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Bathroom remodel

How Do You Know It’s Time to Replace a Bathroom Countertop?

A new bathroom countertop can spruce up your space and turn your bathroom into a whole new place—which can be very enjoyable! But it can also be a daunting project, so you’ll want to be sure you’re ready to take it on.

We’ve included six reasons why you might consider replacing your bathroom countertops. Keep reading to find out if it’s about that time for you.

1. Your surfaces are damaged.

There’s no doubt your bathroom countertop sees a whole lot of activity, and in some cases, a lot of activity means a healthy amount of damage. This is especially common if the bathroom material is made of something that’s not known for being very durable, like wood, laminate, or tile.

Over time, wood countertops can sustain major water damage—especially in the bathroom—and laminate can chip, fade, or bubble. Tile can chip or start to lose its grout, which isn’t only bad for the look of the countertop, but its functionality too.

2. You’ve got mold.

The bathroom is a hub for moisture, and there’s no getting around that. Even in the most well-ventilated bathroom, there’s a chance that mold could find a place to grow. Mold is especially likely if you’ve had plumbing problems or a perpetually leaky sink, as these things cause wet conditions from water dripping down into the vanity. Mold loves dark, damp, cool conditions, and that’s exactly the conditions that the space under your vanity provides.

If you spot mold in the vanity, it’s likely that it’s found a way under the countertop as well, and the best way to get rid of it at that point is by replacing the countertop entirely. Mold is not something to gamble with—protect the health of your family and replace your bathroom countertop.

3. You’re selling your home.

If you’re trying to sell your home, make note of the fact that most homebuyers concentrate on two things above anything else: the kitchen and the bathroom. If your home stands out from the crowd (in a positive manner) in these categories, you’re much more likely to sell for a favorable price—and at a faster rate too. The best bathroom countertops show that you’ve invested in your home and that you’ve taken care of the place well over the years, which is a comfort to potential buyers.

4. You’re redoing your cabinets.

If you’re going to replace your bathroom cabinets, you can’t leave your bathroom countertops behind. Changing the cabinets changes the entire look of the bathroom, and your countertops will stick out like a sore thumb if you don’t update them too.

If you’re only painting or staining your cabinets, you don’t necessarily have to replace your bathroom countertops—but it’s still not a bad idea. Who doesn’t love a fresh new look for every aspect of the room? Such change has a way of livening up the place and refreshing the feel of it.

5. You want an upgrade.

Your bathroom countertops might still be in good shape, especially if you invested in a durable material—but that doesn’t mean you’ll be in love with them indefinitely. If your bathroom is outdated, a great way to bring it up to speed is by changing up the countertops. Whether you’re doing a complete overhaul or simply taking a step in the right direction, the countertops are a great place to start.

6. You need more space.

Your countertops are a big part of what determines how much space you have in your bathroom, and if you’re running out of it, you might need to switch them up. If your countertops are taking up too much room and you don’t have the space you need to move around in your bathroom, it might be time to replace them. Or on the other hand, if you have more bathroom essentials than you have room for, you might need to upgrade with more spacious surfaces.

Is It Time to Replace?

If you’ve decided that it’s time to replace your bathroom countertops, be sure to reach out to our team at GranitePro. We’ll get the ball rolling for you and create the bathroom of your dreams.

Granite Vanity Tops Installation

New granite vanity tops can easily change the look of a room, bringing added style and counter space, all with easy maintenance. If your bathroom feels dated or damaged, a new granite vanity top can be exactly what you need to revitalize the area, whether in a kitchen or a bathroom. Whatever the reason for your new vanity tops, you will want to learn about the installation process so you can prepare and get the most out of your new bathroom.

Once you understand the installation process, GranitePro can bring sleek and beautiful new vanity tops into your home. GranitePro is among the accomplished experts on Maryland countertop installation services and can make the installation process smooth and hassle-free. Get a free consultation from GranitePro today by calling 410.875.7579.

