Counters are among leading projects to transform a kitchen without a total rebuild. The countertops are the most visible, color-defining element of your kitchen. Expanses of clean, shining counters are what make a kitchen feel inviting, and the latest in hard stone countertops will always generate some enthusiastic buyers. Cabinetry can be updated with fresh paint or stain and new handles to match your beautiful new counters to fully reinvent the look and feel of your kitchen.

Now let’s talk about choosing the best counter materials and design to increase value in your home.

Choosing a Solid Stone Countertop

• Granite
• Marble
• Quartz
• Concrete
• Sandstone

When most people think about upgrading a kitchen, they think gleaming stone countertops. Cool granite or swirling marble are both seen as the definition of a luxury kitchen for the home gourmet.

• Granite

  • Granite counters were once the peak of mansion and penthouse design which then gained in popularity as the stone became more available in the decades after.  Granite is considered extremely hard and the cool gray and sometimes stormy striations are an elegant accent to any neutral or decoratively colored kitchen.

• Marble

  • Marble countertops come in a glowing variety of colors with unique fingerprint-like swirls of veining. However, marble is also a soft stone and in the kitchen, it’s been found a little too-easy to clip with knife tips or scrape with the underside of pans.

• Quartz

  • Quartz countertops are usually seen in white with elegant fractal veining. However, unlike marble it is extremely hard and resistant to scratching and non-porous. Quartz is at the highest price point on the current market. Quartz comes in a full variety of soft colors.

• Concrete

  • Concrete is a pourable solid stone at a significantly lower price point. Concrete is a heavy yet affordable option that is currently seeing a spike in popularity for modern countertop design.

• Soapstone

  • Soapstone is a long-time standard for counters. Soapstone has a cool, smooth texture at a lower price point, but is also well-known as a softer stone that is prone to scratches.

Improving Your Home Value with Granite Countertops

Wondering whether granite countertops increase home value? The answer is usually “yes”, provided your kitchen renovation succeeds in making the entire home feel more modern and welcoming. Granite counters add a touch of class and permanence to a home’s design. The same countertop could make a modern home feel older and an older home feel timelessly modernized.

Granite counters tend to cost between $50 and $100 per square foot. Consider both your current counter space and whether you’d like to add an island during your kitchen renovation.

Improving Kitchen Value with Quartz Countertops

Quartz countertops do increase your home value, and not just for style alone. Quartz is harder than marble and smoother than granite. In an age of viral safety, quartz counters can be cleaned down to a molecular level. As crystalline molecules, solid quartz forms a perfectly smooth, non-porous surface with nowhere for germs to hide from spotless kitchen cleaning.

Quartz countertops are veined and gleam like marble, but do not scratch or chip easily. Quartz is also only marginally more costly in its per-foot price range. Quartz counters can be quoted between $60 and $200 per square foot, depending on your chosen style and slab. As a way to improve both the appearance and function of your kitchen, quartz is currently and remains the top choice.

Marble Countertops Increasing the Value of Your Home

There will always be buyers willing to pay for marble. Marble has defined luxury and expensive homes since Ancient Rome. Marble kitchen countertops will be as desired and enjoyed as marble-tiled bathrooms until the end of time. The soft, veined stone is known to be extremely sturdy, though unfortunately easy to scratch. With proper care and regular polishing, marble countertops are often the centerpiece of a luxury kitchen.

Marble always has potential to increase the value of a kitchen design, as long as the rest of the kitchen and home effectively match the lavish counters. However, because marble is also widely available, it enjoys a wide price-point, ranging from $40 to $150 per square foot.

Best Countertop Colors for Home ROI

Most countertops range between white, beige, and gray. Like choosing a wall color, most detail is in the subtle under-tones and the veins in your stone. If your kitchen is designed in warmer tones, you may choose a countertop with a yellow-white hue, while cool-color kitchens often look better to look for a cool blue-tinted white, gray, or natural blue quartz. The best way to increase your home value with countertop color choice is to enhance the home’s desirability with a coordinated color palette.

The best countertops for your home’s value can be decided by the home’s design, value, and the new interior experience you create. By ensuring that your entire home suits the new luxury of your kitchen and countertops, your kitchen remodel provides the most potential value.  Our brand specializes in luxury granite countertops for homeowners in every price point looking to increase the value of your kitchen or home. To explore your full range of options, come view our selection of modern granite countertops. Not sure what you want yet? That’s no problem at all, as countertop experts can help you decide on the perfect color, material, and style for your kitchen. We look forward to consulting with you on your kitchen design and the ideal countertop choice to complete your renovation plans.

The post Increase the Value of Your Home With New Kitchen Countertops appeared first on Arch City Granite & Marble.

Each countertop from Arch City Granite comes sealed and is ready to be installed or our technician seals the stone soon after installation. But, over time you will need to reseal your stone countertops. Since we want you to have the information you need to know about your new stone countertops, here is everything you want to know about the why your countertops need to be sealed.

It’s all about Porosity

Most types of natural stone are riddled with tiny capillaries and channels that interconnect and thread through the structure. Those tiny channels allow water, oils and other liquids to move into the stone. That is why if you spill a glass of red wine on untreated white marble, the coloring seeps into the body of the stone.

Granite is not as porous as marble, but it is still porous.  Granite will still absorb liquids, but it will be in much smaller volumes and will take longer to move down into the slab of rock. Since liquids like water can seep into natural stone, problems arise when the water contained dissolved minerals.

If you have hard water, the calcite can be transported with the water into the stone. If there are mineral salts, such as magnesium or calcium in the water, natural stone can be pitted. As the water dries out, salt crystals form.Sealing stone countertops stops the movement of water and other liquids. The capillaries and channels are sealed and common types of damage are prevented.

It’s all about Protection

A marble countertop naturally contains calcite. If acid comes into contact with marble, the acid reacts with the calcite and can easily etch the marble. Acid that are commonly found in kitchens include lemon juice, vinegar, and soda pop. Acids can also damage sandstones, limestones and travertine.

Sealing stone countertops will reduce the risk of acid damage and add in a layer of protection. A sealant will give you the precious time you need to clean up a spill before your stone countertop can stain.If you want to keep your countertops protected, make certain you keep it sealed.

Resealing Your Countertops

When you think of sealing stone countertops, you might think it is labor intensive. This is not the case. The main thing you will need to know when sealing your countertops is the type of stone. Make certain you get the right sealant. At Arch City Granite, we want to provide you with the information you need to keep your countertops looking their best. If you want to seal your stone countertops, you can get the information you need right here.

Arch City Granite

With Arch City Granite, you can find the perfect natural stone that is going to transform your kitchen, bathrooms, or laundry room. You can find the right color and type of stone. We have the selection you want. Once you find the right stone surface, we can transform a slab of natural stone into a beautiful countertop. Our skilled craftsman use computer aided measuring devices, so we get the right fit for your home. We upload the precise measurements into our fabrication system and you can watch you stone countertop come alive. Our sales representatives will answer your questions and help you find the right stone for your lifestyle. Arch City Granite will help you beautify your home one countertop at a time.

The post Why do Natural Stone Countertops need to be Sealed? appeared first on Arch City Granite & Marble.