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Granite

3 Benefits of Granite Countertops

If you want to give your kitchen a luxury overhaul on a budget, you might consider upgrading to granite countertops. Due to its natural beauty, durability, and affordability, granite is one of the most popular materials in modern design. It can leave you with a brand new kitchen or bathroom you’ll love in as little as one day.

Call one of our countertop experts today at GranitePro at 410.875.7579 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation and learn more about our professional in-house design and installation services. We can help you understand the benefits of granite countertops.

Granite Benefits for Your Countertops

1. Natural Beauty

Granite is quarried straight from the earth, lending a majestic, organic appeal to home decor. Each piece of granite is distinctive, featuring a complex array of colors, patterns, and textures. The natural veining undulates in a large wave, so small samples pale in comparison to the finished product. In fact, one of the most challenging aspects of working with granite is choosing the final stone, as they tend to all be so beautiful and unique!

Granite’s varied appearance not only lends well to virtually any color scheme but is equally at home in any space, from family homes to apartments to upscale hotels. In addition, it lies perfectly flat, which helps with food preparation and provides an elegant, seamless finish.

2. Durability

Did you know that granite is the second hardest common working material? It’s true–granite is literally rock-hard, second only to diamonds. In fact, it requires special lasers to section it into separate slabs and is far more durable than other common countertop materials like Formica or laminated wood.

This means that when granite countertops are correctly installed, they are likely to last for a lifetime, with only a small amount of yearly do-it-yourself maintenance required. If they ever require replacement, it will only be because you want to–not because you need to.

Unlike wood, laminate, tile, or other softer materials, granite is also:

  • Scratch and chip-resistant
  • Chemical-resistant and can hold up to both acid and base exposure
  • Stain-resistant, even to wine and coffee
  • Dirt and bacteria-resistant, lending to easier cleaning
  • Heat-resistant and will not blister or warp even if exposed to hot pots and pans

If a bit of damage is incurred with a dropped cast-iron pot, granite can be easily repaired with a small amount of sealant. However, typical spills, knife slips, and other routine bits of wear and tear are no match for a quality granite countertop.

3. Affordability

For a natural, beautiful, durable material, granite countertops are surprisingly affordable. Generally, they range from about $40-$200 per square foot, including installation. Some of the factors influencing where your project will fall in this range include:

  • Whether you use granite tiles vs. larger slabs of granite
  • The thickness of the slabs
  • The total amount of square footage
  • The number of seams in the countertop (seams are typically around one-eighth of an inch in thickness)
  • If backsplashes are used
  • Whether or not your contractor can acquire their materials directly or must purchase them from a third-party vendor

Most projects not only increase the overall appeal of a home but can actually result in a sizable return on your investment.

GranitePro: Your Source for Top-Quality Granite In Maryland

If you are looking for granite countertops in Caroll County, Maryland, we have your next kitchen or bathroom renovation project covered. At GranitePro, we have built our brand on quality materials (100% crafted by our own team of artisans), competitive pricing, and flawless customer service. Contact us today at 410.875.7579 to learn how granite countertops can make your home a more beautiful and functional space for decades to come.

Granite Kitchen Countertops Installation

Granite kitchen countertops are in high demand as of late. They are a low-maintenance, beautiful, and durable option for a new kitchen and are a fantastic investment for those looking to sell their house. Whether you want a more stylish and functional home or are looking to add value to your house before a sale, new countertops are an exciting prospect.

Before you enjoy your new kitchen, though, you have to deal with the installation process. Whether you are installing your new granite kitchen countertops alone or using a team of installers, it can help to plan ahead and understand what goes into the process.

At GranitePro, we are Maryland’s granite countertop experts and have years of experience in countertop installation. We can help you understand the installation process and make it stress-free with our qualified installation team.

Call GranitePro at 410.875.7579 to learn how we can help create your dream kitchen today.

Consultation Services for Granite Kitchen Countertops

The first part of any renovation project should be establishing a budget. Granite countertops, while undoubtedly worthwhile, can be expensive. Fortunately, GranitePro offers a free consultation where we can discuss your needs, measure the space, and draw up some initial plans. You will be able to choose from a wide selection of material options, including:

  • Granite
  • Marble
  • Quartz
  • Soapstone

From there, we will draw up a price estimate for your unique project and begin the templating and fabrication process.

