What's the number one favored upgrade to increase the value of your home today. Installing granite countertops. Today's top level kitchens demand granite. Without granite a potential buyer may not give the home a second glance. The beauty of granite outpaces any other material.



There are some concerns when considering granite, the first being cost. Where simple laminate counter tops can be purchased for hundreds of dollars, granite slab counter tops can easily run into a number of thousands of dollars.



For that substantial price difference you also must take proper care of your granite. You may think, being a stone material that it is impervious to damage, not so. You must be careful what cleaners you use on it as it CAN BE SCRATCHED. Never use it as a cutting board, as knife marks will be the results, as well as easily taking the edge off your quality knife set.



Not all granite is created equal, some stone is so dense water will not penetrate it and therefore it may not require sealing. Other granite is more porous and must be sealed with a specific sealer on a periodic basis. Be sure to follow the directions given by the installer as to the proper care for your specific granite counters.



Cutting granite slabs, as well as installing them is all part of the package when you purchase granite slabs to be made into counter tops. This isn't a do it yourself project to be considered by the average home owner. Special tools, extreme care in handling, and the cost involved with these large slabs, makes this a professional installation required situation.



There is an alternative to spending many thousands of dollars for that beautiful granite counter top. At any home center you can purchase granite tiles. Usually 1sq ft tiles can be purchased in a wide variety of colors and patterns. When installed properly they will look very close to what you would get from granite slab counters at a fraction of the cost.



There are many advantages to using granite tiles, the most obvious being a much lower cost. Better, the risk is much less. If you break a tile while shaping it, you are out a few dollars. If a granite slab breaks, your out thousands. To cut granite tiles will require the use of a diamond bladed wet saw. These can be easily rented at your local tool and equipment rental center, or they can be bought as cheaply as $100 at places like Harbor Freight Salvage. You may need to buy some tile nippers for working around pipes or curved surfaces, but overall the expense for tools wouldn't be extreme.



Besides, once you've invested in a few tools, you'll want to do terrazzo floors, bathroom counters, ceramic tile shower, once you get started it will be hard to stop. Remember that wet saw will work with all types of tile, not just granite.



If in the future you damage a spot on your granite tile counter, all is not lost. By setting aside a few spare tiles, you can replace individual tiles with only modest effort. Dropping a heavy pot on a slab counter may crack and destroy it forever. On a tile counter top, it may be a half day project to repair it, but it will look as good as new when your done.



When it's all said and done, granite tile counter tops are a doable project for most handy men, or women. With average skill and taking your time to do a neat job, quite satisfying results can be obtained.