<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116</id><updated>2008-02-06T12:46:39.770-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Find a Countertop Installer</title><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopinstaller.html'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default'/><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>17</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-116293044110174018</id><published>2008-12-31T12:12:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-08T14:14:12.608-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Natural Stone Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertop Installers'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Jerusalem Stone'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Counter Top Companies'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Counter Installations'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Stone Counters'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite countertop'/><title type='text'>Find a Countertop Contractor</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/113/291745640_93e31f4008.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; width: 285px; cursor: pointer; height: 196px;" alt="" src="http://static.flickr.com/113/291745640_93e31f4008.jpg?v=0" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Need to &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;find a countertop installer&lt;/a&gt;? Instead of searching, at random, from the phone book or asking for a referral... consider &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;ConstructionDeal.com&lt;/span&gt;!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;fast&lt;/span&gt;, &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;free &lt;/span&gt;and &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;easy &lt;/span&gt;way to find a counter top contractor.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;On our site, you can:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;Post&lt;/a&gt; your Countertop project in minutes! &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Receive bids from local &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Counter Top &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Contractors.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Meet with Counter Installers and make your decision. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Save time&lt;/strong&gt; by &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;not &lt;/span&gt;calling contractors at random from your outdated phone book! &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Save money&lt;/strong&gt; by getting multiple bids from several companies - and go with the &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;best &lt;/span&gt;bid! &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Do all of this -- for &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;free &lt;/span&gt;-- with &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;ConstructionDeal.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;Many homeowners would &lt;em&gt;love&lt;/em&gt; a new counter for their kitchen or bath. Most don't know where to turn to find a local company who can install a new countertop for them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Our network of installers work with granite, slate, marble, stainless steel, butcher block, tile, and laminate countertop materials and more. Whether you're just sick of your old wornout counter or you simply want to improve the look and &lt;em&gt;value&lt;/em&gt; of your kitchen or bath by adding a new surface, &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;a countertop installation company&lt;/a&gt; can help.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When you need new kitchen countertops, think of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;ConstructionDeal.com&lt;/span&gt; and post your project with us!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="tags"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;technorati tags: &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+installation," rel="tag"&gt;countertop installation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+installers," rel="tag"&gt;countertop installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bathroom+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;bathroom countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+counters," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+companies," rel="tag"&gt;countertop companies,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+installers," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bathroom+installers," rel="tag"&gt;bathroom installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bathroom+remodeling," rel="tag"&gt;bathroom remodeling,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+remodeling," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen remodeling,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counters," rel="tag"&gt;granite counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;granite countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+installers," rel="tag"&gt;granite installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counter+companies," rel="tag"&gt;granite counter companies,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/slate+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;slate countertops,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/concrete+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;concrete countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wood+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;wood countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/stainless+steel+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;stainless steel countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/butcher+block+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;butcher block countertops,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/marble+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;marble countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/corian+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;corian countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/soapstone+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;soapstone countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/tile+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;tile countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/ceramic+tile+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;ceramic tile countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bamboo+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;bamboo countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/laminate+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;laminate countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/stone+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;stone countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/natural+stone+counters," rel="tag"&gt;natural stone counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+repair" rel="tag"&gt;countertop repair&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2007/12/find-countertop-contractor.html' title='Find a Countertop Contractor'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=116293044110174018&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116293044110174018'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116293044110174018'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-3115290106898068212</id><published>2007-07-23T10:28:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-07-23T10:41:55.165-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite counters'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite countertop'/><title type='text'>Colors &amp; Patterns: Tips on Buying Granite Countertops</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1373/877481532_123740ef0c_m.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 207px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1373/877481532_123740ef0c_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;One of the reasons that &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/category/Countertops.25.html?rid=38&amp;aid=25"&gt;granite countertops&lt;/a&gt; have been so popular for so many years is the unique look you get with every slab. Of course, everyone likes that it can resist heat and is incredibly durable, but the look gets people almost every time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are so many colors and patterns to choose from - it's important to make sure you go with a granite countertop that works with your home and your overall kitchen design. According to an article in the &lt;a href="http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&amp;amp;c=MGArticle&amp;amp;cid=1173352077513&amp;path=%21living&amp;amp;s=1037645509005"&gt;Winston-Salem Journal&lt;/a&gt;, granite buyers are really being bowled over by what they're seeing on the market:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Along with the tight, consistent patterns that many people visualize, granite also comes marked by waves and swirls, with splotches and bands of color. Some customers, once they start looking, become overwhelmed at the dozens of choices available to them.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;'They had no idea they can get all this movement, all this depth,' Shaw said. 'That's the biggest thing that's wowing customers now, all this movement.'&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;House said that people need to be careful if they choose granite with a bold pattern.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;'You almost have to consider the pattern of granite like a fabric or a wallpaper,' she said. 