What Are the Benefits of Granite Countertops?

One of the beautiful things about designing a home is that you can make it a true reflection of your personality and style. The options are virtually limitless, so it can be exciting to select the fixtures, furniture, and finishes that will add the final touches to your home’s design. If you’re currently looking for countertops for a room in your home, you may be wondering about the benefits of granite countertops. EleMar Oregon specializes in providing granite countertops for Portland homes. We can help you understand how they can enhance a home’s design. Here are some of the advantages granite countertops provide.

Aesthetic Appeal

The main draw of granite countertops is, of course, their aesthetic appeal. Granite adds to a home’s elegance and is a reflection of the homeowner’s tastes since each slab is unique. Granite is composed of feldspar and quartz with small amounts of minerals and has visible crystalline formation and textures. Its natural beauty and naturally occurring colors and patterns add to granite’s timeless appeal.

When you work with quality fabricators and contractors, you should be able to hand-select granite slabs for your Portland home. This will ensure that your countertops mirror your individuality and complement the interior design of your home well. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to select slabs that are from the same block, since color patterns can vary significantly from block to block. No two slabs are identical within a block. However, each slab will complement others. If you shop for a slab from EleMar, our team of experts will walk you through our warehouse so you can find just the right slabs for you.

Value

Because of their popularity, granite countertops often increase a home’s resale value. While there’s no guarantee that installing granite countertops in your Portland home will increase your home’s value, there’s a strong likelihood that you’ll get a good return on your investment. In fact, some believe that you can recoup the entire cost of granite countertops because of their strong appeal among homebuyers. If you’re considering putting your home on the market in the near future, then granite may be the best option for you.

Durability

Granite countertops can add to a home’s value in more ways than one. Granite countertops are incredibly durable, meaning they last virtually forever and won’t need to be replaced for quite some time.

Granite is also extremely resistant to chipping, cracking, and scratching. Though granite edges can be prone to chipping, selecting countertops with rounded edges often alleviates this problem. Granite is heat-resistant as well. A hot pot could likely be placed on top of your granite countertop without damaging or discoloring the stone.

Granite is also reasonably moisture-resistant. When sealed properly, your granite countertops will likely maintain their pristine condition over time. In fact, granite has greater strength and hardness than sandstone, limestone, and marble. The durability of granite provides yet another advantage to installing granite countertops in your home.

Low Maintenance

Granite’s durability leads us to another benefit of granite countertops—they require very minimal upkeep. Often, you simply need to wash your granite countertops with mild soap and water to remove any stains. Since granite doesn’t harbor bacteria, it’s an incredibly sanitary option as well.

Granite countertops do require sealing, but this is fairly easy to do. You can perform this work yourself or hire a professional to do it. The sealant should be reapplied every two years or when you notice that water stops beading on the counter’s surface.

Repairs for granite countertops are also quite simple. Minor repairs can often be performed as a do-it-yourself project. If you notice that you have a crack or chip in the surface, simply purchase an epoxy kit from your local hardware store. If you notice that you have areas of dullness, simply refinish the surface to add shine. The ease of fixing minor chips and scratches in your granite countertops is another benefit that adds to their value and makes them a worthwhile investment.

You Can See It for Yourself

These are just some of the advantages of granite, but we encourage you to see firsthand the benefits that granite countertops can provide. If you’re working with a fabricator or contractor, we encourage you to come to our warehouse to view our granite slabs. All of them are kept on A-frames, similar to an art gallery, for ease of viewing.

Once you narrow down a block based on color and appearance, we’ll pull out all the individual slabs so you can choose the particular pattern that’s best suited to you and your home. If you have difficulty choosing your slab on your initial visit, we’ll welcome you back until you find the right fit. At EleMar, we understand that selecting material for your home is an important decision. We’ll work with you until you’ve found the exact right selection.

If you’d like to learn more about granite or other materials, check out our educational videos, our gallery, and our store guide for more information. We’re confident that granite countertops will enhance the look of your Portland home. We encourage you to come for a visit and see firsthand their natural beauty and appeal.

Can’t get in for a visit just yet? No problem at all. We’ve created an app for you to download. You can explore our inventory and access articles and videos straight from your phone! You’ll learn why there’s so much to love about granite countertops. Our app is a fun, convenient way to explore their benefits. When you’re ready to visit a warehouse, give us a call. In the meantime, browse our current inventory photos on the app. We can’t wait to show you everything we have in store!