Paramount Granite Blog

Granite Countertops—How Do I Clean Them?

Barb — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:52:20 +0000

One of the questions we hear all of the time in our showroom is, “How do you clean granite countertops?” Many people have misconceptions about caring for and cleaning granite because there are so many myths out there. Actually there is nothing special needed, or product to buy. The best way to clean granite is to use clean, hot soapy water and a dish cloth.” (Dirty water, can sometimes cause streaks.) We also recommend that you wipe them down afterward with a clean, dry towel. That’s it!

That is one of the benefits of granite countertops, they are easy to clean and maintain. If you have questions regarding maintenance & care of your granite countertops, please give us a call. We are always happy to help.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Granite Countertops—Spotlight On Verde Luminous

Barb — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:17:36 +0000

In this blog, I wanted to focus on the color, Verde Luminous, which is quarried in India. It contains a variety of green tones, as well as some gray and burgundy coloring. These slabs also have a lot of flow and movement, which would look great for an island, countertops, bar top, or vanity. If you are looking for a green color for your project, you might want to take a look at Verde Luminous. Make sure you stop by our facility and check out these slabs and others. You will be glad you did.

Verde Luminous Slab

Verde Luminous

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Eat, Pray And…Love Your Granite Countertops!

Barb — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:17:00 +0000

I don’t know how many of you out there have read the book, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, but I read it the other year and loved it. When I heard it was being made into a movie, I was a bit skeptical that a movie could capture the author’s wit and writing skill, but was anxious to go see it anyway. Well to my surprise, I did enjoy the movie, but not near as much as the book.

Another surprise to me was…the reference to 30 something’s purchasing suburban homes with oak floors, marble tiled bathrooms, and kitchen granite countertops. Of course my ears perked up! Actually—it is not just the 30 something’s that are interested in granite. In our showroom, we have customers of all ages interested in granite, including those in their 40′s, 50′s, 60′s, and even 70′s. And why not?

Granite countertops work great for both preparing food, and an eating surface. They also are aesthetically pleasing and are very inviting for family and holiday gatherings where people get together, pray, give thanks, and eat. And what is not to love? Granite is beautiful, durable, and is easy to maintain!

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Granite Countertops—Watch Our You Tube Video’s…

Barb — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:02:39 +0000

While many of you out there are familiar with the PGC website and blog site, you can now find out more about us by watching our You Tube video’s. Check out our video’s below:

Hope you take a few minutes to check them out.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Barb — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:00:31 +0000

Here’s a recipe I got from a friend by our cabin. She made some for my birthday a few months back. It is easy to make and delicious.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2-1 oz. squares chocolate
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups grated zucchini
3 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two loave pans. Microwave the chocolate in a microwaveable safe bowl until melted. Stir until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, oil, zucchini, vanilla, and chocolate until smooth. Add the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold in the flour. Add the chocolate chips. Pour the batter in the two loave pans. Bake at 350 degress for approximately 60 minutes, or until a toothpick in center come out clean.

Enjoy!

Barb

Granite Countertops—Removing Hard Water Build-UP

Barb — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:08:46 +0000

On occassion, we get asked about build-up around kitchen, or bathroom faucets. The build-up is actually hard water deposits, which can occur over time, depending on the water available to your home. Some consumers are concerned, and often ask, “How do I remove hard water build on my granite?” Well-the process to remove the build-up, is pretty straight-forward, and easy to perform. All you actually need is a razor blade, and some steel wool.

The pictures below outline the process:

Verde Marinace granite vanity with water build-up around faucet

Use a razor-blade tipped at a slight angle from the horizontal to remove/scrape away the hard water deposits

To get the final residue, go over with a “000” (or finer) steel wool.

Water deposits removed.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Your Kitchen—The Heart Of Your Home!

Barb — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:59:18 +0000

For many families, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where families come together, not only for meals, but also for homework, conversing, preparing food, and gathering with friends and family members. That’s why today’s consumers not only want their kitchens to be functional, but also warm and inviting. Many consumers are opting for more open spaces that include a center granite island, or granite peninsula that includes an area for seating. And…why not? Granite works great as a focal point for the room, and is extremely durable and easy to maintain. Oh—and it comes in literally hundreds of colors options. Whether you like a light tone, dark tone, or maybe one in between, there is a color for everyone and every decor.

If you are thinking of remodeling your kitchen, make sure you include granite as an option for your countertops. At PGC, we are here to help with any questions you may have along the way.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

When It Comes To Fabricating Countertops—Precision Counts!

Barb — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:26:16 +0000

For those of you out there that follow my blog, you may recall my last post, “Let’s Get It Right The First Time!” Well—I wanted to share a few photo’s of a recent job we fabricated and installed doing just that. This particular job included a large island fabricated from Desert Limestone Caesarstone and included angles, curve work, and mitered edges to achieve a 6 cm thickness.

Following are a few photo’s:

Prep work

Prep work for edge lamination

Seaming the sink area in the island

Installed island

If you are looking for a fabricator to fabricate and install your kitchen, or other project, including those with intricate curves, angles, or mitered edges, please give us a call. Rest assured—we can handle the job.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Granite Countertops—Let’s Get It Right The First Time!

Barb — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:58:43 +0000

When it comes to granite fabrication, at PGC, we cut curves, sink holes, and cut-outs, but…Not Corners! Well—we actually cut corners too, but not when it comes to quality. Our motto has always been, “Let’s get it right the first time,” which is something we are very proud of. Too many fabricators, these days, are cutting cutting corners when it comes to quality, and the unfortunate thing is that the everyday homeowner doesn’t know it. The general public, for the most part, is uneducated when it comes to stone and they are being taken in by “hack shops” offering a low price. Although many fabricators, and others in the stone industry, thought some of these hack shops would go out of business with the turn in the economy, this has not been the case.

In fact, according to, “Stay the course; don’t compete with the hacks,” an article found in the August 10, issue of Stone World eNews, by Michael Reis, “As it turned out, the hacks started to thrive in most markets. When homeowners would re-do their kitchen or bathroom, they did so with one eye on their dwindling back account, and sensible people started buying solely based on price. As a result, some amazingly bad granite work was being done.” Yikes! We know first-hand, as we’ve taken numerous calls from customers who decided to go with some cheaper fabricator, but ended up getting burned.

While we always do our best to try and educate our potential customers, as to what makes PGC different from other fabricators, unfortunately—in some instances, it is not still not enough. If you are looking for a granite fabricator for your project, you may want to check out the Hall of Shame, that shows some really poor work. Then—perhaps, you can decide for yourself, if spending a little more is worth it to you, or not.

Thanks for reading!

Barb

Recipe: Southwestern Salad

Barb — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:00:02 +0000

Here’s a tasty recipe my nephew’s wife, Rachel, shared at our cabin a few weekends ago. While it is pretty easy to make, it does require some chopping prep work of veggies, but is well worth it.

Southwestern Salad

1 bag romaine lettuce
1-2 packages pre-cooked grilled chicken such as Hormel
1 small green pepper (chopped)
1 samll red pepper (chopped)
1 small orange pepper (chopped)
1 small can corn
1 samll can black olives
1 ripe avacado (cubed)
1 container feta cheese crumbles
Ranch dressing

Open bag of lettuce and pour in a large bowl. Add chicken, chopped peppers, can of corn, olives, avacado, and feta cheese. Toss and serve with Ranch dressing.

Options: Add a small can of black beans, or chopped red onion.

Enjoy!

Barb