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Granicrete Minnesota + Smith and Trade Mercantile = One of a Kind

Smith and Trade Mercantile of Stillwater, MN commissioned Granicrete Minnesota to create a one of a kind table. So we did just that.

Builders: Tom Eaton, Nic Lang
Designer: Nic Lang

Over 100 hours of work went into bringing this table to life. This beautiful piece features 3 layers of MDF wood and a chainsaw-chiseled edge, as well as copper piping and the Smith and Trade logo inlaid in its top. This table weighs in at 500 pounds and uses Granicrete colors and epoxy make it a truly unique piece that can never be copied.

This table will be featured in a local magazine and on TV, where Kelli Kaufer – design professional– is a guest each month. Kelli, co-owner of Smith and Trade Mercantile, commissioned this piece with the Smiths to create a focal point in their store which features local artisans’ works, as well as artisans teaching weekly classes. We even hope to teach an epoxy class twice a year!

Ready for your own custom Granicrete work? From tables to counters, flooring and more, we’ve got you covered. Contact Granicrete Minnesota at 763-367-0947 to get started.

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Host Like a Pro

Today’s the big day. You’re hosting an event in your home. You’re entertaining guests. You’ve deep cleaned and decluttered. The wine is aerating, and the food is ready to serve. But is your space ready for guests? And more importantly, are you ready for all the clean up after guests leave? Don’t worry. Granicrete Minnesota has you covered.

KITCHEN
During the Party: The kitchen is a fantastic room for starting a party, but there’s also a fantastic chance for messes to occur. Guests gather around the island and snack, pour wine, and mingle. Did Karen use a coaster on the kitchen island for her glass of red wine? Did Bob spill salsa on the counter? If you’ve got a natural stone counter, you might be fretting over stains instead of enjoying your event. Instead of stone, think Granicrete. Granicrete is stain-resistant and non-porous, so wine and salsa won’t leave any residue on your counters.
After Guests Leave: Granicrete is low maintenance and can be cleaned quickly with just soap and water. When your guests have left, you won’t need to spend hours scrubbing your kitchen.

BATHROOM
During the Party: When you’re hosting, your bathroom is sure to see higher-than-normal traffic. With natural stone, this is a chance for new bacteria to be introduced to your home. But not with Granicrete. Granicrete is bacteria-resistant and NSF-certified so you can enjoy your party knowing that you’re keeping your home free of germs just by having Granicrete counters in your bathroom.
After Guests Leave: Remember all that extra traffic of guests coming in and out of the bathroom? With Granicrete floors, you don’t have to worry about dirt or grime build up. All Granicrete floors are sealed and don’t use grout.

LIVING ROOM
During the Party: We all know Minnesota winters (and springs, and autumns) can be frigid. After the snow-covered boots come off, your guests might be chilly if you have a traditional floor in your living room. Wood, tile, and even carpet can be cold and uninviting. Granicrete can be easily installed over heated flooring so guests feel comfortable keeping their feet on the floor – and off your couch.
After Guests Leave: Is Stacy drops a heavy glass on your wood or tile floor, you might be looking at a costly repair. Not with Granicrete. Our innovative products are extremely durable and stand up to significant wear and tear. In the event that a repair does need to be done, we can quickly and cost-effectively fix your Granicrete.

Granicrete lets you host like a pro, before, during, and after your event. To get your next project started, contact Granicrete Minnesota at 763-367-0947.

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Happy Anniversary!

Granicrete Minnesota opened its doors on April 1st, 2008. For the past 11 years, we have established our place in the residential and commercial design industries. We provide the look of luxury natural stone for less.

Thank you for being part of the Granicrete Minnesota family. Here’s to 11 more wonderful years of custom concrete, more special than stone.

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Granicrete MN + MPLS Home & Garden Show IDEA HOME

Granicrete MN to be featured in IDEA HOME at Minneapolis Home & Garden Show

Granicrete Minnesota will be featured in the IDEA HOME at the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show. The show runs from Feb. 22-24 and March 1-3, 2019 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. This is the third year Granicrete Minnesota has been selected to be part of the IDEA HOME. This year the theme is “Building a Healthy, Happy Home.”

