Granite Display Rack Ideas
Because of granite's good looks, it makes an attractive display rack to showcase your prized possessions. Installed granite prices vary as of 2011 depending on the region you live in, type of stone, detailing and difficulty of installation, according to This Old House. Generally, prices range from $60 to $120 per square foot. Keep your granite racks smaller than 3 feet long to prevent cracking or use engineered shelves that provide support for longer shelves. Does this Spark an idea?
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Open Rack
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Mount slabs of granite onto a wall and for a updated look. For a less expensive alternative to a slab of granite, consider granite tiles. Contemporary kitchens have open shelving and display dishes and plates neatly on them. Open shelves allow for easy access and high visibility. If you choose to display other items like trophies, you can mount the granite on any sturdy surface. Granite is heavy, so if you are mounting into drywall, screw supports into wood studs or a wood backing behind the drywall. Use decorative L-brackets to mount the granite slabs for a traditional style. Or, for a modern look, mount the granite on a thick wooden shelf that you can mount using a floating shelf bracket. Drill pilot holes into the granite before screwing them onto the bracket.
Enclosed Rack
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Enclosed racks are helpful if you want to protect your displayed items from being knocked over or keep them locked. You can use a similar method as with the open rack by mounting it to the wall or make it into more of a freestanding unit by mounting it to a finished wood panel and adding wood side panels to the granite slab rack. Use wooden-framed glass doors to enclose the front of the encased rack.
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Built-in Rack
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If you have existing built-in shelves, you can remove them if they are wooden and replace them with granite slabs. Use the existing brackets or L-brackets to mount them. Built-in shelves are embedded into the wall, and are a stationary and permanent fixture as long as the wall is intact and unaltered.
Rack Lighting
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Once you have the granite slabs mounted, consider different lighting ideas. You can attach small lights onto the drywall for open racks and built-in racks, and onto the wood for enclosed racks. According to Energy Star, Energy Star-qualified LED lights have a lifespan about two to five times longer than fluorescent bulbs and 35 to 50 times longer than other incandescent bulbs, so you'll replace them less frequently and save money in the long run.
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References
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