First Considerations for Granite Vanity Tops

A granite bathroom vanity is an exciting undertaking for any family, but they’re also an investment into your home. You’ll want to consider several key elements before you begin the project. You can start by scheduling a free consultation with GranitePro’s expert team members, allowing you to choose from a selection of top-of-the-line stone options. These materials include:

  • Granite
  • Marble
  • Quartz
  • Soapstone

Keep in mind when considering materials how much daily maintenance you’re comfortable with, how much wear and tear your bathroom will experience, how the material will fit with your bathroom’s design, and, of course, your budget. Once you have chosen a material and layout, we will draw up a price estimate for the project.

From here, we will measure the space and your vanity to create a digital template and plan out your bathroom’s layout. We will then fabricate and cut your new vanity tops. One of the advantages of working with GranitePro is that you can personally customize your space and vanity to make sure it is a perfect fit, working around the specific size constraints of the bathroom or vanity and any plumbing needs. We offer a truly custom product, making sure your new granite vanity tops are one of a kind.

Granite Bathroom Vanity Installation

For the installation, we will use our own crew of qualified and thoroughly vetted professionals. Our team will match your planned layout and look exactly, working quickly, safely, and professionally.

Once the day arrives, our installation team will bring your custom vanity top to you and install it with the utmost care. They will follow these steps to remove your vanity top and replace it with your new custom option:

  1. Turn off the water and disconnect the drain pipe – This is a simple but essential first step. Before our installation team arrives, you should turn off the main water supply to the bathroom, and our team will disconnect the drain pipes from the existing sink and the supply lines from the existing faucet.
  2. Take off the old vanity top – Our team will cut the existing caulk surrounding the vanity to avoid damage to the drywall and then remove the clips holding the vanity top in place. It may need to be pried off the vanity.
  3. Level and secure the new top – We will make sure the vanity cabinet is level, then place and center the new top. Shims are then inserted as needed to level the top. Then the top is attached with any fasteners.
  4. Install the new sink faucet assembly – We will then install the new sink and faucet assembly and reconnect the water supply lines.
  5. Caulk and seal the edges – To keep water from leaking into the granite and to tightly fasten the new top to the wall, we will run a small bead of caulk around the edges, backsplash, and the rim of the sink.
  6. Reconnect the water supply and clean up – At this point, we’re all finished. We will then turn your water supply back on and leave your new bathroom even better than we found it.

GranitePro: Revitalize Your Home With Granite Vanity Tops Today

GranitePro’s team of experts is the ideal choice for all of your custom bathroom and kitchen countertop needs. Our products are custom, made especially to your specifications, and installed by a qualified team of experts. The installation process is guaranteed to be quick and hassle-free and will leave you with a beautiful new addition to your home. To learn more, contact us today at 410.875.7579 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation and estimate.

Prepping Bathroom Tile for Renovation

When you think of a remodeled bathroom, you probably think about a jacuzzi tub, an elegant vanity, and a nice stand-up shower. And while all of these things are an essential part of a successful bathroom remodel, the most vital part is the floor. Before you can start your bathroom tile replacement, you first have to demo the existing flooring and prep the floor for the new bathroom tiles.

GranitePro is home to experts in bathroom remodeling. We understand what it takes to bring your remodeling project to fruition. Find out how our expert installers can help you take your bathroom renovation to the next level by calling 410.875.7579.

Replacing Bathroom Tiles

Remodeling your home’s bathrooms has one of the highest return on investment percentages of any remodeling project and is a great choice if you are looking to improve the value of your home. Due to the amount of moisture that a bathroom is routinely exposed to, it is smart to go with waterproof flooring for a low-maintenance option.

Tile is the most commonly preferred type of flooring for bathrooms because it offers a beautiful and durable finish. The first step in replacing bathroom tile is getting rid of the old tile. Despite its durability under regular conditions, tile is generally pretty easy to demolish and remove.

Removing Bathroom Tile

Like any other demolition project removing tile can be a pretty messy job. This is best prepared for by wearing a filtered mask and eyewear to protect against shrapnel. If you are trying to prevent dust from getting all over the rest of the house, you can hang plastic barriers up in the doorways.

