Options for Kansas Homeowners
There are a few signs your countertops are past their prime. Chips, stains, outdated color or pattern are all good signs its time to update your kitchen countertops. Maybe you just hate how ugly they are? What’s holding you back from changing the way they look?
Here is a good place to start your research and learn what your options are for updating your kitchen countertops. Doing some research and learning about your options can save you a lot of money!
Option 1 – Replacement
Countertop replacement can be very expensive. Ripping out and replacing it isn’t cheap. It could take a 2nd mortgage. Prepare to be out of your kitchen for days, maybe weeks! Demolition: don’t forget the demolition mess that comes with removing and replacing your countertops!
There are times when replacement is the best and only option.
- When there is significant structural damage to the countertop and it is not practical to repair the damage.
- When you are doing a total kitchen makeover, changing the overall footprint of your kitchen and the size and location of your countertops. This is by far the most expensive option.
Granite, perhaps the most popular solid countertops are expensive and often require new cabinetry, adding even more cost to your project. Granite slabs must be matched, cut and installed with little room for error. Granite Countertops require regular maintenance, primarily to maintain their stain resistance by periodic sealing (usually annually) and to prevent damage through proper daily cleaning and spill management. You should clean them with gentle, stone-safe cleaners, avoid harsh chemicals and abrasives, and promptly wipe up spills. Granite is indeed a very hard surface and resistant to cuts and scratches, but it can still be chipped and damaged, repairs are difficult if not impossible.
It is safe to say your next purchase for this makeover will be the kitchen sink. Be sure to select your sink carefully. It’s not the installation you will need to be concerned about it’s the expense and problems that come if for some reason it must be replaced. These days nearly all sinks are undermount and/or wedged between the new cabinets and granite countertops. What will it take and what will it cost to remove that sink. The granite countertops will have to be removed which may also mean removing a backsplash.
Granite Pros
- Beautiful, Unique, natural stone patterns
- Very hard stone surface
- Resistance to cuts and scratches
- Heat Resistant
Granite Cons
- Expensive
- Kitchen down time: several days, maybe weeks
- Require regular sealing to maintain stain resistance
- Difficult to repair
- Seams between slabs can be hard to match
Option 2 – Refinishing
What is it?
Countertop refinishing is a process of repairing and restoring an existing kitchen counter or bathroom vanity to extend its functional life, without replacement.
Refinishing uses high tech coatings that give the look of solid surfaces without the expense or the maintenance of stone surfaces.
The process involves the application of a very hard and durable acrylic coating to the existing counter. Countertop refinishing works well on kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, laminate tops and even cultured marble sink vanities.
How does the process work?
Cabinets, backsplash, fixtures and the floor need to be covered. Grease, oil and dirt should be cleaned with specialized cleaners. Scratches and chips can be fixed with compounds specifically formulated for this purpose. Countertop repair can be tricky. It’s best left to an expert, like Michael’s Resurfacing, if you want the finished surface to look nice and smooth. The surface is then prepped to ensure proper adhesion. At least 3 coats of polyurethane coating should be applied, resulting in a durable, like-new surface.
Refinishing done by professional refinishers is a cost-effective alternative to the replacement of worn and dated Formica®, Corian®, Silestone®, tile or cultured marble. The high-tech coatings used by professional refinishers are:
- Resistant to the wear and tear of typical kitchen environments
- Maintenance free, no routine care or sealing
- Simple to care for and clean, all you need is warm soapy water to keep them looking great.
- Repairable. Accidents happen and refinished surfaces can be repaired
Are they affordable?
The biggest advantage of countertop refinishing is 50% or more savings over replacement. Before you decide on countertop replacement, compare the cost, mess, time savings and easy maintenance of professionally refinished countertops. Avoiding the demolition mess that comes with replacing kitchen countertops, and the days waiting for the new countertop installation. With stone look finishes a refinished countertop will be transformed into something amazing and back to light duty in approximately 3 days. You’ll be enjoying your new kitchen in days not weeks.
Our stone look finishes are not a man-made countertop. Professional refinishers use high-tech coatings that give the look of solid surfaces without the expense or the maintenance of stone surfaces.
The benefits you will enjoy with refinished countertop is their heat, stain and scratch resistance. Refinishing your countertops is durable and can extend the life of your countertops 10 to 15 years with basic care and cleaning. You will also enjoy several color options to go with your existing decor when refinishing your countertops.
Refinish, Don’t Replace
Smart Home Updates Before or After a Move
Professional surface refinishing gives homeowners, landlords, and real estate professionals the ability to transform kitchens, bathrooms, tile, and countertops without the time and mess of full demolition. Professional refinishers can complete beautiful updates that boost property value and appeal.
Moving presents the perfect opportunity to refresh worn-out surfaces or modernize outdated finishes—either to attract buyers or settle into a clean, updated space.
Unlike full renovations that take weeks and thousands of dollars, refinishing delivers fast turnaround with impressive results and a 5-year warranty. Whether it’s updating dull countertops, tiring tubs, tile showers, walls and floors, refinishing makes it possible to achieve like-new finishes on a tight timeline and budget.
For most buyers, the kitchen and bathroom are the make-or-break spaces. Professional Refinishers can offer updates that look like full remodels without the mess. fast turnaround with impressive results and a 5-year warranty that is transferable to the new homeowner.
Refinishing is a smart way to elevate the kitchen without ripping anything out. The Perfect Move-In or Move-Out Makeover
It Makes Sense for the Environment
Refinishing can help ease the landfill crisis by keeping your current counter tops and fixtures out of the landfill. Landfills are filling up and shutting down at an amazing rate. Since 1988 the United States has approximately 75% fewer landfills available to take on new trash. Don’t be a part of the problem, be a part of the solution.
Benefits of Refinishing
50% Savings Over Replacement
Back In Your Kitchen in 3 Days
Several Color Options to Go With Your Decor
The Perfect Move-In or Move-Out Makeover
Eco Friendly
The Dangers of Do-It-Yourself Resurfacing
DIY resurfacing kits are available in some stores and on-line. However, countertop refinishing isn’t really something most people can successfully do themselves.
What the outside of the box may or may not tell you
What you will need when you use a countertop resurfacing (painting) kit. Protective gloves, protective eyewear, protective clothing, exhaust fan for adequate ventilation. Base and topcoats are Combustible, take necessary precautions! NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) approved respirator, a dust mask does NOT protect against vapors! Humidity levels between 30% – 70%. Plan 2-3 days to do the application and 7 days before the finish fully cures.
You might also want to know there are very few color choices, and the kit will not have anything to repair gouges, burn marks or missing laminate. It may also take more time and hand labor than you might anticipate. Be sure to do your research on countertop painting before you spend the time and labor doing it. The most common problem with DIY countertop painting is peeling.
Let’s face it; the kitchen may be the focal point of your home. You can’t afford the cost or time it takes to replace your countertops. You don’t have the time or patience for a DIY kit to paint your countertops.
This is why NE Kansas homeowners are choosing Michael’s Resurfacing
Calling a professional countertop refinisher is your best option. Your countertops will look AMAZING! They will be durable, heat and stain resistant, with no annual maintenance or special cleaners required. You won’t need a 2nd mortgage, and you will be back in your kitchen in just days.