Kitchen Countertops in El Paso

New kitchen countertops built for desert homes. COMAF has been fabricating and installing kitchen countertops in El Paso since 1985. Call (915) 345-3774 for a free estimate.

Why El Paso Kitchens Require Specialized Countertop Selection

The sun is incredibly fierce in El Paso; if your kitchen has south or west facing windows, you get several hours of UV rays on your countertops every day. We regularly see that, in our El Paso work, surfaces will fade or crack after just two years of sun exposure. And most customers never know why.

The Borderland presents unique challenges in a kitchen such as these: the arid environment is harder on sealers; extreme temperatures, like 100 in the day, 60 at night, force seams and joints to constantly expand and contract; and high mineral levels in El Paso water will eat away at certain polished finishes. We field these types of questions from local El Paso customers at our Gateway Blvd E location almost weekly; we want to avoid problems before they even start.

Some examples of issues El Paso kitchen countertops can face include:

• UV light causes color change in lower quality engineered surfaces
• Extreme dry air causes sealers to break down far more quickly on natural stone
• Hard water spots are much harder to remove, and are far more noticeable, on polished rather than honed surfaces
• Dust, fine sand, and other particles in the air can scratch softer stone surfaces more than we see in Seattle

All of that makes material selection very important. We have been fabricating countertops for El Paso homes since 1985, and it is still a family-owned business. While trends have changed over the years, our climate has not. And that is where granite, quartz, and quartzite really begin to make sense in an El Paso kitchen. But, not all stone is made equal. Because we import directly from Brazil, we have the chance to inspect all stones before you see them.

We constantly hear from El Paso customers, especially those in East El Paso or Cielo Vista, that their laminate will curl and peel after a couple of El Paso summers. 90% of problems in countertops are caused by selecting the wrong material for the environment, because we must select materials for kitchens that are right for our climate. El Paso really does beat on your kitchen, and getting the right stone can mean the difference between a 3-year or 30-year countertop.

The Best Stone for Your Kitchen

This is a question I get on almost every phone call with a new client, "What type of stone material should I get?" And the answer always has to do with how you cook.

Granite countertops are very heat tolerant; you can set a hot pan on it with zero problems. So, this is an ideal material for us because we have so many residents who use cast iron cookware, comales to make tortillas, etc., and love hosting big, family-style, all-day meals. However, quartz is another matter altogether. It doesn't require sealing, won't stain from items like red chile or coffee, and comes in a plethora of colors, shapes, and textures. So, you can color match it to any number of different types of cabinet material.

Marble countertops are stunning, but as marble is softer, we only recommend it for kitchens with less foot traffic or for homes where looks are more important than function. There is another material people are less aware of that is rapidly gaining ground: quartzite. As the name suggests, with the look of marble and the toughness of granite, quartzite is quickly becoming a preferred countertop material. And because we bring in slabs of both quartzite and granite from Brazil, you can select from an array of natural stone that won't be found on the big box store shelves down along the border. I will tell you though, 9 times out of 10, someone will view one of our slabs or more and find the one they like for their home.

We discuss the following with each customer:

• How much they cook, what kind of cookware they use, and what sort of countertop is best suited for their needs
• What color and style they prefer as all stones are different
• Whether it is for a home with lots of children or busy traffic
• Their need for speed in its production and installation, as there is a difference in the time required to produce and install the various types of stone material

Since 1985, we've been helping El Paso homeowners decide what kind of countertop is the best for them. Also, we are a locally owned business, so I personally walk customers through the shop's stone yard, show them what we have and answer all their questions. Don't know what type of countertop is right? Come see it, feel it, and touch it. We're always willing to make an appointment at our convenience so you can come talk. Simply call our office at (915) 345-3774 to schedule your appointment.

What Happens During Your Templating Appointment

It can be a strange step for a lot of individuals, but it is definitely the step that can make or break your new countertops!

So, you've selected your stone, and now we will set up a time to come to your home and take measurements. A member of our fabricating team will come to your home with the digital measuring equipment to take detailed measurements of each piece of countertop you need, to the exact millimeter. Once the sink and cooktop are on-site, we will determine the final cut-outs and measure every angle and every wall inside your kitchen.

We will discuss which edge profiles you would like and review what's available as well as how the edges will look for your kitchen design. Any details we can't address will also be discussed at this time, such as an old plumbing part or out-of-square cabinetry. More often than not (I'd say nine out of ten times), the templating process reveals information that will keep you from being unhappy with your countertops. It could be that the wall isn't square or you'll need an additional quarter-inch on the backsplash, or some other small thing like that.

The templating typically takes about 45 minutes in a typical El Paso kitchen. Occasionally, for the more complex L-shaped or kitchen designs in the Eastside or in the newer houses near Cielo Vista, it may take a little longer. All you need to do is make sure the existing countertop has been removed and all the base cabinetry is in place. We've been doing this as a family business since 1985, so the templating crew has the know-how to spot potential issues and answer any questions you might have.