Thankfully this project takes a minimal amount of tools, as is so often the case when dealing with deconstruction rather than construction. A hammer, chisel, and pry bar will more than suffice for the removal of tile.

Don’t start smashing all the tile with your hammer; although this might feel great, it’s not very efficient and will leave you with an unnecessary mess. The strategic way to remove tile is by first removing the threshold at the doorway. Once this is removed and you have access to the edge of the tile, you can start by hammering your chisel under the first tile until it breaks free.

After this first tile is dealt with using the flat end of the pry bar; similarly, this is the quickest and easiest way to dispatch the rest of the tiles. After you have pried all of the existing tile free from the floor, it’s time to start prepping.

Prepping Floor for Tile

After removing the old tile, you will be left with dried mortar on the bathroom’s subfloor, and there are two ways to remove it. The easiest and most ideal method is using a hammer drill with a chisel mortising bit. If you don’t have a hammer drill, bust out the hammer, and preferably a masonry chisel, but a stiff blade scraper will suffice.

Whether you take the automatic hammer drill route or the manual route, the general practice is the exact same – hold the chisel at the ground at a 45-degree angle to ensure the optimal balance of downward and forward force and start chiseling away. It helps to vacuum your mess as you make it, so having an extra set of hands to clean as you chisel is a good idea.

After this, you are going to want to repair any damaged portions of the subfloor. If the floor is still in good shape, then there’s no need to replace it. I recommend installing a tile membrane for the best job possible, but some people choose to bypass this step. Once the membrane is installed, you are ready to start tiling. Consider a Maryland home improvement company for the following bathroom services:

Learn More About Granite Pro’s Bathroom Tile Services

If you’re all worn out after getting rid of your old tile, and you don’t have the energy to install the new stuff, you can count on us! Contact GranitePro at 410.875.7579, or contact us online to schedule your free consultation and installation.

Easiest Bathroom Sinks to Maintain

Bathrooms are one of the most used rooms in any home, and like any other high-traffic area, you want to make sure you fill it with durable and easy-to-maintain products. Luckily the days of sacrificing looks for a stronger bathroom sink are long gone – today, you can have a long-lasting, easy-to-maintain sink made from some of the most beautiful natural stone.

Here at GranitePro, we offer the easiest bathroom sinks to maintain through the installation of granite, marble, quartz, and soapstone countertops and sinks. Contact us today at 410.875.7579 for your free consultation and quote.

Easy to Maintain Bathroom Sinks

Granite

Granite is a beautiful and durable natural stone that looks good in any style of bathroom. It is one of the easiest natural stone options to maintain. When it comes to maintaining granite, simple regular cleanings are the best way to ensure the beautiful and luxurious finish that granite is known for.

The most important thing to avoid using when cleaning your countertops is any harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive materials. This will more than likely lead to scratching and pitting on the surface, which deteriorates the finish and makes the surface harder to clean in the future. A soft microfiber cloth is what we recommend you use when wiping down your granite.

A dry cloth is great for dusting and simple cleaning. For deeper cleans, we recommend using a specialized natural stone cleaner that is chemically formulated not to alter the finish of your bathroom sink.

Quartz

While quartz is commonly believed to be a natural stone, it is actually a mineral. To make quartz bathroom sinks, the mineral is first ground up. It is then mixed with an epoxy resin material to bind the quartz together for a smooth and non-porous finish. As a result, quartz bathroom sinks are very easy to clean and extremely versatile in their design, thanks to the manufacturing process.

Quartz is a really durable material, and while it is highly resistant to scratching and chipping, it is not invincible. For this reason, you must resist using any abrasive cloths or sponges for cleaning your bathroom sink. If there is some hard-to-remove material on your quartz sink or countertop, then you should use a plastic putty knife or straight-edged object to scrape it off.

Once you have removed any buildup through scraping, you can use a mild soap or glass cleaner with a soft cloth or sponge to do a final thorough cleaning. Dawn dish soap and Windex make a great cleaner that can safely be used on quartz sinks and countertops.