'Granite will last a long, long time. Therefore, you don't want something that the eye is going to grow tired of quickly, especially when you think of it in terms of a large space, such as a kitchen. You can go with something absolutely wild and crazy in a butler's pantry or powder room. But in a kitchen, with large amounts of surface, it would be my advice to a client to keep the pattern maybe not quite as pronounced.'&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;People who love the patterned look need to keep the rest of the kitchen simple. Granite can go with a traditional or contemporary scheme, House said, because of its sleek, clean look.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Most of the more exotic granites come from the Southern hemisphere, Shaw said, and the more subtle granites, with dense, consistent patterns, come from the Northern hemisphere."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you need to &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/category/Countertops.25.html?rid=38&amp;aid=25"&gt;find a local Granite Company or Countertop Installer&lt;/a&gt;, post your project on &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal.com&lt;/span&gt; - let counter pros call you instead. You'll get several bids on your countertop project and that could save you money.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;RELATED POSTS&lt;/span&gt;:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/12/maintaining-your-granite-countertop.html"&gt;Maintaining Your Granite Counters&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2007/02/granite-counters-on-budget.html"&gt;Granite Counters on a Budget&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/11/granite-countertops.html"&gt;Granite Countertops&lt;/a&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2007/07/colors-patterns-tips-on-buying-granite.html' title='Colors &amp; Patterns: Tips on Buying Granite Countertops'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=3115290106898068212&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/3115290106898068212'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/3115290106898068212'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-5123985813019706390</id><published>2007-02-13T13:36:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-14T13:54:05.874-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Natural Stone Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertop Material Options'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite counters'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite countertop'/><title type='text'>Granite Counters on a Budget</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/390518308_98b2936e81.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 157px; height: 485px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/144/390518308_98b2936e81.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Looking to &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;add a granite countertop&lt;/a&gt; in your kitchen or bath but worried it might be out of your price range? It is possible to have a granite countertop without the huge expense. By installing the granite as tiles, instead of a massive single slab, you'll save a very large amount in the materials and installation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There is always something to be said for a complete, natural stone counter in one or two large sections. But if the installation would be cost prohibitive, you can still get the look and feel of real granite in your kitchen or bath.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Granite tiles, usually sold in 12 inch size to minimize the number of grout lines, can cost up to a quarter less than the granite slabs. It might also be possible to split your kitchen into sections with a slab and other sections with the tile, to save money. Or, you could put up a slab or two on the counter area and save money with tiles as your backsplash.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You have the choice of highlighting the fact that you're using tiles by using a contrasting grout color or to minimize and hide the tiles with a matching grout. Either way, you'll be able to have the look, luxury, and advantages of granite in your favorite room but at a much lower cost.   &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you need to &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;find a local countertop installation company&lt;/a&gt; to give you an estimate on adding granite tiles in your home, consider &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt;. We've got a massive &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;network of granite counter experts&lt;/a&gt; in your area and you can have &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;them &lt;/span&gt;contact &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;you&lt;/span&gt;. It's a great way to save the time and trouble of searching for and calling companies at random from your yellow pages book. The best part? It's &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;free &lt;/span&gt;to use!</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2007/02/granite-counters-on-budget.html' title='Granite Counters on a Budget'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=5123985813019706390&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/5123985813019706390'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/5123985813019706390'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-6655095146968697236</id><published>2007-02-03T12:49:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-02T13:01:02.771-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Natural Stone Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Counter Top Companies'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Counter Installations'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Trends in Countertops'/><title type='text'>Trends in New Kitchen &amp; Bath Counters</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/377717010_7098235ff9.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 289px; height: 190px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/131/377717010_7098235ff9.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;According to Nancy Barden, of &lt;a href="http://www.bardenstone.com/"&gt;Barden Stone&lt;/a&gt; in Memphis Tennessee, "'The homeowner wants something different, unusual, exotic. The average homeowner is more educated about stone and willing to experiment with the myriad of stone options available.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;'Many types of stone are used throughout the home, such as marble, granite, limestone, travertine and onyx. Our clients want something that speaks of their own personality and they often want a different material, a different color, in each room. We just installed red onyx for a laundry room! People have become more understanding of stone and are simply willing to enjoy it.'&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Barden noted one example of the popular color mixing. 'We have just installed a kitchen that mixed two types of granite, Red Marinace and Terra Cotta Bordeaux. Red Marinace is more exotic with lots of movement and color, and was used in the most prominent area, the kitchen island. The more subtle Terra Cotta Bordeaux was used on the periphery of the kitchen. But the eye candy of the kitchen was a full slab of Red Marinace that formed the backsplash, from counter top to ceiling, behind the cooktop. This was at the suggestion of the designer, and a complete success. The slab acts just like a piece of artwork.'&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;She finds that this is often the case. 'Architects and designers are able to use stone like an artist uses paint to create a piece of artwork, and then integrate it into a room.' She feels that the ideas professional designers bring to the table are helpful for the individual project and the growth of the entire industry. Designers are always &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;pushing the envelope&lt;/span&gt;, she said."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Read more of Nancy's predictions on countertop trends and what her company is seeing as some new, hot, popular choices in design and materials on her interview with &lt;a href="http://www.buildingstonemagazine.com/winter-06/trends.html"&gt;Building Stone Magazine&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When you're ready to upgrade your kitchen or bathroom, you can start with the most important component to any redesign and remodeling project - the countertop. At &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, we've got a &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;network of quality counter installers&lt;/a&gt; ready to bid on your request. And it's &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;free &lt;/span&gt;for you to find one of them.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2007/02/trends-in-new-kitchen-bath-counters.html' title='Trends in New Kitchen &amp; Bath Counters'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=6655095146968697236&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/6655095146968697236'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/6655095146968697236'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-1901241024992491603</id><published>2007-02-02T12:41:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-02T12:49:18.565-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertop Material Options'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite counters'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Stone Counters'/><title type='text'>What's Hot in Countertops? New Finishes</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.buildingstonemagazine.com/winter-06/art/trends4.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 180px;" src="http://www.buildingstonemagazine.com/winter-06/art/trends4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Building Stone magazine has put their finger on the pulse of some stone countertop designers to get a feel for the &lt;a href="http://www.buildingstonemagazine.com/winter-06/trends.html"&gt;latests trends&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What's hot in stone counters? "'New finishes.' That's the observation of Joe Percoco of Percoco Marble and Tile Company. 