Countertop Trivets, Trivets, Trivets!

If you've been in the countertop industry for any amount of time, I'm sure you've heard (or witnessed) plenty of horror stories about people mistreating their countertops. No countertop material is indestructible.

No Countertop Material Is Indistructible (just wanted to make sure you read that.) And if your customers don't understand that, then you are not setting the proper expectations.

I've heard stories about numerous ways countertops have been damaged: people walking or climbing on them, hammer "accidents," cuts, scratches, chips, burns, stains, and in one case a guy dropped a bowling ball on his countertop to show his friends and neighbors just how durable his countertop was (it turned out it wasn't that durable).

Other than cuts and scratches, typically in laminate, solid surface, wood or metal countertops (please use cutting boards!), burns or scorches are one of the most common ways people damage their kitchen work surfaces. Why can't people just use trivets?

Trivets, trivets, trivets!

Laminate and solid surface are particularly susceptible to burns/scorches, and the resin binder in quartz surfacing/engineered stone will also not withstand too high of a temperature. Even natural stone could be damaged by too much heat exposure.

Of course, granite can withstand a lot of heat, but that does not mean that a very hot pan cannot damage a granite countertop. Granite does not expand and contract very easily, so when a very hot pan is placed on a granite surface, there is a small chance it will crack due to "shock." Also, some coatings or sealers used on granite countertops are susceptible to heat damage. It is simply not worth the risk when you can just use a simple trivet, even if the risk is minimal.

And today, trivets come in all shapes and sizes to fit any decor. In my own home, the fabricator who put in my countertops was kind enough to give me a trivet made from the sink cut-out in my top, so it matches my countertop perfectly!

But, for those wanting something more, check out this trivet pinterest board that shows a variety of options and styles available today - plenty to choose from.

All in all, a countertop is a large investment and something a customer should be able to live with for many years. Make sure you inform your customers how to avoid damaging their countertops. They will be happier and you will get less phone calls from irate homeowners who thought their new tops were beyond damage (and now, perhaps, beyond repair).

Countertop Businesses and Fabricators in Alaska

Alaska: The 49th state with its capital in Juneau, was first discovered by outsiders in 1741 and first settled by Russian whalers and fur traders on Kodiak Island in 1784. Of course, prior to that, it was home to Aleut, Eskimo and Indian groups. In 1867, Alaska was purchased by the United States from Russia for $7,200,000 (about 2 cents per acre) but did not officially become as state until Jan. 3, 1959. It is the largest U.S. state (more than twice the size of Texas), roughly 1/3 of the state lies in the Arctic Circle, it has the lowest population density in the nation and about 25 percent of the oil produced in the United States is from Alaska. While it only contains a little over 731,000 people (New York City has more than 11 times that population), Alaskans still need countertops, and there are plenty of places to supply them. You can find a list of countertop businesses in Alaska here!

There are still some inconsistencies to the list, but we are working to correct them and I just couldn't wait to share it.

This is a sneak peek at our second installment of our efforts to compile the most complete list of countertop fabricators in the United States from A to Z. Alabama countertop fabricators was the first, and we will be working on Arizona next and hope to give you a look at that list as soon as its available. And you will find it here first.

In coming weeks (and likely months), we will be compiling lists for all 50 states, and once we get them done, we will seek input from the industry to make sure everything is in order before we release the information to the public.

We think this is going to be very popular with the countertop community and very useful for those seeking new countertops.

Let us know what you think!

Solid Surface Manufacturers - A List of Solid Surface Products and Companies

So have you ever had a hard time remembering what solid surface company makes or supplies which solid surface brand or material? Maybe you are mixing up your Corians, Starons and your HI-MACS with your Avonites, Hanexes and your Livingstones...

With more and more manufacturers offering solid surface and trying to get into the North American market, it becomes more and more difficult to keep track of them all. Just how many companies are there selling solid surface sheets now-a-days?

