The Counters Blog

Concrete Countertops Cost How To Renew A Scratched Countertop

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The pumps are recolorable, and come in two heights to use with or without the concrete base.

Lessons Learned From A Disappointing Kitchen Remodel by viewalongtheway.com

Finally, those years of living in tiny rentals and gazing longingly at home photos and magazines would pay off! Asked if we could trade them in… could we paint them? We shopped for all different kinds of counters, knowing that we wanted something solid-surface. Andy felt “meh” about it, the way he does about anything trendy that he hasn’t had a chance to adapt to yet. It’s so easy to sweep crumbs from the counter right into the sink, without that annoying little sink ledge that collects dirt and grime. It was a weird situation where we needed something between the fridge and the wall so you could open the freezer door all the way, but if we did a full-width cabinet there, it would take away precious counter space. I had one that didn’t and the subs didn’t show up on a regular basis so the project took longer than it should have, costing us more. I had a number of conversations with him and he just hemmed and hawed about how he couldn’t do anything about it. I think hiring a professional home remodeling contractor is the smart idea as you can stay away from all mess while re do the kitchen. All of my mistakes can be traced to a desire to “cut corners’ and save money. But the marble floor tiles cracked in my 1925 settling house because the tile wasn’t floated properly on concrete. Saved some money only to discovery that he installed the granite incorrectly: it has cracked all around the sink. I just had a custom kitchen cabinet maker come out and he told me everything that was wrong with them: pretty much everything. It may not be what you set out for, but then again you may not have even liked what you envisioned once done. But something went terribly wrong and the girl learned lots of lessons and to this day, has a kitchen for which she is incredibly grateful, but which looks nothing like what she originally intended to create and kinda bums her out from time to time, when she forgets to be thankful for the newness and freshness of it. You know how they have all the little cabinet doors on display and you can choose the color, finish and style you like best? They were a weird muddy brown color with greenish undertones. I tried to find a professional to paint the cabinets because we didn’t trust ourselves to get the perfect finish, and it was waaay out of budget. I didn’t love it, but maybe it would fix the cream problem? Here’s a closer-up photo of the counters, with the blue walls in the background, and a sheet of the slate tile. He thought they were bathroom knobs and it might be weird to have them in the kitchen. We had to twist the faucet so the knob is on the left side, which feels so awkward and wrong. What do you get when you make a bunch of safe choices, combined with decisions based on what other people say you must want? Five years into making lots and lots of decisions – and many mistakes! I never would’ve thought to install one, but we lived in a rental once that had a hot water dispenser, and we used it alllll the time. Our microwave is super fancy, with a touch screen, but we didn’t pay much for it. And check out this sweet, deep pot drawer that has a little lid drawer on top of it. And we have this tall skinny cabinet, which we actually had to include to make our kitchen work. And now we have a place dedicated to wine glasses, champagne flutes, and… um, juice. Have you ever redecorated a room and been less than thrilled with the results? Andy will make your kitchen dreams come true one of these days! He also didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings so when things were installed incorrectly or the wrong things installed (if you notice that all of the bathroom fixtures are the same except for one, doesn’t that tell you something is wrong?) he never said anything. You have sort all the mess very efficiently and your kitchen looks fab after remodeling. My sister hired a contractor and she is pretty much satisfied with him. I wanted granite countertops, marble floor tiles, beautiful cherry wood cabinets (remember this was 10 years ago), warm limestone backsplashes and stainless steel appliances for my small kitchen. I shopped for months for the perfect granite slabs for the countertop and then went with a recommendation for an installer that was clearly not experienced.

