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RE/MAX real estate Newsletter - February 2018 Edition
In This Issue - The Indestructible Kitchen & Bathroom
10 Bathroom Materials That'll Withstand Any Abuse
6 Materials Savvy Remodelers Never Use in Their Kitchens
You don’t want to go too cheap. But affordable options are out there.
5 Things That Will Totally Ruin Your Bathroom Remodel
There is one paint color you must avoid at all costs (see #5).
9 Gorgeous Kitchen Materials That Are Practically Indestructible
Replace or Reface Your Kitchen Cabinets: The Options and Costs
Refacing might be "superficial," but the results and savings are dramatic.
10 Things To Do In Downtown Allentown This Valentine’s Day
Absolutely stunning! No. 4 is a water-resisting showstopper.
We don’t ask much from bathroom surfaces.
Just that they be beautiful and withstand every cleaning chemical invented, steamy showers, piles of damp towels, and, did we mention, tantrum-induced line-drives with bath toys?
Oh, and they should be easy to clean. That’s all.
So what materials can live up to the ask? We asked the experts. Here are 10 they recommend:
#1 Engineered Stone Countertop
Dying for a white marble countertop? Join the club. But get ready to seal, reseal, and reseal. Then repeat. Year after year.
Or, go for engineered stone, which can mimic marble (and other stone materials) for about the same cost, but minus the hassle. It’s non-porous so it resists bacteria, mold, stains, and water damage better than the real thing. Better! And it never needs sealing!
#2 Glazed Porcelain Tile Floor
Moisture is Enemy No. 1 for bathroom floors, and glazed porcelain tile is its most-worthy adversary.
#3 Vinyl Floor
Time to rethink vinyl. Hear us out. Luxury vinyl tiles, which mimic stone and wood, are awesome at resisting moisture.
Other affordable options like laminate just can’t keep up. Plus, vinyl sheets are so large, you can cover a small bath without a single seam or grout line, making it easy on the eye and easier to keep clean.
#4 Plywood Cabinets
Yup. We said plywood. But today’s “grade A” offering isn’t your mother’s plywood. (Or your Swedish cousin’s, which is actually particleboard.)
Composed of pressed layers of alder, birch, or cedar, “grade A” plywood (also known as furniture-grade) remains more stable in the face of moisture than solid wood, which will shrink and swell in response to bathroom humidity (causing cracks in painted surfaces and even warped panels).
As for the finish, you don’t need to spring for anything fancy: The factory finish applied to cabinetry nowadays will hold up to the moisture. Isn’t living in the future great?
#5 Tempered Glass Shower Doors
While you need your glass to be tempered for safety, you don’t need a special spot-resistant treatment or upgraded texture to have crystal-clear shower doors.
“Glass is easy to clean,” says Ebony Stephenson, a certified kitchen and bath designer. “I tell my clients, ‘I’ll give you a squeegee and you can save $2,000. It’s a lot of money when you can just wipe off your glass.’” So definitely get tempered glass, but skip the add-on treatments that promise no spots.
Expert Tip
The No.1 thing to stop mold in a bathroom is an exhaust fan.It may not be sexy, but that mildew-y smell in your bath isn't exactly "come-hither" either.
#6 Glossy or Semi-Glossy Paint
Mold and mildew are real concerns, even on the walls, thanks to bathroom humidity. So paint sheen matters.
A full-on glossy paint has a shiny, sealed surface that blocks out moisture and wipes clear of residue, say from hairspray, without leaving a mark like a matte finish will. But the sheen can be a bit overbearing on anything more than trim, and calls attention to wall flaws.
A semi-glossy finish will hold up nearly as well to cleaning and moisture, without calling quite as much attention to bumps, dents, and other imperfections.
#7 Cast Iron Tub
A tub forged from molded liquid iron is likely going to be the toughest thing in your house — maybe even your neighborhood, depending on where you live.
You may need extra support for your floor (and your pocketbook) to bring it home, but cast iron won’t chip, scratch, or dent like fiberglass, acrylic, and even porcelain can.