'Clients are asking for something new, something different. We had been doing quite a bit of river-wash finish, but that has been replaced in popularity by a leather finish.'&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"To achieve a river-wash finish, stone is flamed or bush hammered and then polished with brushes to smooth the sharpness of the surface. The process takes out some color and makes the surface more porous. A leather finish can do the opposite. 'It begins with a honed surface that is then worked with diamond brushes; the process brings back the color and closes pores, making the stone denser. The result is similar to the finish achieved by using a 300 or 400 grid. It has a nice sheen and is less porous than a honed finish.'"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"In fact, Percoco said that more inconsistency in the stone betters the process. 'The process is successful on soapstone and certain limestone, too.'"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you're interested in having natural stone counters install in your kitchen or bath, you can post your request with Construction Deal. We'll match you with local countertop installation pros - for free - and you can get the unique bath or kitchen look you've always wanted.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2007/02/whats-hot-in-countertops-new-finishes.html' title='What&apos;s Hot in Countertops? New Finishes'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=1901241024992491603&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/1901241024992491603'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/1901241024992491603'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-3036955672999229166</id><published>2007-01-25T09:11:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-01-25T09:24:28.431-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Caesarstone'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertop Material Options'/><title type='text'>Caesarstone Counters - Go Composite!</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://caesarstone.com/_uploads/imagesgallery/264remedios.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://caesarstone.com/_uploads/imagesgallery/264remedios.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Everyone loves the look of a natural stone countertop surface in their brand new kitchen. Problem is, they don't want the hassle of any extra maintenance that is usually involved with stone. Granite, marble, slate, quartz, and other natural stones are porous. If a stone counter is porous, that means water and stains can work their way into the surface - even the smooth, shiny surface of a new countertop.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Desperate for the look of granite and all the benefits that come with it? Try Caesarstone. You might have heard of it - it's very low maintenance (easy to clean and does not require a regular sealant to protect the surface!) and is resistant to heat. Like stone, it stays cool to the touch and is as smooth and shiny as the the real stone material. As an added benefit, the Caesarstone counter is so non-porous that it will prevent any germs or bacteria from settling in on the surface from contaminated foods - it can simply be wiped away.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Caeasarstone will also last a very long long time. The natural colors will remind you of a granite surface and the quartz composite material doesn't have the same flaws and imperfections that can be found in stone. Finally, it is very impact-resistant - this means less of a chance of gouges or chips on the surface. Most Caesarstone installations even come with a warranty.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Looking for a &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;countertop specialist&lt;/a&gt; in your area? Look no further than &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt; - on our site, you can post your &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;counter installation&lt;/a&gt; request and have as many companies call you as you would like. This means you &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;save time&lt;/span&gt;. And by having multiple bids, you'll also be able to &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;save money&lt;/span&gt;. And, the best part -- you can post your request &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;for free&lt;/span&gt;!</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2007/01/caesarstone-counters-go-composite.html' title='Caesarstone Counters - Go Composite!'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=3036955672999229166&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/3036955672999229166'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/3036955672999229166'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-2705562453420064999</id><published>2007-01-15T10:38:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-01-15T11:02:37.232-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Slate'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Natural Stone Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertop Material Options'/><title type='text'>Slate Countertop Installations</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/358484094_b827e3b16c.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px" alt="" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/358484094_b827e3b16c.jpg?v=0" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;div&gt;Slate has been a high quality home remodeling material for ages. It's been used as a counter material, on roofs, flooring, walls, and fireplace mantles. Like most other natural stones, it's a hard and durable product that can bring the look and feel of the outdoors into the house. It's not a porous stone which gives slate an excellent stain-resisting surface.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The great thing about slate is that it's not as expensive as some of the other natural stones, like granite and marble. While it's perfect for fighting stains, highly skid resistant, and can withstand high heat, slate countertops can be scratched. Also, the origin of the slate can be very important - some of the lower quality slates can be much softer and easier to scratch. Brazilian slate is the only kind that comes in a slab large enough to make a kitchen or large bathroom countertop.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Slate has a natural beauty and no two counter tops will be the same. The look of the stone is perfect for a less formal room. The colors and patterns have a truly organic feel to them. Slate is not a maintenance free product - the surface will need to be sealed on a regular basis, but the look of the slate should make it worth the effort.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you'd like to talk to a countertop expert about installing slate counters in your home, post your request on &lt;span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt;. We'll match you with &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;qualified counter installation pros&lt;/a&gt; who can help you get the look that you want. And it's a &lt;span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"&gt;free &lt;/span&gt;service to have &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;counter companies&lt;/a&gt; call you, instead of having to pick someone at random from the yellow pages... &lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2007/01/slate-countertop-installations.html' title='Slate Countertop Installations'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=2705562453420064999&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/2705562453420064999'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/2705562453420064999'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-4062677683820851570</id><published>2007-01-11T12:31:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-01-11T12:56:26.068-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Natural Stone Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertop Edges'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Stone Counters'/><title type='text'>Countertop Edges</title><content type='html'>Natural stone is still the number one choice for a countertop material in everyone's kitchen. Some examples of natural stone include the ever-popular granite, marble, slate, Jerusalem stone, quartz and a host of other options. Nearly everyone who renovates their kitchen plans on installing a stone counter. Nothing compares to the beauty of a natural granite countertop in any style of kitchen - from modern to country, it's always the perfect choice.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The one aspect many do not consider is the type of edging you'll put on your countertop. It's something to consider before you go shopping for just the right material. With the CNC technology available today, just about any type of edging can be put on your stone counter. But, not every edging is right for every kitchen.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The most popular edge is the straight, flat edge. It's a good jumping-off point. You can go with a straight edge on your counter and it should fit in almost any application. From there, the edges are beveled to give a variety of looks for multiple styles.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Clean straight lines and edges are perfect for contemporary and modern designs. If the kitchen is more formal, the Ogee cut works fine. For a country kitchen, the bullnose and Dupont edges are a great option.