Replacing Countertops With Granite

Why to Do It

Kitchen renovations are a great way to increase the value of your home and maximize its ergonomic potential. When designing your new kitchen, remember that nothing makes a bigger visual impact than your choice of countertop material. Granite countertops are an extremely popular option, due to their durability, ease of maintenance and beauty. Here are a few things to consider when replacing your old countertops with granite.

Selection

Granite is available in thousands of colors and patterns. The selection offered by big-box stores or kitchen-design centers is very narrow, and in no way represents the actual variety available. Instead of choosing your granite from the 10 colors available at your local design store, find granite yards in your area and visit them to view the slabs for yourself. Since granite is a natural material, no two slabs are the same, so choosing the exact slab you want will guarantee that your countertops end up looking the way you envision.

Cost

Granite is among the costlier options for countertop material. Depending on your choice of stone, granite countertops can cost anywhere from $45 per square foot to well over $100 per square foot. Less expensive stones are not necessarily lower-quality stones, though---it usually just means that their color is more common. Each granite yard will price its materials differently, so shop around to find the exact slab you want at the right price. To further control costs, consider using granite tiles instead of slab granite for your countertops. Granite tiles are usually about half the price of slab granite and, due to the nature of the material, can be installed with very small grout lines so the tiles seem to blend into one large slab.

Fabrication

Choosing the right granite fabricator is just as important as choosing the right granite. The skill of the granite fabricator and the quality of her work will determine the beauty of your finished countertops. Additionally, many fabricators have relationships with granite yards, and may be able to get you a discount on the raw material. Although granite slabs are polished before they reach the granite yard, the fabricator will have to polish the cut edges, apply any decorative bezels you desire, and of course make sure the granite is cut perfectly to fit your kitchen layout. Get price quotes from several fabricators and carefully inspect samples of their work.

Care

Granite is extremely durable, but it can be damaged and stained. Because it is a natural stone, it is somewhat porous (some granites are more porous than others) and requires yearly sealing. This is less of a concern with dark-colored granites. Granite can also chip or crack if direct force is applied. Granite is quite heat-resistant, and many people do not worry about using coasters or trivets when putting a hot pan on granite, but experts generally advise against exposing granite to extreme temperatures.