#8 Porcelain-on-Steel Tub
Don’t let its acronym, POS, misguide you: Heat-fused enamel on steel will resist corrosion, abrasion, and chipping better than synthetic materials, and it is much more affordable than cast iron.
#9 Acrylic Panel Shower Walls
Despite their lightweight, acrylic wall panels, often called shower surrounds, are not lightweights. They resist chipping, cracking, and peeling, and are much easier to maintain than stone tiles or slabs. Unlike tile, they nail directly to wall studs or glue to the wallboards, so they don’t require grout. Acrylic is tougher than fiberglass and colored all the way through — so it’s less likely to scratch, and even a deep cut won’t be as obvious. They’re also more affordable than tile and available in textured patterns, if you want to look like you splurged on a fancy design.
#10 Stainless Steel Sink
Stainless: not just for kitchens anymore. Corrosion- and stain-resistant, it won’t melt under a hot curling iron like acrylic can, and won’t dent or chip like porcelain if nail clippers plummet down from the medicine cabinet.
And it’s the perfect match for the industrial-chic look that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.
About to remodel that old kitchen? Unless you’re cool with treating the hardest working room in your house like a museum exhibit, resist the temptation to buy the cheapest or shiniest materials available and go for durable options that can stand up to regular abuse.
Trust us: Although it may be tough to leave that raised, tempered glass bar top (ooo!) in the showroom, repairing its first (and second, and third) chip will get old. Very fast.
Picking the right materials is easy if you do your homework. “There are amazing products out there,” says Jeffrey Holloway, a certified kitchen designer and owner of Holloway Home Improvement Center in Marmora, N.J.
“You’re looking at price point, sanitation, how easy it is to clean the product, its durability and maintenance.”
Keeping those all-important features in mind, here are some materials to avoid during your next kitchen project.
#1 Plastic Laminate Counters
First off, there’s plenty of great laminate out there. It’s the entry-level,plastic laminate to stay away from, Holloway says.
These are the ones that look thin and dull, as opposed to richly textured. They scratch easily, and if the product underneath the laminate gets wet (say, from steam rising from your dishwasher), it can delaminate the countertop, which means the edges will chip pretty easily.
Also, one misplaced hot pan on the plastic will result in a melted disaster zone you’ll remember forever.
But if you’re watching your budget, plastic laminate at the next level up is a good choice. “It’s got good color consistency, and there are a lot of retro and trendy patterns available,” says Dani Polidor, an interior designer and owner of Suite Artistry, and a REALTOR® in Pittsford, N.Y.
New laminate counter technology offers scratch resistance, textured surfaces, and patterns that mimic real wood and stone. “There are even self-repairing nano-technologies embedded in some laminates,” says Polidor, “and others have antimicrobial properties.”
For an average 10-by-20-foot kitchen, the next-level-up laminate will cost about $3,000, Polidor estimates, and those super cool technology options add another $200 to $300. For durability and longer life, the investment is well worth it.
#2 Inexpensive Sheet Vinyl Flooring
You spend all day stepping on your floor, so quality really matters. At the lower price point, about $2.50 per square foot, the cheapest sheet vinyl floorings tend to be thin.
“If your vinyl floor is glued down and the underlayment gets delaminated, say, by water seeping from your dishwasher or refrigerator, you’ll get bubbles in your floor,” Holloway warns.
Compare that with luxury vinyl tile (LVT) that costs about $5 per square foot.
It’s still usually glued down, but it’s a little more forgiving than its less classy cousin — and it can come in tiles, which you can grout so they mimic the look of higher-end stone, Polidor says.