Cabinet Installation At WOODWEB’S Knowledge Base by woodweb.com

Here, cabinetmakers describe why they made the switch and how they use the new tools. Balancing careful itemized estimating against local market conditions can help you turn a decent profit. Do four hands plus two brains equal more production? Here are some thoughts on the labor time required with various methods. Here, installers describe how they go about installing cabinets, and explain why. Here’s a discussion of installation methods, clamps, and fastening hardware. It’s a typical snafu: the cabinet installer hits a water pipe with a screw. Cabinet installers discuss the potential pitfalls of a 50-kitchen installation contract, and share tips for making a success of it. Installation pros discuss the convenience, gas mileage, and security of various vehicle choices. Here are descriptions and photos of different solutions to the construction problem. The new generation of laser measuring tools can improve accuracy and save time. Is this the responsibility of the cabinetmaker or installer? For various reasons, most cabinetmakers prefer to install their own work — unless they know and trust the installer. The decision affects both trades, and there’s more than one well-reasoned opinion posted here. Advice from all sides, including those who tried it and liked it, and those who tried it and didn’t. Why are custom shops not including scribe material on backs? This thread is a collection of examples, with descriptions of who covered the repair cost. Here, installers and cabinetmakers discuss the fine points of communication and cooperation among specialists. Is there a specific standard that qualifies a cabinet as custom? Woodworkers discuss the practicality of working in socks, and the alternatives for protecting floors in high-end residential work. Should the finish toe kicks be fitted and installed by the cabinetmaker, or the finish carpenter.

Change Your Countertop and Upgrade On The Cheap!: 8 Steps With Pictures by instructables.com

I didn’t take any picks of this process, but basically look inside all the lower cabinets and at the top and each corner you will find a corner brace or something with a screw going up up into the counter-top from underneath. Cut the 3/4″fiberboard to the correct size and layout of your counter-top. After you have it flat you are ready to install the oak molding. I use the current measurement of the (so far) incomplete counter-top and add 2 to 4″ because when you lay the glued pieces together they instantly bond making it impossible to move around. Once you have all of your laminate cut, lay it out on top of your counter-top to ensure proper fit and alignment. I start by pouring a small amount directly onto the surface of the counter-top and the underside of the laminate. You need to work fast but you also need to make sure you are spreading it evenly. Its ok if it gets on the new laminate, just wipe it off right away. I think of doing a countertop, it’s the edge that keeps me from trying. But you may be able to get by using a trim router(its smaller) but it will work. If you laminate edges, you must do this before you lay the top laminate. Ive done furniture repair and restoration, residential and commercial remodels, restaurant seating and tables and hotel furniture. To “custom and unique” and “solidly built” so this is a definite “fix it” contest entry! So subtract the 3/4″ from the original depth measurement from the old counter-top. It needs to be flush with the top of your (currently upside down) fiberboard counter-top. You will be routing this edge later, so make sure to nail to-ward the lower edge of the face of the molding. It wont float, once the glue makes contact it is an instant strong bond. Better yet, look on the back of the glue you buy for their recommendations for clean-up. I do this in small amounts all over the counter-top where needed. The best way would be to spray it on, but this wasn’t an option for me. Once you get all the way to the other side use a roller and roll the laminate out to remove any bubbles underneath and to give a better bond. The reason it may do this is new “straight” counter-top on old “sagging” top cabinet rails. Time to measure for the back-splash and cut your pieces to fit. You saved yourself some money and the kids learned something; a win-win for sure. And instead of using a hardwood trim, you could simply laminate the edges.

Cost Of Granite Countertops by thespruce.com

By surveying granite countertop retailers’ prices, we came up with a few surprising revelations–including one “secret” that may help sway you in the direction of purchasing the more expensive, premium stone that you really want. When all stones are graphed out, the installation cost line gradually drops as slabs become more expensive. Local transportation is costly, too, because of the weight and dimensions of the material. Rather than using mortar and grout, these tiles are butted up edge-to-edge and affixed with epoxy. Modular granite systems address peripherals you will need in installing granite: backsplashes, edge treatments, corners. Between those two types of granite are different formats: tile, modular, slab. One reason may be that the company is making a greater profit from the sale of the slab, so they do not have to charge as much for installation. So you must always figure in the high cost of professional fabrication and installation. Keep in mind, this is a wholesale cost for marginal stone, with none of the additional costs that are necessary to turn this into a real countertop. To save money, many homeowners install granite tiles on their countertops. Essentially, these are floor tiles used for counter purposes. Granite tiles will always be the cheapest form of granite countertop material you can buy, because the stone is cut in smaller sections. Seams are narrower and less apparent because manufacturers sell grout that is perfectly keyed to the color of the stone.