Templating and Fabrication

We will first measure and calculate the dimensions of your stone countertop and draw up a digital template. We will work with you to create the perfect design and layout for your kitchen, and our team will then send the template to fabrication, where they will cut your granite slab using our high-precision toolset. Working with GranitePro gives you access to a completely customized product, especially envisioned for your space and needs. This includes room for appliances, faucets, sinks, and electrical outlets.

Granite Kitchen Countertop Installation

Installing granite countertops can be complex and labor-intensive. Though this can initially be intimidating, GranitePro offers a wealth of expertise with our team of professional installers, who are all employed by GranitePro and thoroughly vetted. We will make the installation process safe, simple, and quick.

Preparation

When the day arrives, our team will begin with a tearout, removing the old countertops, as well as appliances, the old plumbing system, and the backsplash. You can make this part simple for our team by turning off the water ahead of time and removing the appliances that could obstruct the installation process. Make sure the workspace is clean and clear of clutter.

Installation

Once all the preparations are complete, our team will begin the installation. They will position the new countertop on top of the cabinetry and affix them to the walls, appliances, and sink. Be aware that the adhesive may need up to 24 hours to set fully. Our team will also take special care to minimize any seams, making them as unnoticeable as possible.

Sealing the Granite

After the granite is installed and the plumbing and appliances are reconnected, the last step is to seal the stone. Since granite is a porous stone, water, and other liquids can easily damage or stain it if your counters are not properly sealed. Our team will apply a granite sealant, which will repel damaging liquids and ensure your countertops will last for years to come.

Schedule a Free Consultation With GranitePro

If you want to bring the beauty and convenience of granite kitchen countertops into your home, GranitePro will make the process quick and straightforward. Best of all, at the end of the installation, you will have an investment to last for years to come and a high-quality custom product wholly tailored to your needs. Contact GranitePro today at 410.875.7579 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation and estimate.

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.

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.

The 3 Biggest Benefits of Granite Countertops

Kitchens are one of the most common rooms in the home to be brought up to speed. This has to do with what a kitchen is used for and how it serves your household and guests. Above all else, a kitchen is a social room for friends and family to gather, mingle, cook, eat, and just generally enjoy others company.

This is why homeowners feel the need to keep their kitchen up to date – it is one of the first places visitors will see when they come in, and it’s a place where you will be spending a lot of time. 

Granite is a sleek and luxurious countertop material which has led to it being one of the most sought after on the market. Reach out to the experts at GranitePro at 410.875.7579 to learn more about the many benefits of using granite for kitchen countertops.

3 Biggest Benefits of Granite Countertops

Durability

Granite is a very dense stone that is not only beautiful but super durable as well. Granite is one of the most durable natural stones used for making countertops and is second only to soapstone. This durability makes it a great choice because countertops experience a lot of abuse over the years, especially in a heavily used kitchen.

You can count on granite to resist all of the common factors that countertops face on a day-to-day basis. The density of granite makes it resistant to chipping and scratching, and when sealed properly, it becomes resistant to heat, staining, and moisture.

Simple Maintenance

Taking care of a kitchen is pretty labor-intensive, so when you have the option to go with a super durable and low-maintenance counter material, why wouldn’t you? Granite used for countertops is sealed either before or right after the installation.

Once the granite is sealed and protected from any spills, the only maintenance you’re responsible for is wiping it down. The sealer essentially makes the granite non-porous, making it easy to clean and resistant to any bacteria and dirt building up on the granite.

Granite is one of the most durable stones available, but it can still be susceptible to chipping and scratches. If you chip or scratch your granite counters in rare cases, there is no reason to panic.

A chip in granite can be repaired fast, and by the time it is done, you won’t even be able to see where the chip was. A technician uses an epoxy-based filler the stone’s color to fill the chipped or deeply scratched areas. Once the filler cures, the technician will do any necessary polishing and then reseal the affected area.

Adds Value to Your Home

Since granite is one of the most sought-after countertop materials, installing it may be the difference between getting your asking price for your home or even selling it at all. Granite countertops are luxurious and eco-friendly and drastically increase the appeal of your home to potential buyers.

Since kitchen remodels increase the value of a home and granite countertops can be a part of a kitchen remodel, then by default, granite countertops increase the value of your home. While they may not directly make your home worth more money, having granite counters will undoubtedly increase the value to the home buyer and can result in larger offers for your home. Consider the following options:

Learn More About Granite Countertop Installation in Maryland

Granite Pro is one of Maryland’s most trusted countertop installation companies, and we would love the opportunity to show you why. Contact us today at 410.875.7579, or contact us online to schedule your free consultation and quote with one of our professionals.

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