#3 Some Laminated Cabinet Fronts
Holloway suggests staying away from lower-end thermofoil cabinet fronts.What is thermofoil? Contrary to its name, there’s no foil or any metal-type material in it. It’s actually vinyl, which is heated and molded around fiberboard. If the cabinet is white and the price is waaaaay affordable compared with other cabinets, think twice. Cheaper thermofoil has three critical issues:
1. It’s not heat resistant. If near a dishwasher or oven, it could delaminate.
2. It can warp and yellow with age, revealing its cheapness.
3. The “wood” underneath the thermofoil is also poor quality and won’t hold up over time.
But just like with plastic laminate, science has made great strides, and now there are a host of new cabinets that are remaking thermofoil’s reputation. “New European laminates have become all the rage for the clean-lined, flat-panel look,” Polidor says. “It’s budget-friendly and can look like wood or high gloss. It’s not your grandmother’s thermofoil.”
And it doesn’t come at grandma’s prices, either. But still, the new thermofoil is much more affordable than custom cabinets, and still satisfies with its rich look and durability.
#4 High-Gloss Lacquered Cabinets
A nice shine can be eye-catching. And spendy. About 20 layers of lacquer go on a cabinet for the high-gloss look. Ding it or scratch it, and it’s costly to repair.
“It’s a multi-step process for repairing them,” Polidor says. A better option for the same look is high-end thermofoil (see? We said there were good thermofoil options!).
Thermofoil has a finish that’s fused to the cabinet and baked on for a more durable exterior. And it’s way more budget-friendly, too. High-gloss can be in the thousands of dollars, whereas thermofoil can be in the hundreds or dollars.
#5 Flat Paint
Flat paint has that sophisticated, velvety, rich look we all love.
But keep it in the bedroom.
It’s not KF (kitchen-friendly). Flat paint, also known as matte paint, has durability issues. It’s unstable. Try to wipe off one splatter of chili sauce, and you’ve ruined the paint job.
About the only place to use flat paint in your kitchen is on the ceiling (unless, of course, you have a reputation for blender or pressure-cooker accidents that reach to the ceiling, then we suggest takeout).
Instead, you want to use high-gloss or semi-gloss paint on your walls. They can stand up to multiple scrubbings before breaking down.
#6 Trendy Backsplash Materials
Tastes change. So avoid super trendy colors and materials when it comes to permanently adhering something to your kitchen walls. Backsplashes come in glass, metal, iridescent, and high-relief decor tiles, which are undoubtedly fun and tempting. They can also be expensive, ranging from $5 to $220 a square foot, and difficult to install. And after all that work and expense, if (er … when) your tastes change in a few years, it’ll be mighty tough to justify a re-do.
Stick with a classic subway tile at $2 to $3 square foot. Or, even more budget friendly, choose an integrated backsplash that matches your countertop material. “If you want pops of color, do it with accessories,” Polidor suggests.
A clean, well-planned, and stunning bathroom is every homeowner’s goal. But creating it can be a bit of a sticky wicket.
All that water, humidity, and artificial lighting, and those tight corners make the space a real challenge. Don’t make it worse by wasting money on materials that won’t withstand the task or will need replacing when they don’t work out. Dodge bad bathroom decisions by avoiding these five things:
#1 Wallpaper
In a high-steam area such as a bathroom, wallpaper may start to peel in a few years, according to some designers. In fact, steam is used to strip old wallpaper off walls.
Despite the many photos of stylish, wallpapered bathrooms in magazines, unless it’s a half-bath or guest bath that’s seldom used, skip it. Really want the unique look wallpaper provides? Try a solid vinyl wall covering instead. It won’t allow moisture to seep through.
#2 Laminate Flooring
Love the look and affordability of laminate flooring? Use it in another room. Water and laminate floors don’t mix. Even tiny amounts of water will seep between the planks, causing them to expand, peel, swell, and lift from the floor.
Even laminate manufacturers advise against installing in high moisture areas. The good news? There are plenty of other products out there that work extremely well in bathrooms. Take another look at linoleum. It’s eco-friendly, budget-friendly, and comes in a wide variety of looks.
#3 Slippery or Glossy Tile or Stone
Many ceramic, porcelain, and stone floors will become slippery in wet conditions. The more polished a tile, the more likely it will become slippery when wet.