Well, you don't have to worry about it any more. Here is a great list of solid surface companies, showing the name of the manufacturer/supplier and the name of the solid surface product they supply!

While the list is certainly not exhaustive (there are probably several hundred companies in China along that make and sell solid surface sheet goods), these are definitely the more common or creative companies and their brand of solid surface.

And the list is growing all the time. If you notice one we missed, drop us a line and let us know. We hope we will have the most complete and up-to-date list when all is said and done...

Deadline for Submitting your Silica Comments to OSHA Approaches

If you are working with granite (or other natural stones) or quartz surfacing (or other engineered stones), you've probably heard about the proposed changes OSHA has put forth regarding silica. Basically, for the countertop industry, they want to halve the amount of silica exposure permissible. The countertop industry already has one of the lowest permissible levels, while other industries have regulations that allow more than double the amount of exposure. So, some businesses and organizations are up in arms over the changes.

While the proposed changes will level the playing field, putting all companies in all industries at the same permitted exposure level, it is hard to say exactly how much it will cost. And, there are a bunch of regulations that go along with it for testing, and education and regular medical examinations, etc. that will further increase the price.

Here is a link to some great information about the OSHA silica proposal. I would urge you to get informed.

Of course, some will say a safe fabricator is a happy one and silicosis is a horrible affliction, and that's okay too. But time to weigh in with an opinion is running out. The deadline to submit written comments on the proposal is Jan. 27, 2014, and you can do so at http://www.regulations.gov.

Useful Magazine for Countertop Information

The other day I received an email from ISFA (the countertop association) informing me they were offering free subscriptions to their magazine - Countertops & Architectural Surfaces - to countertop professionals in the United States. This is one of the last printed gems of the countertop world, and if you are in the countertop industry, I would strongly urge you to sign up to receive this great countertop publication here.

But if you want a little more information about it, you can find it here.

I know I mentioned this already in an earlier blog entry, but I don't want you to miss this opportunity. Who knows how long they will continue to offer the free subscription (and I'm still a big fan of the printed publication, even if they aren't doing so well these days with the increase in Internet usage).

Countertop Businesses and Fabricators in Alabama

The great state of Alabama: The 22nd state (on Dec. 14, 1819) with its capital in Montgomery, is the only state with all major natural resources needed to make steel (and iron). It is the nation's largest supplier of steel pipe products and produced the first rocket to put humans on the moon. But what does that have to do with countertops? Well, it happens to have quite a few countertop fabrication businesses as well, and you can find a list of countertop businesses in Alabama here!

I know there are some inconsistencies and such, which we will be working to correct, but I just couldn't wait to share it.

Why am I supplying you with this information? Well, it is a sneak peek at something new we are working on. We are trying to compile the most complete list of countertop fabricators in the United States from A to Z, and Alabama is the first. You guessed it, Alaska is next, followed by Arizona, then Arkansas and then, well, you get the picture.

And you will find it here first.

In coming weeks (and likely months), we will be compiling lists for all 50 states, and once we get them done, we will seek input from the industry to make sure everything is in order before we release the information to the public.

We think this is going to be very popular with the countertop community and very useful for those seeking new countertops.

Let us know what you think!

2013 Countertop News in Review

For those of you who missed it, a special edition of The Countertop Industry Insider newsletter was issued in mid-December, sharing the "Best" of 2013 - a very cool edition of this countertop newsletter.

If you aren't receiving the newsletter, you are missing out! But, don't worry, you can sign up here to receive this insightful newsletter for free.

Speaking of freebies, Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine is also apparently giving out free print subscriptions, according to an email that was sent out around the holidays. This is a great printed publication, so you may want to sign up for your free subscription here while they are still giving it away for free! This publication is full of solid information for the countertop pro and well worth reading each quarter (with a 5th Buyers' Guide issue). I know I am an avid reader myself.

And, while definitely not free, another great resource you may want to consider purchasing is the Stone and Tile Field Guide, put out by Stone & Tile Pros. It has a lot of great, expert information, although it is a bit pricey.