When something is spilled on quartz, you must clean it up as quickly as possible. If you fail to do so, depending on what was spilled, it could stain your sink or countertop. If this happens, we recommend you use a professional quartz cleaning product or adhesive remover like Goo-Gone.

Soapstone

Soapstone, if you haven’t already guessed by the name, is a natural stone that not only looks great in a bathroom but it is super easy to clean and maintain as well. Soapstone is harvested in the same way other natural stones are, but it retains one distinctive advantage over other stones—it is non-porous. This smooth surface makes soapstone a great choice for an easy-to-maintain bathroom sink. 

When soapstone is first installed, it requires routine oiling with mineral oil, but the more it gets used, the less you have to oil it. Far less sensitive than other stones, you don’t have to be near as cautious about what type of cleaners you use. Soap and water are a great choice, but soapstone can withstand more harsh cleaners as well, such as those containing bleach. 

Bathroom Sink Installation from GranitePor

When it comes to installing a new bathroom sink, it pays to consider the maintenance and cleaning requirements of the material you choose. We here at Granite Pro hope this helps you understand what the easiest bathroom sinks to maintain are, and if you have any other questions, feel free to contact us at 410.875.7579, or contact us online for your free consultation and quote.

Understanding the Fabrication Process

If you’ve been thinking about investing in custom-made countertops to improve your home’s overall look and value, you should probably understand the fabrication process. By knowing what goes on behind the scenes, you will be able to communicate your wants and needs better when the time for new counters finally comes. 

Custom counter fabrication can be broken down into three main steps: measuring and templating, fabricating, and the final installation. Understanding the process from beginning to end should give you peace of mind when coming to us at GranitePro because you will know exactly what it will take to get your bathroom or kitchen looking the way you want it. Find out how we can help by calling 410.875.7579.

Measuring and Templating

After calling us for your free in-home consultation and estimate, the next step in the process is for one of our professional technicians to come to your home to take measurements and create a digital template used for planning out your future counters.

Once we have the digital template, we can incorporate your customized wishes into the template until we have your new kitchen or bathroom counters’ exact design. This allows us to cut out the perfect-sized custom counters to avoid any seams common with prefabricated countertops.

Fabrication

At GranitePro, we source all of our materials from top-rated quarries across the United States to ensure you have the beautiful stone finish you came to us for in the first place. If you haven’t decided on a material yet, this is the stage where you need to because once the template is made, it is time for us to plan and cut your new counters to exact specifications.

Once you have decided on the material, then the plans and template are sent to our professional fabrication team so they can begin cutting out your counters. The template will include everything the fabrication team is going to need to ensure exact cuts so they can accommodate any added amenities or changes to the original layout.

  • Added electrical outlets
  • Cutouts for appliances
  • Change in shape
  • Plumbing 

These are all commonly adjusted aspects of custom countertops, and the fabrication team at GranitePro makes them happen at this stage in the process.

Installation

Once we have your new custom kitchen or bathroom counters cut out, it is time for it all to come together in the actual installation process. 

In-House Installation

Our expert countertop installation crews are all employed by us, and we never subcontract out our installation services. This is important because we ensure the quality of craftsmanship throughout the entire process instead of trusting somebody else with the job. For a completely custom experience, you need to deal with the same company from the beginning of the process to the end, which is what we give you the opportunity to do by using our own in-house expert installation crew.

Fewer Seams

We insist on using our installation crew because we can trust them to install your new stone counters exactly as we planned throughout the fabrication process, allowing for the minimization or complete elimination of those unsightly and noticeable seams.

We can generally eliminate all of the seams on your new countertop on new construction projects or projects with large enough clearing space. But if we are limited on space, we may have to cut the counters down into a more manageable size creating seams in the process. There is no need to worry, though, because our installation crews know where the least noticeable location for seams are and do a 5-star job of covering them up.

Learn More About GranitePro For Your Custom Countertop Services

If you are thinking about installing custom-made stone countertops, look no further than GranitePro. We promise to deliver you a completely custom experience from the initial template design to the fabrication and installation. Give us a call today at 410.875.7579, or contact us online for your free in-home consultation and estimate!

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