Granicrete MN joins EPS Builders, HOM Furniture, Kohler, Andersen Windows, California Closets and other vendors to build this contemporary home, right in the middle of the convention center! They have teamed up with Puustelli Kitchen Cabinets with a Granicrete kitchen counter and island top. They also
custom built the unique bathroom vanity that has been overlaid with their concrete coordinating with the Kolher tub surround.

Guest celebrities this year include: Drew & Jonathan Scott from “Property Brothers”, Clint Harp from “Fixer Upper”, Brad & Heather Fox from “Stay or Sell,” Matt Muenster from “Bath Crashers,” and Kelli Kaufer Designer.

For more information call Granicrete Minnesota at 507-373-3547 or visit us at www.GranicreteMN.com.

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Granicrete Minnesota + Lake Home & Cabin Show

Granicrete Minnesota will be at the Lake Home & Cabin Show February 15th – 17th. Find us at booth 742. Get your tickets and save here. We’ll see you at the show!

Lake Home & Cabin Show | Feb. 15-17

There’s nothing more Minnesotan than spending your summer weekends at the cabin.  Some of us own or share a slice of “Cabin Heaven,” while others are known as “OPC’s” — we get invited to other people’s cabins.  Both of us are the lucky ones when there’s a chair at the end of the dock for that first cup of morning coffee.

We have a love affair with our lake homes and cabins and each year we rekindle it at the Lake Home & Cabin Show.

Now in its 15th year, the Lake Home & Cabin Show is Minnesota’s ONLY show that specializes in second homes and the second home lifestyle.  If you own a lake home, cottage or cabin or you want to own one this is a truly unique and focused event you’ll want to experience.

We’ll see you in Minneapolis!

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll find at the Lake Home & Cabin Show:

  • Rustic and Specialty Furniture & Furnishings
  • Architects, Builders & Remodelers
  • Real Estate & Finance
  • Sporting Gear, Outdoor Equipment & Marine
  • Landscaping & Lakeshore Maintenance
  • Custom Products, Accessories & Publications
  • How-To Seminars & Demonstrations
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Granicrete Minnesota: Best of Houzz 2019

GRANICRETE MINNESOTA of Albert Lea, MN
Awarded Best Of Houzz 2019

Awarded by Community of Over 40 Million Monthly Users, Annual BOH Badge Highlights Home Remodeling & Design Professionals with Top Ratings and Most Popular Home Designs

Albert Lea, MN, January 25, 2019 – Granicrete Minnesota has won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading platform for home renovation and design. The 11-year-old decorative concrete company was chosen by the more than 40 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 2.1 million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.

The Best Of Houzz badge is awarded annually, in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design awards honor professionals whose work was the most popular among the Houzz community. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including a pro’s overall rating on Houzz and client reviews submitted in 2018. Architecture and interior design photographers whose images were most popular are
recognized with the Photography award.

A “Best Of Houzz 2019” badge will appear on winners’ profiles as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.

“We are thrilled and honored to be recognized by this national residential remodeling and building website platform! We have worked hard to give our clients the best service, artisan designs and custom work that we can with our decorative concrete overlay,” states owner Jean Eaton.

“Best of Houzz is a true badge of honor as it is awarded by our community of homeowners, those who are hiring design,  remodeling and other home improvement professionals for their projects,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “We are excited to celebrate the 2019 winners chosen by our community as their favorites for home design and customer experience, and to highlight those winners
on the Houzz website and app.”

