What is "the TOPS" in Countertops ?

  Countertops...bathroom, kitchen, buffet....Our clients know that we research everything we do and source materials, contractors, styles and ask our advice in what may work for their home projects.

   To us...the kind of material you can choose is an individual choice....there are not good or bad ones. The way you use an area, the maintenance that you expect, the kind of finish and color you want to have in the room.

     Granite is "all natural" mined from quarries in large blocks cut into slabs and polished on one side. The countertop cuts the shapes precisely for their application in a home and profiles and polishes the edges to the customer's specfications. As a natural material, nature controls the variation of color...it is inconsistent which to some people is a part of why they choose it...it cannot be exactly duplicated.  Granite is porous and without sealing can harbor bacteria, mold etc. This porous material can also stain easily. To maintain granite, fabricators recommend you seal it...some believe annually, others will say every few years. 

    Counters need to be cut to go around corners etc. and if you are looking for a "seamless" look...that won't happen with granite due to the natual color variation of the material.

      Some people prefer both the look and durability of quartz. Quartz is what is referred to as "engineered stone" and is one of the strongest materials on the planet. It is made from  a mixture of 95% ground water natural quartz and 5% polymer resins.   It offers a consistency of color and is non porous. It does not require sealing and is easily cleaned with a damp cloth.  There are many color choices and seams are not as visible as they with granite.  There are some brands with colors that mimic the look of granite without having the sealing issue of that product.

   There are a number of large quartz manufacturers including Caesarstone, Cambria, Silestone and Zodiaq.  If you don't see the color and look you want in one line,  seek a distributor that offers more than one manufacturer.  

    Browsing the net is a good way to start but nothing is better than getting a sample and bringing it home to see it in the place it will be installed with the woodwork, flooring and wall colors you have chosen.  

   All countertops...kitchen, bathroom, buffet, bar...are installed after your cabinetry is complete.  Beware of putting new counters on old cabinetry unless it is in good condition or you intend to refinish or paint it.  (You don't want to spend all that time on money in a remodeling project and end up with Pigstick !)

    Our noon time "field trips" as time allows will be to look at counter tops for our bathroom vanity....our choice will be Quartz...most probably from Caesarstone which was our choice in our kitchen remodeling project.

        Look long...consider the possiblities ...you don't change countertops often...and choose what works for you...you can't make a "wrong' selection!

    When you are considering selecting a Realtor in southeastern Wisconsin...Call the Hansons, we are honored to be of service for all things real estate.

Sally K. & David L. Hanson, ABR, CDPE, CSS, e-Pro,ILHM, REDS