QUALITY” STONE?
The stone’s origins, and the way it’s milled are the main contributors to the quality of a kitchen counter.
- MARBLE is made from large blocks of stone, cut in a quarry. Modern technology has improved its manufacturing, allowing edges and holes to be cut quickly and smoothly. Using the right polisher will grind down the rough surface as much as the customer desires, even to a mirror finish. Upgrading our tools for the manufacturing process has proven how quality is being added to the stone. With a quality product, the manufacturer, retailer and customer can all be proud of the quality of the finished product.
- GRANITE is made in a similar fashion. Raw materials are mined from quarries around the world. We’ve seen quality stones come in from Italy, Brazil, India, and Canada. A technician will use a milling machine to start transforming the raw granite into slabs. The slabs are what you see in granite showrooms such as our new bigger showroom on Sheffield Rd in Ottawa.
- QUARTZ is found abundantly around the world and include stones like amethyst, ametrine, jasper, onyx, rose and smokey quartz. After they are mined, the minerals are ground into an aggregate that will be fused with a resin, binding the rock under heat and intense pressure. This forms a gorgeous new slab of quartz. During the binding, pigments are added to give the countertop a uniquely beautiful aesthetic. Even with the additives, a quality quartzcounter is 92%-94% quartz.
ENSURING QUALITY
Most homeowners know what they like when they see it. But being able to simply look at or touch a stone and be confident in its quality, only comes from years of experience. That’s why it’s important to work with a team of experts who are invested in your satisfaction. Trusting they’ll help you choose the right product and walk you through the processhelps you take the first step to building a quality kitchen.
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