Would you like some wood in your home?

Choosing to compliment your kitchen with a wood counter top can add a warm cozy feeling to your home. Traditionally, people will add some variation of stone or tile to their counters but natural wood is becoming more and more popular. There are multiple types of wood counter tops to choose from, such as maple, cherry, oak, birch, or even teak. Then you also get to decide if you would like them stained and how you would like them finished. Depending on the look your heart desires you have the option of butcher block, parquet, face grain, end grain planks or panels.

There are many bonuses to choosing a wood countertop! Not only does it add the warm feeling to your kitchen, but it is also warmer to touch (extra bonus in the winter!). Another benefit is that it is much softer than many other traditional countertops like quartz or granite. You will notice the benefit of this softness when setting glassware and dishes on it, besides that you will notice really any time you drop something on it. This is a very durable and long lasting counter top. If it happens to get any nicks or scratches, no worries! You can easily sand away the damage and re-oil the area.

Just like all other great things in the world, there are some negatives about wood countertops. They are not heat nor stain resistant. If not sealed correctly, wood can be a very porous material. In extreme weather conditions wood is known to shrink and expand, potentially causing some damage. Damage can also occur if it is exposed to prolonged sitting water. Lastly, they do require some maintenance, you can expect to refinish them approximately every 10-20 years.

Whether it is for your entire countertop or just an island, consider looking into wood countertops for your next remodel!

Next project? Own some stone in your home!

There are many different types of stone to choose from when it comes to remodeling, there are also many different types of ways to use it. Some of your options include, but are not limited to, granite, marble, slate, travertine, quartzite, and onyx. Between all of your options, you can find material for your counter tops, backsplash, flooring, wainscoting, fireplace, and even your shower here at Premier Tile and Stone!

           Granite is a natural stone with earth made variation. It comes in many different patterns and sizes. It is very durable, making it scratch and heat resistant. The most popular use for granite is kitchen and bathroom counter tops.

           Marble is seen as a luxury stone, making the price point go up in comparison to some of the other stone. Marble is much more soft and porous, meaning it can be scratched and stained. Ideally, these would not go on high traffic areas (like countertops)! A more popular use for them would be flooring, back splash, or the fireplace.

           An alternative to marble would be quartzite. They both have a similar look however quartzite is a bit more durable. Recall that we would not want to use marble on countertops, quartzite is a good replacement given that they have similar characteristics. This material can be used both indoors and outdoors due to its durability. Most commonly used on floors, backsplashes, bathrooms or fireplaces.

           Slate has a good amount of color variation and is extremely durable. Slate is most common in earth tones and can add a beautiful rustic look to your home. Slate can be left natural or can be sealed with an enhancement, making the colors more vibrant. It is most commonly used on backsplashes, bathrooms and your fireplace.

           Travertine is a form of limestone and is known to have a more calm and neutral tone such as white, tan or cream. It is a softer type of stone and it will have pits in it that can be filed with grout. Although soft, travertine is still durable and can add good value to your home. It is appropriate for indoors and outdoors and the most common uses are for flooring, backsplashes, bathrooms or fireplaces.

           Last but not least, we have Onyx. It is very beautiful and commonly installed with a light behind or underneath it to show of the unique patterns throughout it. Unfortunately, onyx is easily damaged making it not suitable for most parts of your home. The most common places to install it are backsplashes, fire places or wainscoting.

RECAP, what material can be used where?

Granite: Kitchen, bathroom, countertops

Marble: Flooring, back splash, fireplace

Quartzite(Indoors/Outdoors): Flooring, back splash, bathroom, fireplace

Slate(Indoors/Outdoors): Back splash, bathroom, fireplace

Travertine(Indoors/Outdoors): Flooring, back splash, bathroom, fireplace

Onyx: Back splash, fire place, wainscot

When Curiosity Strikes

Ever look around your home and wonder how everything was made? Well we have answers for you! The topic of discussion today is tile! There are only six steps when it comes to making tile, but I assure you, it’s certainly elaborate.

• To begin, you mix and grind the raw materials with water to give it a slurry consistency.

• The mixture is then put into an atomizer dryer and it returns back to a powder form.

• The powder is then pressed into molds with almost 1,000 pounds of pressure! That gives them their shape, removes any remaining moisture, and finally turns them into a solid mass

• Afterwards, it is dried once more before the final glaze

• Glazing and screening the tile is what brings it to life. Not only does it make the tile beautiful, but also adds durability and repellency to it.

• Last but not least, they are baked at 2400 degrees Fahrenheit, solidifying the glaze and making the tile ready to be used for your next project!!