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you're not sure, you can talk with a local Counter Installation Company for ideas on what will work best with your kitchen. Here are some examples of edges from &lt;a href="http://www.barefootfloor.com/edge_profiles.html"&gt;BarefootFloor.com&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2&gt;Edge Profiles Examples&lt;/h2&gt;                &lt;table align="left" bgcolor="#cccccc" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" width="100%"&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr bgcolor="#ffffff"&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeA.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="31" vspace="6" width="61" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeF.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="31" width="59" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeV.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="30" width="62" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;         &lt;/tr&gt;         &lt;tr bg valign="top" style="color:#eeeeee;"&gt;            &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"  &gt;A-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;3/8" Bullnose&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;          &lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:78%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;F-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;Ogee&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;            &lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:78%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;V-&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;Full              Bullnose&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;           &lt;br /&gt;           &lt;/td&gt;         &lt;/tr&gt;         &lt;tr bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="middle"&gt;            &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeB.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="31" vspace="6" width="60" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeG.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="32" width="59" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeZ.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="29" width="59" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;         &lt;/tr&gt;         &lt;tr bg valign="top" style="color:#eeeeee;"&gt;            &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;B-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;Demi Bullnose&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;           &lt;br /&gt;           &lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;G-&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;Ogee Roundover&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;           &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;Z-&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;Straight              Edge&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;           &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/td&gt;         &lt;/tr&gt;         &lt;tr bgcolor="#ffffff"&gt;            &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeE.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="32" vspace="6" width="61" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeH.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="30" width="60" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeT.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="30" width="61" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;         &lt;/tr&gt;         &lt;tr bg valign="top" style="color:#eeeeee;"&gt;            &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;E–&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;Bevel&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;           &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;H–&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;Dupont&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;           &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;T–&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"&gt;Double              Eased&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/td&gt;         &lt;/tr&gt;         &lt;tr bgcolor="#eeeeee" valign="middle"&gt;            &lt;td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeHollywood.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="34" width="70" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeVH.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="64" vspace="4" width="70" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.barefootfloor.com/shop/images/bftt_edgeAH.gif" alt="Granite Countertop Edge Profiles" height="64" width="70" /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;         &lt;/tr&gt;         &lt;tr bg valign="top" style="color:#eeeeee;"&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"  &gt;Hollywood&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"  &gt;Bullnose+Dupont&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;           &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/td&gt;           &lt;td style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" align="center"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"&gt;Radius+Dupont&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2007/01/countertop-edges.html' title='Countertop Edges'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=4062677683820851570&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/4062677683820851570'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/4062677683820851570'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-2805137932142348197</id><published>2006-12-27T16:47:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-29T12:03:16.825-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Small Kitchen Remodeling'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite counters'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Stone Counters'/><title type='text'>Remodeling a Small Kitchen?</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/337643744_4394121a1c.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 202px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 155px" height="169" alt="" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/141/337643744_4394121a1c.jpg?v=0" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;div&gt;If you're stuck with a small kitchen space, you are probably looking to improve the situation. If you cannot expand the size of your kitchen, you may be able to make it feel like a larger room.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The amount of counter space is always an issue in a smaller kitchen. But when you're remodeling, your counter top can help the kitchen feel larger. You can choose just about any style of countertop material but you want to make sure that whatever it is - granite, ceramic tile, Corian, or a laminate - that it is both a very light color and contains a reflective surface.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The key to making the room feel bigger is to give the room more light. It opens the space up. The more light you have the better. A dark room, with black or dark brown cabinets and wall paint, will feel like it is closing down on you. Adding natural and artificial light, light paint colors, and a light colored counter surface will do wonders for a small kitchen. By adding under-cabinet lighting, and making sure your natural light or task lighting hits the counters, you'll increase the brightness in the room. With a reflective (shiny) surface you'll do an even greater job of flooding the room with light.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Recessed lighting glaring on a beige-colored granite counter could help make your small kitchen seem like a bigger and brighter room. It's an option to discuss when you're talking with your &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=30&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=30"&gt;kitchen designer&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you're planning to remodel your small kitchen counters, keep &lt;span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt; in mind. We can match you to a &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;local kitchen countertop company&lt;/a&gt; who can help install the right counter for your room and make it work for you. It doesn't cost anything to post and it can save you time and money (time by not having to search through a phone book and call companies at random and money by helping you get multiple bids to choose from!) Good luck with your project!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"&gt;RELATED POSTS&lt;/span&gt;:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/12/small-kitchen-remodeling-ideas.html"&gt;Small Kitchen Remodeling Ideas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/12/kitchen-lighting-design-ideas.html"&gt;Kitchen Lighting Design Ideas&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="tags"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;technorati tags: &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/small+kitchen," rel="tag"&gt;small kitchen,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/small+kitchen+remodeling," rel="tag"&gt;small kitchen remodeling,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+counters," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;granite countertops,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/small+kitchen+counters," rel="tag"&gt;small kitchen counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/small+kitchen+remodeling+ideas," rel="tag"&gt;small kitchen remodeling ideas,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+remodeling+pictures," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen remodeling pictures,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertops," rel="tag"&gt;countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+kitchen+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;granite kitchen countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/remodeling+the+kitchen," rel="tag"&gt;remodeling the kitchen,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/remodeling+my+kitchen," rel="tag"&gt;remodeling my kitchen,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+design+ideas" rel="tag"&gt;kitchen design ideas&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/12/remodeling-small-kitchen.html' title='Remodeling a Small Kitchen?'