Follow Granicrete Minnesota on Houzz

About Granicrete Minnesota
Decorative concrete overlays are still a relatively new product in the building industry. Granicrete Minnesota works in the commercial (see on Mortarr.com) and residential areas in the new build and remodeling projects for both interior and exterior applications. They provide overlays for countertops (NSF certified), interior floors, garage floors, bath/showers, patios/walkways, outdoor kitchens, walls, pool decks, furniture, fireplace surrounds and much more! They have been featured at the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show in the “IDEA HOUSE” 2017, 2018, 2019, on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, three episodes of I HATE MY KITCHEN, HGTV magazine and many artisan home tours in the Minneapolis area. Granicrete Minnesota has a large showroom in Golden Valley and a training center-warehouse in Albert Lea, MN.

About Houzz
Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest
residential design database in the world and a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality.
Headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin, Sydney, Moscow, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. Houzz is a registered trademark of Houzz Inc. worldwide. For more information, visit houzz.com.

For more information about Granicrete call 763-367-0947 or 507-373-3547.

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Granicrete Minnesota + Australia: Reunited

Lee and Scott are two of our students from our Summer 2017 Floors & Counters classes. They’re also from Australia. This couple traveled over 8,000 miles to attend! Talk about a long trip.

Recently, they made the trip again to reunite with friends Pat and Bill, as well as Tom and Jean Eaton. Pat and Bill used to live Australia. After they moved to Minnesota, they took our Granicrete Floors & Counters Classes. When Pat and Bill shared what they’d learned with Lee and Scott, they knew they had to take the classes too. While attending class, the couples learned how to install Granicrete products, work with our colors and isopropyl alcohols, and how to use our epoxies and light-weight concrete.

Today, Pat uses Granicrete in commercial and residential projects. She’s done work in their coffee shop, The Bean, as well as their Air B&B homes. She even took the class with her sister Nora; they hope to start their own business together. Nora uses Granicrete on furniture that she sells, such as table tops
and resurfaced end tables.

Lee and Scott took their knowledge back to Australia and are starting their own epoxy company called Pro Surfaces-Australia. We’re so excited for their new adventure! Someday, we’d love to visit Lee and Scott – like with many of our students, we’ve become close friends with them over the years.

If you’d like to join our Granicrete Minnesota classes, you can view more information here. We offer Floors & Counters classes ($500 per class) and Designer I & II classes ($800). In these classes, you’ll learn about concrete and epoxies, and how to use them in many applications like interior
& exterior surfaces, art, furniture, and commercial & residential applications. We also teach some classes, such as our Showers Class, by request.

For more information or to book your spot for our next class, call us at 507-373-3547.

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Out With the Old: What Trends are staying in 2018 and what’s replacing them?

New year, new trends. Some interior design trends that were popular in 2018 will not be joining us in 2019. House Beautiful interviewed 5 interior designers, and here are some of their top tips to stay up-to-date for 2019.

Old: Bedroom Accent Walls
New: Textured Wallpaper (Yes, wallpaper!)
A subtle textured wallpaper can elevate an entire space, instead of drawing focus to only one wall. You could draw attention to just one wall, but why not give the whole room a cohesive vibe?

Old: Mass Produced Cabinet Fixtures
New: Handcrafted, Embellished Fixtures
In 2019, we’re going to see embellished, hand-crafted, and maximalist design in the kitchen. Consider handmade leather pulls instead of chrome, brass, or rose gold knobs.

Old: One Color Palette
New: Color Curtains
Kitchens can be clinical and cold. Instead of stark white, chrome, or black, consider adding splashes of color to your kitchen with curtains or table settings. Adding color to the kitchen will tie it better to the other living spaces of your home.

Old: Matching Metals
New: Mixing Metals
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: you CAN mix metals. Letting gold and silver mingle together is okay. And it gives your rooms a more luxe feel.

Old: Plain Ceilings
New: Ceilings with Flair
We often focus so much on the walls, the furniture, and the flooring of a room, and the ceiling is left neglected. Give your ceiling some extra love with attention to detail.

What interior design projects do you have planned for 2019? Granicrete Minnesota is here to help. Call us at 507-373-3547 to get started on your next renovation, remodel, or redesign.

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Does your kitchen need a fairy godmother?

