? for those who have granite countertops

[always dreamin']

I am thinking about installing a granite countertop in my kitchen. My question is directed to those who already have granite. Do you do anything special to protect your counter when you cook? For example, how do you take care not to splatter any grease, etc. while cooking? Also, how do you like your granite? Do you regret going with granite? What made you choose granite over quartz? Any help on these two beautiful countertop options would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[wilderness01]

Love my granite. I don't do anything special to protect it. Do not use ammonia or bleach on it. Glass plus is ok as it is ammonia free. Or plain soap and water. Although they say you can put hot items directly on it, I try not to. I still do not feel comfortable putting a hot pan on it right from the oven. Good luck.

 

[jel0511]

I just went through the same debate and we choose quartz. The main reason I choose quartz is because it requires less maintenance than granite. I didn't want to have to reseal my countertop every 6 months (that's what the guy told me at the kitchen store). I also didn't want to have to worry about what I was using, splatters, etc. So, quartz it is for me.

 

[Loubon]

We have granite and we love it. