Kitchen Countertops Trends

Whether you are renovating a home you have lived in for a while, or are making some minor adjustments to a home you just purchased it is common to want to be able to say you completed at least some part of the renovation yourself but is a new kitchen counter the one item you want to stake this claim to? Installing counters can be tricky, however depending on the material you selected some might be easier than others.

This renovation is not the same as painting some walls, or even hanging some shelving in the spare bedroom. These kitchen countertops are heavy, awkward, potentially fragile and may need some special finishing tools to make them look right. You also have the sink to think about and make sure that installation goes well, too.

Even though some materials for counters are not as heavy as others almost all of them are kind of bulky because they are cut to size when you order them, and are not going to need to be built in place in your home. For this reason make sure you have a clear path from the door to the area you are installing this new counter. Specific materials, like quartz, are really hard so it is just as likely the slab could damage any aspect of your house as it is that the slab itself will be damaged. You will want to make sure you have a lot of assistance on the day you install the counters, and you should not attempt to lift the slab by yourself.

Another thing to keep in mind is the cut of the slab itself. If you are going to install your new purchase yourself then your budget needs to be large enough to allow for this slab to be precisely cut to size prior to delivery to you. If you are going to hire professionals to install it then this is not an issue as professionals will possess the necessary tools to fit the counter exactly to size on site during the installation. Beware of pre-cut or pre-purchased slabs because they only work if they are the exact size and shape for your home; if they are off even by a bit and you do not have the right tools to cut it to size you could end up spending a lot more than you thought just to have someone fix it, or you may even need to purchase a whole new counter.

Further you need to make sure your cabinets and fixtures are properly prepped for the type of counter you are installing. If the new counter you bought is heavier than your previous one you have to make sure your cabinets are properly reinforced to handle this new weight. Professionals will be able to help with this, or even do it for you. If your cabinets are not set up to handle the new weight then there could be a disaster in your kitchen shortly down the road.

Overall a DIY kitchen countertops project might be right for you if you have a few home renovation projects under your belt, and the right tools to correctly install it. The tools needed might be available for rental from your local home improvement store, but if you are not really sure and this is your first attempt at home renovations it might be better to leave this one to the professionals until you have a few more projects completed and are feeling comfortable with such a large purchase.