Original 1990s laminate
The 1990s laminate with a built-in backsplash comes off quickly; we template the cabinets and install new counters.
Countertop Fabrication & Installation →Serving Crystal Lake & nearby Lake Zurich, Elgin
Countertop Services in Crystal Lake, IL
Chipped, stained, dull or just dated? We repair, refinish, restore or replace kitchen countertops in Crystal Lake.
- Serving Crystal Lake ZIP 60014, 60012, 60098
- A new look without tearing the kitchen out
- Clean, protected work area every day
Countertop problems we fix in Crystal Lake
Not every worn countertop has to be torn out. In Crystal Lake we fill chips, rejoin seams, resurface laminate, polish dull stone and install new tops when nothing else will do, and we tell you up front which of those your kitchen actually needs.
Burn mark or scorch on quartz
A hot pan can leave a pale or brown mark in the resin of quartz. Light marks often polish out; deeper ones get a filled patch.
Countertop Repair →Granite that lost its shine
Years of harsh cleaners and wear leave granite flat and hazy. A professional polish and fresh sealer usually bring back the original gloss.
Stone Countertop Restoration →Oil or water stains in stone
Dark spots near the stove or around the faucet are often oil or water soaked into the stone. A poultice draws many of them out before resealing.
Stone Countertop Restoration →Peeling or worn laminate
Worn laminate can be reglued at the edges and coated in a new finish, as long as the particleboard below hasn't swollen.
Countertop Refinishing & Resurfacing →Chipped edge or corner
Most chipped corners get a color-matched resin fill that is shaped flush and polished. From standing height it is hard to find.
Countertop Repair →Seam that opened up or feels raised
If you can catch a fingernail on the seam, it can usually be releveled and reglued without removing the tops.
Countertop Repair →Crack across the stone
Hairline cracks near a sink cut-out or an overhang can often be stabilized and filled. We check first whether the cabinet underneath has shifted.
Countertop Repair →What we do on the job
- Diagnosis on siteWe look at the material, the damage and the cabinets under it before recommending a fix.
- Chip and crack repairDamaged spots filled, leveled and buffed to blend with the stone.
- Seam repairOld filler ground out, the pieces leveled and the joint refilled.
- Honing and polishingEtch marks and dull areas on marble and granite taken out with diamond pads.
- Stain removal and sealingStains treated and the stone resealed so new spills bead up.
- Sink remountingLoose undermount sinks reattached with clips or brackets and resealed.
- New countertop installationQuartz, granite, quartzite, butcher block or laminate installed when replacement is the right call.
Options to choose from
Repair, refinish, restore or replaceRepair fixes damage, refinishing changes the surface, restoration renews stone, replacement changes everything.
MarbleSoft and acid-sensitive, so it etches; honing and polishing restore it.
QuartziteNatural stone with a marble look and more hardness; it still needs sealing.
GraniteHard natural stone that takes heat well; it needs resealing over time and can be repolished.
QuartzLow-maintenance tops that dislike direct heat but resist stains well.
Countertop Services before and after — Crystal Lake homes
Before
In progress
AfterCountertop Services in a 1990s two-story colonial, Crystal Lake
A 1990s two-story colonial near Burtons Bridge, a typical kitchen for Crystal Lake. Before: almond laminate with a backsplash lip. The reason for the call: laminate that had seen better days. Finished kitchen: black honed granite countertops installed on the existing cabinets.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Lake Zurich
This one is a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Lake Zurich. What we started with: white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam. The main complaint was a yellowed solid-surface top with a visible seam. Finished kitchen: dark soapstone-look quartz countertops installed on the existing cabinets.
Countertop Services in Lake Zurich →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a raised ranch in Hoffman Estates
A raised ranch in Hoffman Estates, a typical kitchen for Hoffman Estates. The kitchen as it was: white laminate with brown flecks. What bothered the owners most: worn laminate counters. After: warm walnut butcher block countertops installed on the existing cabinets.
Countertop Services in Hoffman Estates →
Before
AfterA Crystal Lake 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
Cabinets in warm taupe with satin brass pulls, warm walnut butcher block counters, a gray beveled subway tile backsplash, light beige 18x18 porcelain tile flooring and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Remodeling in Crystal Lake →
Before
AfterKitchen Cabinet Painting in a two-story colonial from the 1990s, Crystal Lake
What changed: the same doors sprayed in creamy white uppers and navy lowers, new matte black pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Crystal Lake →How the job goes
- Send photos or callShow us the chip, stain, crack or the whole counter and tell us what bothers you.
- Look on siteA visit to measure, test the stone and confirm which fix fits.
- Written estimateYou get an itemized estimate for the repair, refinish, restoration or new tops.
- We do the workThe work is scheduled, done with the area protected and the kitchen cleaned up afterward.
Countertop Services questions from Crystal Lake homeowners
What does countertop work cost?
It depends on the material, the size of the damage or the kitchen, and which fix you choose. We give a written, itemized estimate after the visit.
My laminate countertop is peeling. Can you fix it?
Often, yes — loose edges are reglued and trimmed. Water-damaged cores are the exception, and we'll say so.
Can you just replace the countertops and keep my cabinets?
Usually. Solid cabinets carry new stone fine; we level them first and reinforce where an overhang needs it.
Can a chipped granite or quartz countertop be fixed?
Usually, yes — the chip is filled, leveled and polished, and on busy patterns it is very hard to spot.
What is the difference between an etch and a stain?
Etching looks lighter and duller than the stone around it; a stain looks darker. They need different treatments.
Do I need a permit for countertop project in Crystal Lake?
It depends on the scope. Crystal Lake's rule in short: Kitchen alteration handout (Nov 2019) requires a contractor list and two sets of plans showing floor plans, electrical layout, structure and plumbing changes; inspections for rough electrical, plumbing, framing, insulation and final. We handle the permit when one is needed with City of Crystal Lake Community Development - Building Division.
Do you work in my part of Crystal Lake?
Yes. Our crews work across Crystal Lake, including Downtown, Coventry, Four Colonies, The Villages — ZIP 60014, 60012, 60098 — and nearby Lake Zurich, Elgin, Hoffman Estates.
Working in Crystal Lake
- A lot of Crystal Lake kitchens date from the 1990s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Crystal Lake homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in a historic district? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
DowntownCoventryFour ColoniesThe VillagesWedgewoodBurtons Bridge
ZIP 60014ZIP 60012ZIP 60098
Countertop Services nearby
Other kitchen services in Crystal Lake
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.
Kitchen Backsplash InstallationTile backsplashes with clean lines and flush outlets.