Solution: Select your bathroom floor surface carefully, vetting each against slippery conditions. Look for tiles certified to meet slip-resistance standards specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
#4 Wall-to-Wall Carpet
Carpet, while soft and comfy, isn’t ideal flooring in a powder room. Not only is the ick factor apparent, especially around the toilet, but mold and mildew can build up, which can cause health issues. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention specifically advises against carpeting bathrooms to avoid mold exposure.
If you really want the cozy touch of carpet in the bathroom, fluffy bath mats add color and comfort — and can be regularly laundered.
#5 Yellow Paint
When selecting paint colors, remember that color will appear more intense on your bathroom walls than it would in most other rooms, especially if the bathroom relies heavily on artificial lighting.
“In that smaller space, where the mirror multiplies the impact of the lighting, the walls tend to reflect and magnify color from other walls,” says Amy Bell, an interior decorator and owner of Red Chair Home Interiors in Cary, N.C. Be especially wary of yellow or other colors that contain yellow — even neutrals — as yellow can feel brash in a bathroom, and you won’t like what you see in the mirror. Instead, opt for grays with a hint of green or blue, which can feel spa-like.
What’s the point of a Pinterest-perfect kitchen if it doesn’t stay that way? Kitchen surfaces, especially countertops, need to be able to take hit after hit.
And these nine will. And look gorgeous doing it.
#1 Laminate for Countertops
Don’t worry — laminate won’t make your kitchen look like great-grandma’s lime-green tabletop. And it won’t stain like hers either.
This affordable and heat-, stain-, and water-resistant material has undergone quite a makeover. “The old stereotypes about the way it used to look aren’t really as true anymore,” says Ebony Stephenson, a certified kitchen and bath designer.
In fact, with super-realistic marble and granite patterns, you can be in a kitchen with laminate these days and not even know it.
What’s more, laminate is now is available in 5-by-8-foot sheets, which means it replicates pricey granite, marble, or butcher block with fewer joints. That means fewer moisture problems, too.
#2 Quartz for Kitchen Countertops
At the other end of the price spectrum, coveted quartz countertops carry a hefty price tag. But they also carry a pretty big promise: no maintenance — ever. “You don’t have to do anything to it at all.” Stephenson says.
Yeah. In case you weren’t aware, you’re supposed to maintain other countertops.
Unlike marble and granite, the manufactured quartz defies stains, mold, mildew, and bacteria with no sealing required.
As “Consumer Reports” found, hot pots, serrated knives, and abrasive pads also can’t mar quartz. And unlike stone, it doesn’t even need a special (and pricey) cleaner.
For an extra hardy variety, look for quartz composed of 93% or more quartz and 7% resins, says Adam Gibson, a certified master kitchen and bath designer based in the Indiana Design Center. They’re more expensive, but less likely to chip or stain.
#3 Luxe Vinyl Floors
We know what you’re thinking: “Luxury … vinyl?”
But it’s more than just marketing spin. Today’s luxe stuff has thicker layers that better prevent shoe scuffs, scratches, and tears.
In fact, vinyl requires less care than linoleum, which is susceptible to moisture, and tile, which comes with dirt-catching grout. The sheets come in 12-foot-wide rolls, so in most homes, “you can cover the floor in one big sheet, with no seams,” Stephenson says.
“It’s very easy to sweep up since crumbs can’t get stuck in cracks.” Vinyl planks and tiles, likewise, are a snap to clean with a broom and mop, since they click tightly together.
#4 Glazed Ceramic Tile Floors
If you love the look of tile and grout (after all, it is a classic), glazed ceramic tile is a no-brainer. It will literally outlast you.
It’s immune to moisture, shrugs off stains and acidic foods, and simply wipes clean. The tiles offer endless design possibilities and don’t require sealing, like stone surfaces do. The glazing pretty much does that.
There are many types of glazed ceramic tile. Porcelain is the hardest and densest — making it the most impervious to moisture.
But it can be a budget-killer if you’ve got a lot of floor. (Most glazed ceramic tile costs about $2 a square foot. Porcelain can cost double that — or more.)