When they leave your house after templating, they take the data and files back to the shop and we fabricate your countertops, as the slab begins to become a finished countertop for your new kitchen. This is why it's so important to make sure templating goes correctly, as it means we get to deliver a quality product with tight seams and sharp edges when the countertops come installed.

The Installation Process from Removal to Final Seal

This is what you've been waiting for: We've measured your kitchen, our shop has created your countertops from the slab you picked out, and it's now time to have them installed. Every week we go from job to job, installing kitchen countertops throughout El Paso. We've perfected this process to be the most efficient and cleanest way for our company to perform our craft. This is typically how it goes on installation day:

• Dismantle the current countertops. First, we clear out the sink and any appliances that might be sitting on the countertops. Then we remove the old countertops. This usually takes about an hour, though it could take less depending on the layout.
• Check the cabinets. Before installing the new countertops, we'll make sure the cabinets are level. Cabinets in our area shift over time so we will shim the cabinets as needed.
• Dry fit. We put the countertop sections into position (not actually gluing them down) to make sure the seams fit and the cutouts for appliances are right. Our templates work out for a perfect fit nine out of ten times, but we always take the time to double-check.
• Put them in place. We use adhesive to adhere the countertops into their designated spots. We use a color-matched epoxy to adhere the seams together and then clamp the countertop sections until the epoxy is set.
• Finish the sink and cooktop cutout. Finally, we install an undermount sink from below the counter, hook up the plumbing and make sure everything is working right.
• Seal and polish the surface. Depending on what kind of stone countertop you have, some surfaces require a sealer to protect them from staining. Granite countertops and marble countertops always get sealed where we work but quartz countertops don't need sealing; the surface is just polished.

Normally the countertop installation will be completed the same day. If there are islands or breakfast bars to account for then we might work into the following morning. We are a family owned countertop shop that's been in business since 1985, so we know how to be fast but we are careful too. The most common statement we hear from homeowners on the Eastside is, "I can't believe you guys are finished that fast." This is because the actual installation is quick; the real work happens before installation day. Our fabrication team spends several days cutting, polishing and finishing the slab or slabs of stone that we source out of Brazil. When our installation crews come to your house to install the stone countertops, the stone slabs will be ready to go.

And, we always clean up after ourselves. No dust on your floors, no scraps in the yard, the dishes are clean from last night and you'll be cooking your dinner on your brand new kitchen countertops tonight.

How to keep stone countertops clean in a city with hard water

El Paso has a hard water problem. We hear from homeowners every week when they call with reports about chalky or white deposits on their kitchen counters, especially around the sink or at the base of the faucet. Hard water mineral deposits are common on the Borderland.

It doesn't have to be a problem, though, once you understand the problem you're dealing with.

Our water is full of minerals. That water you accidentally splash onto your countertop can dry in a few hours, leaving minerals behind. You have evaporating droplets, which can produce a film or a ring. If you have darker granite countertops or quartz countertops, that film probably shows up immediately, and you've probably noticed it. However, with marble, the film won't show up as fast as on the other countertops, but if you don't have that hard water situation resolved, your marble looks dirty.

• Buy a cleaner from our showroom that's acid free.
• Buy a cleaner at the grocery store, making sure that the pH is close to neutral.
• Wipe up those spills right away, especially wine, juices, and anything else that is acidic.
• Keep the area around your sink free of water when you finish using the sink, as rings will show up if it sits there.
• Reseal your stone countertops annually (or even biannually here, in our dry desert climate).

Resealing is more important here, in our dry desert climate, than in areas with more humidity. We're in El Paso, where we have relatively low humidity, and because the dry desert air is present, the sealant on your countertops might wear off faster. Since 1985, we have been serving the greater El Paso area.

Exactly how long you should leave your countertops without resealing is debatable. But you can tell a year can make a significant difference on the appearance of your countertops. To tackle older, stubborn hard water spots that have set on your natural stone countertops, sometimes it helps to leave baking soda and water paste on the spot and let it sit overnight. Rinse it off in the morning, and it will take out most of that hard water mineral build-up that forms on your natural stone. If you have etched surfaces like on marble, call us at (915) 345-3774, or else you may want to avoid abrasive cleaners that damage them.

With hard water, the process is slightly different for non-porous surfaces like quartz and Dekton. Because these aren't porous, there isn't the need to seal them, but you will notice mineral buildup if you allow the water to remain and dry there. A daily wipe is still recommended to spare you a big cleaning project a little later. Water in your home, and in many East El Paso neighborhoods, is known for being hard. The mineral content of that water is more noticeable in areas like the kitchen.

We want to assure you that hard water won't damage your kitchen countertops.

How to clean your kitchen counter

Don't use chemical cleaners that you buy from the grocery store because a lot of them are very acidic and a lot of them contain bleach and very harsh chemicals. You'll learn at our showroom on Gateway Blvd that they're not going to be good for your natural stone countertops. So what should you do, or at least something close to the following:

Kitchen Countertop Materials

Choose from five premium materials — each available to see and touch in our El Paso showroom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about kitchen countertops services in El Paso

Ready to Get Started?

Call now for a free estimate. Call (915) 345-3774 today.