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Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 07/25/2011 01:26 AM
Updated by: John_Hamilton on 07/25/2011 02:02 PM
Expires: 01/01/2016 12:00 AM
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Remodeling on a Budget - Liquid Granite Review~by Sandy Reed of Uniquity Builders, Inc.
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It looks like granite, it feels like granite, but is it really granite? It's getting harder to tell these days... Kitchen remodeling... For those who would love to have a granite countertop, but aren't ready to splurge just yet, Liquid Granite Dreams might just be a way for you to enjoy your kitchen or bath a little more right now. Liquid Granite is a new option for refinishing your kitchen or bath countertops. It's applied over the existing countertop, requires no demolition or replacement of the current counters. It drys and is ready for light use in about 24 hours, and reaches its maximum hardness in 2 - 3 weeks. Care must be taken during the curing period to avoid damage.....
As you can see in the picture above, if applied properly it has the look and feel of real granite, without the time and expense constraints.
LiquidGraniteTwo_samples-186x171 In a recent survey conducted with real samples, only 35% of the people surveyed were able to tell the difference between Liquid Granite and the real thing, as long as they were not allowed to check the weight of the material.
In a recent press release for Liquid Granite Countertops, they say, "Liquid Granite Dreams technology is slowly but surely displacing granite slabs, serving natural resources, and making kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects a lot easier, quicker and - most importantly - a lot cheaper". They also say it has even fooled some home appraisers. But what do the actual homeowners say who have installed liquid granite?
This is a product that homeowners have successfully applied themselves. The reviews vary on Amazon.com, most are positive, but there are definitely considerations as you'll see from a few of the comments I've listed below.
Liquid Granite Dreams reviews on Amazon.com
GreenThumbsUp "We are still very happy with our bathroom counter. In fact, two months after we also did the kitchen counter. I did have to touch up the bathroom. When the instructions say 'wash the work area three times' they mean it. In the bathroom, an area I couldn't get to very easily to clean, a month later I had to scrape, sand, and re-touch because it started blistering. The kitchen looks great four months later."
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GreenThumbsDown
"Great Look - Bad Quality. I just used this kit on my kitchen countertops. It looks nice, but the quality sucks. If you use your counter tops a lot, I would not recommend this. I will end up re-doing the counter tops before too long. I already had 1 incident where my fingernail scraped the surface and the paint came right off - after I was all finished and allowed the proper drying time. That is when I discovered the quality sucks. You definitely get what you pay for."
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GreenThumbsUp"It still looks great! We used the Sicilian Sand kit in our kitchen in July of 2009, over cheap, ugly green Formica. The application was just like it was explained in the DVD, so be sure to watch that first. Also, I found practicing on the black poster board that Giani included in the kit to be helpful as well. We were completely satisfied with the results and everyone who sees it can't believe it's paint; it looks like real stone. The finish has held up like iron -- no scratches or fading, except for one small ding on a 90-degree edge that we accidentally gouged when moving a heavy piece of furniture. But touchup was easy with our leftover paint.
We did have one slight problem with the application in that the clear top coat dried a bit streaky in one spot, I think because we did not apply it correctly. I told the company about it, and some months later when the clear top coat formula was improved, Giani sent us a free can of it. We didn't even have to pay for shipping. THAT is excellent customer service and standing behind your product.
I would not hesitate to use this again on other countertops, and I recommend this to everyone I know."
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GreenThumbsDown"I wanted to love this product, and in some respects I do; however, I am pricing new countertops as I type. I applied this product about 7 months ago and frankly, I wish I would have just left my old ones alone.
I love the 'painting' part of it and they looked absolutely fabulous, until I had all the nightmares of the clear coat. The streaks and the lines were terrible. I contacted the company (which stands behind their product VERY Well) and they sent me 3 cans of their new formula of topcoat that should 'lay down' better. I applied the new topcoat they sent and it looked better than before with a few streaks you could see in the reflection.
As time went on, it became a nightmare behind my sink as my boys didn't always wipe the water from behind and the poly started to peel off and get mushy. Got a large scratch in them and a large chunk chipped out where I use the counter a lot. Tried to refinish with light sandpaper, more paint, and topcoat and it looks terrible again with streaks.
The concept is great...the colors and painting are beautiful...the company stands behind their product well...but the topcoat is a nightmare and it just didn't work out for me. As much as I would like to recommend this product, I cannot. The topcoat is a nightmare."
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Kitchen Remodeling
For those of you who have owned a real granite slab countertop, such as the granite quartz one in our last house above, I can't imagine this product could ever compete. But if you're remodeling on a budget, or you're looking for alternatives for a rental or vacation home, Liquid Granite Dreams might be a good option for you.
If any of you have used this product, or know someone who has, be sure and give us your feedback.
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