But with so many styles and colors to choose from, you can find a glazed ceramic tile you love, porcelain or not, that fits your budget — and will take a beating.
#5 Stainless Steel Sinks
Stainless steel may feel a bit, well, basic, but there’s a reason it’s always around.
In addition to complementing both modern digs and country kitchens, it outperforms solid surfacing, acrylic, enameled steel, and cast iron in resisting stains, abrasions, high heat, and sharp impacts, like from a tumbling knife.
Enamel can crack and chip, for example. Solid surfaces and acrylic are much more prone to scratching.
Although the material has gotten a bad rap for fingerprints, they easily wipe away with a little lemon juice on a paper towel, says Dennis Gehman, a master certified remodeler.
And given the choice between a chipped sink and one with an occasional fingerprint? Door No. 2, please.
#6 Furniture-Grade Plywood Cabinets
Can anything less than solid wood handle your heavy stoneware and frequent slams with grace? Yep, and it costs a lot less.
Furniture-grade (literally, “grade A”) plywood is composed of pressed layers of alder, birch, or cedar, which gives it composite strength (read: super strong).
Plus, this fancy plywood won’t irreversibly swell from moisture, like particleboard can, and won’t warp like solid wood.
#7 Glazed Ceramic Tile Backsplash
Just like with floors, glazed ceramic tile is great for a backsplash, but if you can afford a small splurge, choosing porcelain here is a wise choice — because it is the toughest surface.
And your backsplash does take a beating — from splattered bits of tomato sauce to bits of cookie dough; it’s where grease splatters the most. All that gunk will simply wipe off. The tiles also don’t need to be sealed — ever — and they aren’t brittle like glass tiles, so they’re practically impossible to chip.
And they happen to be gorgeous, so there’s that, too.
#8 Stainless Steel Backsplash
Sheets of this fire-resistant material have long proved their mettle in busy restaurant kitchens.
The famously tough stainless steel won’t corrode as readily as other materials when splattered with tomato sauce, for example, and doesn’t have to be polished like brass or copper.
Using a single sheet eliminates seams and makes cleaning — with just soap and water—that much easier.
But that single sheet doesn’t have to be flat and boring. Stainless steel backsplashes come in fun, patterned varieties, including options that look like subway tiles from the future.
#9 Solid Brass Faucets
A hardy faucet that can take a licking starts with a solid brass body, which can resist corrosion from hard water.
When we say body, we mean the core material for the body of the faucet — not the plating, which determines the color.
Some faucets are made of plastic or a zinc alloy, which will begin to deteriorate once their DIY TipA matte finish will better disguise water spots and fingerprints.plating wears away. Boo.
The valve matters, too. Ceramic disc valves will last years without dripping, whereas cartridge valves have seals that can wear out, and ball valves have more components — providing a greater chance that something will break.
So check the box carefully when faucet shopping, or flag down a salesperson who knows their stuff to help you find the best pick.
Refacing your kitchen cabinets includes covering the exposed frames with a thin veneer of real wood or plastic laminate.
Doors and drawer fronts are replaced to match or complement the new veneer. New hinges, knobs, pulls, and molding complete the transformation.
What are the Pros and Cons?
Kitchen cabinet refacing pros:
- Costs about half as much as replacing cabinets.
- Takes less time (a week or less!) and money.
- It’s less hassle than tearing out cabinets.
- You can still use your kitchen while refacing.
- It’s a green kitchen remodeling solution because you’re not adding to the landfill.
Kitchen cabinet refacing cons (there aren’t many):
- Refacing won’t fix a bad kitchen design.
- You might be tempted to spend more on exotic veneer and hardware (saving you less).
What are Your Refacing Options?
Your choices for the finished look of your cabinets are virtually limitless. Veneers are available in a wide variety of colors, patterns, textures, grains, and more, which you can mix or match to get a relatively low-cost kitchen facelift.
- Rigid thermofoil (RTF) doors, which feature a durable plastic coating over fiberboard, are an affordable alternative to wood or laminate doors.
