Any homeowner knows that your countertop is the focal point of your kitchen. It’s a work surface that should be able to withstand the wear and tear of routine life.
Even the best countertop will start to show its age over time, and that’s when you need to start thinking about replacing your kitchen counters. From cheap materials like laminate to quality materials like stone, there’s always the possibility for your kitchen countertop to need a replacement.
Replacing your kitchen counters doesn’t have to break the bank, but there are a few important things to note before you go all in with this project.
Before You Replace
Here’s what you should consider before replacing your kitchen counters:
- The countertop you already have
If you’re replacing a material like laminate or solid surface, your job is pretty cut and dry. These slabs screw into place and are easy to change, especially if you’re replacing the counter just to sell your home. The job gets difficult when it comes to replacing stone materials, as they can crack or pit.
- The cabinets
If you’re swapping the countertop you have for a heavier material, you’ll want to ensure that your existing cabinets can support its weight.
If you plan on upgrading your cabinets in the future—just not right now—we’d advise you to hold off on replacing your kitchen counters until you’re ready to replace everything. This is because it might not be easy to remove an expensive slab of stone to redo your cabinets later, and you could be putting your countertop at risk for unnecessary damage.
- The plumbing
In most cases, even when your cabinets remain in place, a rimmed or self-rimming top-mounted sink will probably need to be replaced.
It’s very likely that you’ll have to replace your faucet as well. Now that you have this information, keep it in mind when you get the urge to replace your kitchen countertop and know that many other elements of the kitchen have to be replaced alongside it—even the garbage disposal!
- The backsplash
With your new kitchen countertop, you’ll want a new backsplash as well. These two elements should complement each other, and it’s unlikely that your new countertop will go with your old backsplash.
It’s also necessary to replace the backsplash at the same time as the countertop because it’s mounted on the top of the countertop itself.
- The old appliances
A lot of the time, your old appliances won’t gel with your new countertop. It’s like wearing an old, shabby pair of shoes with a brand-new outfit. Old appliances may stick out like a sore thumb against your bright and shiny new surface.
This isn’t always the case, though. When your appliances are modern and have been recently updated, they don’t have to be replaced.
- The lighting
If you have under-cabinet lighting, it may be difficult to figure out the wiring when you get around to re-installing it. It’s also important to note that under-cabinet lighting can cause quite the glare when it reflects off an ultra-shiny surface like a new countertop, so it’s something you might want to reconsider when you’re shopping around.
- Be mindful when you shop
Many people are tempted for inexpensive, prefabricated stone surfaces because those options are less expensive. But what’s important to keep in mind about these selections is that they’re typically only available in a few types of stones, and since they’re precut, they are created for a standard cabinet depth without taking the walls of unique seam locations of your kitchen into account.
While it may be more expensive, choosing custom countertops is most often the best way to go. When you work with professionals like us at Stone Concepts, who are skilled in design and installation, you can be sure you’re getting a quality product that is custom fit to your kitchen space.
Replacing Your Kitchen Countertops
Replacing your kitchen counters is a big deal. Let us help you through the process. Get in touch with Stone Concepts today at (978) 568-1911.
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