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=2805137932142348197&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/2805137932142348197'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/2805137932142348197'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-8413354588157199061</id><published>2006-12-19T16:19:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-19T16:41:17.267-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Natural Stone Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Jerusalem Stone'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertop Material Options'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite counters'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Stone Counters'/><title type='text'>Jerusalem Stone Countertops</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.jerusalemstoneusa.com/images/Countertops/1.JPG"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 247px;" src="http://www.jerusalemstoneusa.com/images/Countertops/1.JPG" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Want to know what the latest trend in countertops? No, it's not granite. Although granite is more popular than ever - the latest is a natural stone countertop material called &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Jerusalem stone&lt;/span&gt;. Yes, it's from Jerusalem and it's very similar to a limestone countertop but it's not as porous. It's very durable, like most of the harder natural stones.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's a great choice for a countertop because it's very light in color. It can brighten up any dark or windowless kitchen or bathroom and it's a perfect contrast to a dark wood color in your cabinets. The lighter options include a tan, gray, gold and cream colors. It's got the smooth finish that everyone craves in their natural stone - similar to a marble counter, but at less cost. And, like any natural stone surface, it will greatly increase the room and home's value.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The cost is pretty high - it can range from $150 to $250 per square foot, depending on thickness and size as well as your edging choices. The product will need regular sealing, like most stones, and spills must be cleaned up immediately.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you'd like to talk to a &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;countertop installer&lt;/a&gt; about your natural stone counter options, why not post your request with &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt;? We'll help you find a &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;quality counter installer&lt;/a&gt; - for free - and you'll have multiple bids to choose from, which can save you money.</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/12/jerusalem-stone-countertops.html' title='Jerusalem Stone Countertops'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=8413354588157199061&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/8413354588157199061'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/8413354588157199061'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-2550297480465154199</id><published>2006-12-13T11:04:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-13T12:46:36.543-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Butcher Block'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertop Material Options'/><title type='text'>A Butcher Block Countertop</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/124/321581823_4e7751931d.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 219px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/124/321581823_4e7751931d.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Everyone loves the look of wood. Wood furniture, floors, and even wooden beams overhead. It brings a bit of the outdoors inside. It's a warm and natural look and, believe it or not, it is also an excellent option for your kitchen countertops.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Professional chefs and home chefs have been using them on kitchen counters and kitchen islands for years. Because wood is a neutral material, it can be used with any design style - French country to modern contemporary. It goes well with stainless steel, natural stone or tile backsplashs, and it's available in a variety of woods, colors, and stains. But a wood or butcher block countertop is more than just aesthetically pleasing. It's extremely practical, too.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Butcher block counters are made from hardwoods, like maple or oak. And just like a small cutting board, you're able to cut directly on the surface of a butcher block countertop - you won't mark the surface and you won't dull sharp knives.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These counters are very durable. They are made by gluing strips of hardwood together, then adhesives are added and the wood is heated and pressure-treated. Oils are added to bring out natural colors and the countertop is finished, ready to go, and resistant to water. If there are any deep or obvious scratches, the surface can be sanded.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As far as passing along germs from foods, the wood surface is a porous material. However, studies have shown that a treated and sealed wood counter are just as safe as a laminate or solid surface counter - the properties of the wood actually prevent germ colonies from surviving long on the surface.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Wood counters are usually more expensive than laminates or tile countertops, but less expensive than granite and other natural stone material. Usually a butcher block counter runs from $60 to $85 a square foot.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If a Butcher Block Countertop is right up your alley, you can always use the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt; website to &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;find a local countertop installer&lt;/a&gt;. We've got a network of &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;countertop companies&lt;/a&gt; ready to bid on your project - and it's &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;free &lt;/span&gt;to use!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;RELATED POSTS&lt;/span&gt;:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/blog/2006/12/installing-concrete-countertops.html"&gt;Installing Concrete Countertops&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/blog/2006/11/bamboo-countertops-yes-bamboo.html"&gt;Bamboo Countertops? Yes, Bamboo Countertops&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/blog/2006/09/kitchen-countertop-options.html"&gt;Kitchen Counter Options&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/11/granite-countertops.html"&gt;Granite Countertops&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="tags"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;technorati tags: &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/butcher+block," rel="tag"&gt;butcher block,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/butcher+block+counters," rel="tag"&gt;butcher block counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/butcher+block+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;butcher block countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wood+counters," rel="tag"&gt;wood counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wooden+counters," rel="tag"&gt;wooden counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/install+wood+countertop," rel="tag"&gt;install wood countertop,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/butcher+block+installers," rel="tag"&gt;butcher block installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/butcher+block+counter+companies," rel="tag"&gt;butcher block counter companies,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+companies," rel="tag"&gt;countertop companies,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/butcher+block+counter+installation," rel="tag"&gt;butcher block counter installation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+remodeling," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen remodeling,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+renovation," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen renovation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+counters" rel="tag"&gt;kitchen counters&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/12/butcher-block-countertop.html' title='A Butcher Block Countertop'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=2550297480465154199&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/2550297480465154199'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/2550297480465154199'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-4766289238799579684</id><published>2006-12-05T10:23:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-06T11:09:29.884-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Solid Surface Countertops'/><title type='text'>Solid Surface Countertop Options</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kitchenworks.com/SmartObjects/corian.data_/images/corian_01.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 237px; height: 260px;" src="http://www.kitchenworks.com/SmartObjects/corian.data_/images/corian_01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;An option for your countertops is what is known as solid surface counters. These counters are basically made out of solid plastic. Colors and particles are added when the surface is made to give a wide range of designs with a natural stones mottled or veined look.