It’s morning. Again. Time to trudge down to your kitchen, make breakfast (but first, coffee) and start your day. Maybe you’re greeted by boring vinyl counters. Maybe you walk across a cracked laminate floor. Maybe your backsplash hasn’t been updated since shag carpets were all the rage.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could wave a magic wand and update your kitchen? You know, bibbity-bop-bounter, update my counters? Look no further. Granicrete Minnesota is your kitchen remodel fairy godmother, and we’re here to dispel your renovation worries.

Common Myths About Renovating Your Kitchen with Granicrete

Kitchen renovation has to be expensive.
Have you ever priced out a full kitchen remodel? Sticker shock alert! The average homeowner spends $17,000 on a full kitchen remodel, but you don’t have to. Granicrete is a natural stone alternative at an affordable cost. Starting at $50.00 – $80.00 per square foot, Granicrete counters, floors, backsplashes, and more are within your reach… and your budget.

Granicrete counters are high-maintenance
Have you ever spilled wine on a granite countertop? If you don’t clean it up right away, liquids can seep into the porous stone and cause staining. And worse? Bacteria. Non-porous, bacteria-resistant, non-staining Granicrete is NSF Certified for your peace of mind and ease of use. Maintenance for Granicrete is so simple! Just clean your counters with soap and water, and you’re good to go. If you’ve got a stubborn bit of grime stuck on your Granicrete counter, we recommend Windex. Want something less harsh? Try “The Original Bee’s Wax” – it’s foodsafe!

Concrete is unattractive – no thank you!
Granicrete is a highly customizable product. Unlike traditional concrete, we offer Granicrete flooring, counters, and more in every color you can think of. Want marble-inspired counters without paying for natural stone? Granicrete. Looking to match a specific color in your design? Granicrete. Want a piece of art instead of a generic tile backsplash? Yep – Granicrete does that too.

Ready to wave your magic wand and update your kitchen? Call Granicrete Minnesota today at 507-373-3547 to summon your fairy godmother.

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Top 10 Reasons You Should Be Using Granicrete!

Granicrete is a unique and innovative material, unlike anything else on the market. From tile to countertops, baths to outdoors, we’ve got it covered – literally! But just in case you need more convincing, we’ve narrowed down the top 10 reasons you should use Granicrete in your next project!

1. Innovative

Use Granicrete for countertops, interior/exterior flooring, showers, fireplace surrounds, pool decks, patios etc. Our product is the ORIGINAL concrete overlay for countertops. It won the Most Innovative Product award at the 2007 World of Concrete.

2. Customizable

Not only are all of our designs and colors one of a kind, but we can offer a variety of sealer and edge options.

3. Exceptional Strength

Our countertops are 3 times the strength of regular concrete, and our floors are twice the strength.

4. Artisan Crafted

All work is hand crafted and designed by a trained artisan.

5. No Staining or Bacteria

Granicrete is nonporous and nonabsorbent. Never worry about any staining or bacteria! Granicrete is the ONLY overlay company in the USA that is NSF 51 certified and is safe for use in commercial kitchens.

6. Easy to Maintain

Never have to reseal your countertops. Use soap and water or a natural green cleanser. Our shower sealer was invented for cities with graffiti problems, so your shower wall scum is no match!

7. Environmentally Friendly

Since we most often go over existing surfaces (countertops, wood, tile, cement, glass etc.) we don’t fill landfills with waste, and because 98% of our sealers are environmentally safe, you can stay in your home during the installation. Don’t worry about booking a doggy daycare for Fido – your pets will be safe, too!

8. No More Grout

Our countertops are completely seamless. Floors and showers may have the look of tile or stone but are seamless with the look of grout.

9. Heat Resistant

Our countertops can take indirect heat up to 500 degrees. We can provide heated flooring with our product.

10. Light Weight

Because our concrete is only 1/8” thick, it is light weight: perfect for older homes, odd shaped countertops, boats, and even
RV’s, where weight would be a problem.