- Plastic laminates come in hundreds of colors and patterns, are durable and moisture-resistant, and are reasonably priced. You can pick matching or contrasting laminates for your doors and drawer fronts.
- Real wood veneers include many standard species, such as oak, cherry, and maple, and you also can choose from an array of stain colors. Wood veneers are the most expensive option. Wood must be carefully sealed to protect against moisture.
Further customize and update the look of your cabinets with new kitchen cabinet hardware.
What Does Refacing Cost?
Finishing the project with new hardware (pulls, knobs, hinges) runs $2 to $4 per piece, up to $20 to $50 each for high-end hardware.
In comparison, completely replacing old kitchen cabinets with new cabinets starts at $4,000 to $5,000 and up for stock cabinets; $8,000 to $10,000 for semi-custom cabinets; $16,000 to $20,000 and up for custom-made cabinetry.
How Do I Know If My Cabinets are Good For Refacing?
How are They Installed?
A professional installer will come to your house to measure your cabinets and determine the amount of veneer required, the correct sizes and quantities for door and drawer fronts, and how much hardware is needed. Newly ordered doors and drawer fronts may take one to two weeks for delivery.
When all the materials are in hand, your installer removes old cabinet door and drawer fronts, and prepares the surface of the cabinet boxes by washing the exteriors with a degreaser and lightly sanding the finish. Any significant flaws in the surface are repaired or filled to ensure a smooth, secure fit for the new veneer.
The installer applies veneer to the cabinet faces and any exposed cabinet ends, then mounts the new doors, drawer fronts, and hardware. The process typically takes two to four days.
Can I Do Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Myself?
If you have extra time, patience, the necessary veneering tools, and a knack for precision, you can save money by tackling kitchen cabinet refacing on your own.
If you opt to do your own kitchen cabinet refacing, you’ll spend about $200 to $500 on average for materials. Specialized tools (rollers, blades, irons) add $5 to $60 to the cost.
10 Things To Do In Downtown Allentown This Valentine’s Day
As Valentine’s Day quickly approaches, there tend to be two types of people searching for the perfect way to celebrate this loved up holiday. Whether you’re looking to plan the perfect date night, or if you’re stressing about spending the day alone, Allentown has plenty of ways to celebrate regardless of your relationship status. Here are our top 10 picks of things to do for the holiday that are sure to have you falling in love with downtown Allentown!
1.Truffle Bar
2.Community Book Discussion: The Argonauts
3. Roey’ Paintbox
4. PPL Center
Country music fans won’t want to miss Cole Swindell, Chris Janson and Lauren Alaina at the PPL Center on February 15th. Spend the night taking in the sweet sounds of the guitar and jam out with the people who matter most in your life - whether it’s a bunch of your best friends or that special someone! Sing, dance, and eat while being serenaded by three talented performers. Combine great music with the fabulous food offered at the PPL Center, and you’ve got yourself the perfect night! Check out the PPL Center’s website for ticket information!
5. Galentine’s Day at Brew Works
6. The Hamilton
7. LVHN Fitness at One City Center
Treat that special someone in your life to a relaxing massage or if that special someone is you, spoil yourself with one of the Lehigh Valley Health Network’s many massage services. Loving our bodies is so important, so take a moment to relax with a therapeutic, hot stone, or foot massage given by these trained health professionals. With treatments varying in length and price, you’re sure to find the perfect cure to any stressors you or a loved one may be dealing with. For more information on how the LVHN can help you this Valentine's Day, visit their website here!
8. Centro
If you’re looking for the ideal, romantic setting for a Valentine’s Day dinner, check out Centro on Hamilton Street! This cozy setting combined with rustic Italian cuisine is sure to impress your date! Combine the drinks, hearty meals and delicious desserts with the beautiful setting and outstanding service and your evening is sure to leave your hearts (and stomachs!) full! Visit their website to make your holiday reservation today!
9. Miller Symphony Hall
10. The Perfect Fit Resale Boutique
RE/MAX real estate
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