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span class="bodymedium"&gt;  Advantages of Solid Surface Countertops:&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span class="bodymedium"&gt;Stain Resistant&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span class="bodymedium"&gt;Water Tight&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span class="bodymedium"&gt;Scratch Resistant&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span class="bodymedium"&gt;Easily Maintained&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span class="bodymedium"&gt;Great Warranties Available&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span class="bodymedium"&gt;Inexpensive&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span class="bodymedium"&gt;Durable&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;It's recommended that very hot items not be placed on the surface or the it could crack or leave a burn mark. The counters can be installed for around $50 to $60 per square foot. There are many brands available - Formica, Avonite, and Corian, for example.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When you're ready to replace your current countertops, post the project on &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt; for free - we'll connect you with a nationwide network of &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;countertop installers&lt;/a&gt;. Free. Saving you time and money (multiple bids mean you get the best price!)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="tags"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;technorati tags: &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/corian," rel="tag"&gt;corian,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/avonite," rel="tag"&gt;avonite,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/formica," rel="tag"&gt;formica,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/solid+surface+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;solid surface countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+installers," rel="tag"&gt;countertop installers,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+installation," rel="tag"&gt;countertop installation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+companies," rel="tag"&gt;countertop companies,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/solid+surface+countert+companies," rel="tag"&gt;solid surface countert companies,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+renovation," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen renovation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+remodeling," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen remodeling,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bathroom+renovation," rel="tag"&gt;bathroom renovation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bathroom+remodeling," rel="tag"&gt;bathroom remodeling,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+replacement," rel="tag"&gt;countertop replacement,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+repair," rel="tag"&gt;countertop repair,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/new+counter+tops" rel="tag"&gt;new counter tops&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/12/solid-surface-countertop-options.html' title='Solid Surface Countertop Options'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=4766289238799579684&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/4766289238799579684'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/4766289238799579684'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-8594012617696464452</id><published>2006-12-04T13:54:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-04T14:09:58.489-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite counters'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite countertop'/><title type='text'>Maintaining Your Granite Countertop</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/114/314336031_d3bc958149.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 205px; height: 254px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/114/314336031_d3bc958149.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Granite countertops are usually the first choice in countertop material whenever a homeowner decides to remodel the kitchen or bath. The natural stone is a beautiful addition to any room because of depth of colors and the unique character of the polished surface. Granite is truly durable as well as being stain                        and scratch resistant (with proper sealing.)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;                     &lt;p&gt;Granite is                        such a dense stone that it resists chips and gouges.  And, if you spill a glass of red wine, you can easily clean up the surface with a solution of 1 part white vinegar to                        2 parts hot water. It's the perfect low maintenance countertop material!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Granite countertop manufacturers recommend homeowners use a silicone sealing application every year to protect the surface from stains.                        The countertop installer usually applies it when                        the granite is first installed. Your installer should provide you with information on where to get sealer and how to apply it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Save money - avoid any of the granite cleaning products on the market today. For regular cleanings, to make sure your countertop surface remains protected as well as germ-free, it's important to clean up with regular dish soap and water, or with the vinegar cleaning solution. If you get a particularly tough stain in your granite surface, let the stain soak in straight vinegar overnight. This should take care of any lingering problem. Avoid using any bleaching product on your granite countertop.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Do not use any harsh abrasives or steel wool pads on the surface. Even though the material is scratch resistant, you'll want to avoid the possibility of any marks or on rubbing off the protective sealer on the surface.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When you're ready to have &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;granite counters installed&lt;/a&gt; in your home - contact &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt;. Simply post your request, for free, and we'll send it out to &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;Granite Countertop Installation Pros&lt;/a&gt; in your area. This saves you time - no need to call companies at random from your yellow pages book! And it saves you money - you'll have more than one bid from Countertop companies to choose from!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="tags"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;technorati tags: &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;granite countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counters," rel="tag"&gt;granite counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+contractors," rel="tag"&gt;countertop contractors,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+kitchen+counters," rel="tag"&gt;granite kitchen counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bathroom+granite+counters," rel="tag"&gt;bathroom granite counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counter+installers," rel="tag"&gt;granite counter installers,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counter+installation" rel="tag"&gt;granite counter installation&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;                &lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/12/maintaining-your-granite-countertop.html' title='Maintaining Your Granite Countertop'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=8594012617696464452&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/8594012617696464452'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/8594012617696464452'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-116397725549554796</id><published>2006-11-19T14:33:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-12-06T11:10:18.255-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertops'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite counters'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='granite countertop'/><title type='text'>Granite Countertops</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/106/301320483_40e9886d92_m.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 143px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/106/301320483_40e9886d92_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Granite countertops. It's usually the only description one needs when describing a renovated kitchen. Whenever anyone embarks on a kitchen remodel, new granite for the counters seems to be a prerequisite.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What's so special about granite and why does everyone want it?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Advantages of Granite Kitchen Counters&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Granite is a gorgeous natural stone and it's perfect for the kitchen. There are tons of colors and grains to choose from and no two counters end up alike. The beauty of granite counters is unsurpassed which explains why it's usually the number one choice for anyone remodeling a kitchen.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Granite countertops are resistant to bacteria. The natural stone is not as porous as, say, a wood butcher block countertop might be. It's easy to clean off the counter and prevent passing any microbial content to other food or surfaces on the counter. Stainless steel and granite are the best at preventing the spread of bacteria.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Some countertop materials can be easily scratched, including some other natural stones like marble. A kitchen countertop sees heavily and regular use in most homes, so having a sratch resistant surface is very important.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Granite countertops are also capable of handling high temperatures and this heat resistance is invaluable in any kitchen.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;For the same reasons that the granite surface is resistant to bacteria, it's also very easy to clean your granite countertops.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Disadvantages of Granite Countertops&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/113/301320482_52aa0421b1_m.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 154px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/113/301320482_52aa0421b1_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Granite is a great surface for a counter, but not every home is the right style for a a kitchen with granite.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Granite seams are commonplace. Seams are inevitable on natural stone. However, the seams can be filled with epoxy and color-matched to help the seams appear less visible.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;It can be very expensive to purchase and have granite counters installed.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Sealers are required on granite counters and so this adds to the maintenance requirements. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;If you're looking to add granite countertops to your kitchen (or bathroom), consider posting your project for &lt;span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"&gt;free&lt;/span&gt; on &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt;. You'll receive several bids from local countertop installation companies which saves you time. Having multiple bids to choose from means that you'll save money.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;Find a granite countertop installer&lt;/a&gt; today!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="tags"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;technorati tags: &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counters," rel="tag"&gt;granite counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;granite countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+installers," rel="tag"&gt;granite installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+kitchen+counters," rel="tag"&gt;granite kitchen counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counter+installers," rel="tag"&gt;granite counter installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+companies," rel="tag"&gt;granite companies,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+kitchen," rel="tag"&gt;granite kitchen,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+bathroom+counters," rel="tag"&gt;granite bathroom counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+bathroom+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;granite bathroom countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counter+installation," rel="tag"&gt;granite counter installation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/find+granite+installers," rel="tag"&gt;find granite installers,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/find+countertop+installers" rel="tag"&gt;find countertop installers&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/11/granite-countertops.html' title='Granite Countertops'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=116397725549554796&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116397725549554796'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116397725549554796'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-116320093323120028</id><published>2006-11-10T14:57:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-02-02T12:32:21.776-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Countertop Material Options'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Counter Installations'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Stainless Steel'/><title type='text'>Considering a Stainless Steel Countertop?</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/109/294042473_f899f235d3.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 183px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/109/294042473_f899f235d3.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Many people want a &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;granite countertop&lt;/a&gt;, even if they don't have the correct kitchen style to support it. Granite is a gorgeous material but many people have been going a different route. For those with a more modern taste, stainless steel has been gaining in popularity. A restaurant would probably be the first thing one might think of when it comes to a having a stainless steel kitchen countertop.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;is&lt;/span&gt; a reason most restaurants use this material. Durability, stain and water resistance, low maintenance, a myriad of size and shape choices are just a few of those reasons. It's also very easy to clean and you can put a hot plate or pan on the surface without worry of damaging it. Because it's easy to clean, it's great for preventing bacterial growth. The non-porous surface prevents germs from taking hold. If you have a stainless countertop installed, make sure the surface is at least 18 gauge and has eight to ten percent nickel in it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are also drawbacks to having a stainless steel counter. It can be considered a little too modern. People love to have their appliances with a stainless steel cover, but not the reflective and large surface of their counters. It can be considered to look too "industrial." Stainless is not cheap, either. Even though it seems like a bare metal, it requires a lot of have it made and installed. And in a restaurant, a chef might slice and cut directly on the stainless steel surface, but it leaves a scratch or mark. A homeowner might be more worried about the extra cuts and dings that a chef would not be concerned about.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;However, if you consider yourself a serious at-home chef and you like the modern look of stainless, it can be a great addition to any kitchen. The nice thing about the neutral look of the metal is that you can change your cabinets to almost any other color or material and the counters will always match. If you plan your kitchen's lighting scheme right, the reflective nature of the surface will increase the illumination and make your kitchen sparkle.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/113/294042472_2c832ede1d.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 185px; height: 185px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/113/294042472_2c832ede1d.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;For total costs on having a new stainless steel countertop installed, be prepared to pay anywhere from $75 to $100 per square foot.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you need to &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;find a local Stainless Steel Counter Installer&lt;/a&gt;, look no further than &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt; -- we'll connect you with quality countertop companies at no cost to you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;RELATED POSTS&lt;/span&gt;:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/12/remodeling-small-kitchen.html"&gt;Remodeling a Small Kitchen?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/11/find-best-countertop-installer.html"&gt;Find the Best Countertop Installer&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/blog/2006/09/kitchen-countertop-options.html"&gt;Kitchen Countertop Options&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="tags"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;technorati tags: &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop," rel="tag"&gt;countertop,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/stainless+steel+countertop," rel="tag"&gt;stainless steel countertop,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/stainless+steel+counters," rel="tag"&gt;stainless steel counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+installers," rel="tag"&gt;countertop installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+installation," rel="tag"&gt;countertop installation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+companies," rel="tag"&gt;countertop companies,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+remodeling," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen remodeling,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+renovation," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen renovation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/counter+companies," rel="tag"&gt;counter companies,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/stainless+steele+counters," rel="tag"&gt;stainless steele counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/counter+installation," rel="tag"&gt;counter installation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/constructiondeal," rel="tag"&gt;constructiondeal,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+installation+jobs" rel="tag"&gt;countertop installation jobs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/11/considering-stainless-steel-countertop.html' title='Considering a Stainless Steel Countertop?'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=116320093323120028&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116320093323120028'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116320093323120028'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-116293757117257079</id><published>2006-11-02T14:05:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-11-07T16:31:00.900-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Find the Best Countertop Installer!</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/107/291881593_2e9d240b71.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 174px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/107/291881593_2e9d240b71.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;It's very important to plan for your countertop installation project. If it's time to replace your kitchen or bath countertop, you'll want to make sure you have the right specialist for the project. Using these tips can ensure your new counter is installed without any problems or complications.                                      &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;First, &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;post your countertop installation request&lt;/a&gt; with &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt;. It's a fast, free, and easy way to get multiple bids from counter contractors in your area.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;When you receive calls from countertop companies, make sure they come out to your home to view the job &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;before &lt;/span&gt;giving you a quote. There's no real way for them to give you a decent estimate without reviewing the room, getting dimensions, and determining the thickness and edging. Get a bid, in writing, from at least 3 countertop contractors.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ask for and contact all the references provided by the counter company. These references will let you know how well the company performed their duties and what to expect on your project. Keep in mind these references are all happy customers provided by the countertop company. But it's important to validate that they are, indeed, happy clients and do really exist. And it's important to gather details and information they provide to get a feel for how well things will go for you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Talk with the installer about the best materials to use for your application, your climate, and your homes style. "&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;You get what you paid for&lt;/span&gt;" usually applies to countertop materials. All counters have advantages and disadvantages. Many popular countertop styles, like granite and other stones, need some maintenance.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get a complete, detailed breakdown in your estimate so that you'll see how much money is being allocated for the counter and how much for the labor. Compare each estimate with the other to make sure you're getting a good deal and not paying higher labor costs.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;If your state requires it, make sure your countertop specialist has a license to perform the work in your home. It's the best way to make sure you're dealing with a professional from the beginning. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;Keep in mind that problems do arise on any remodeling project - the countertop company may discover problems that were not visible before work began. But by following these countertop installation tips, everything should work out and you'll have a beautiful counter that will last you many years and improve your home's value.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Post your project - for &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;free &lt;/span&gt;- on &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Construction Deal&lt;/span&gt; to &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;talk with a local countertop installer&lt;/a&gt;. Good luck with your kithcen or bathroom remodeling job!</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/11/find-best-countertop-installer.html' title='Find the Best Countertop Installer!'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=116293757117257079&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116293757117257079'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116293757117257079'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37312116.post-116293666442369515</id><published>2006-10-28T13:44:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-11-07T14:04:47.533-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Concrete Countertops</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/105/291788755_68fd35623b.jpg?v=0"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 185px; height: 130px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/105/291788755_68fd35623b.jpg?v=0" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Concrete countertops have a warm, natural look that is similar to natural materials like wood, stone, and brick. Stains, a variety of colors, additives for texture, and epoxy coatings can give concrete the look and feel of quarried stone such as marble, slate, granite, and limestone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The great thing about a concrete countertop is that it's much less expensive than the natural stone or wood countertops on the market. They can be made to fit any custom cabinetry and are poured onsite.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;But isn't concrete that flat-gray, crackled boring surface? Not anymore. The stains and colors can be added to the concrete and the surface can be done in a high-gloss or semi-gloss coating to give you just about any look you want. You can choose your edging abd the thickness of the counter, all without breaking the bank.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The surface is perfect for hotter items because it's heat resistant. But excessive heat can cause chipping on the surface. You can imbed a trivet or a cutting surface directly into the concrete, anywhere you need it. Concrete countertops can be coated with a silicone sealer to minimize staining.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you need to &lt;a href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/showJobCategory.pub?categoryId=25&amp;rid=38&amp;amp;aid=25"&gt;find a local concrete countertop expert&lt;/a&gt;, post your project request with us today - or give us a call at 866-663-4711 if you have questions!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: left;"&gt;&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/uploaded_images/BBBReliabilitySeal3-734945.JPG"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/uploaded_images/BBBReliabilitySeal3-791852.JPG" alt="" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="tags"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:78%;"&gt;technorati tags: &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+installation," rel="tag"&gt;countertop installation,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+installers," rel="tag"&gt;countertop installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bathroom+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;bathroom countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+counters," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+companies," rel="tag"&gt;countertop companies,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+installers," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bathroom+installers," rel="tag"&gt;bathroom installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bathroom+remodeling," rel="tag"&gt;bathroom remodeling,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/kitchen+remodeling," rel="tag"&gt;kitchen remodeling,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counters," rel="tag"&gt;granite counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;granite countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+installers," rel="tag"&gt;granite installers,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/granite+counter+companies," rel="tag"&gt;granite counter companies,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/slate+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;slate countertops,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/concrete+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;concrete countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/wood+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;wood countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/stainless+steel+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;stainless steel countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/butcher+block+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;butcher block countertops,&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/marble+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;marble countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/corian+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;corian countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/soapstone+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;soapstone countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/tile+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;tile countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/ceramic+tile+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;ceramic tile countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/bamboo+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;bamboo countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/laminate+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;laminate countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/stone+countertops," rel="tag"&gt;stone countertops,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/natural+stone+counters," rel="tag"&gt;natural stone counters,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="http://technorati.com/tag/countertop+repair" rel="tag"&gt;countertop repair&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;    &lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/2006/10/concrete-countertops.html' title='Concrete Countertops'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=37312116&amp;postID=116293666442369515&amp;isPopup=true' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.constructiondeal.com/howtofind/countertopatom.xml' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116293666442369515'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/37312116/posts/default/116293666442369515'/><author><name>ConstructionDeal.com</name></author></entry></feed>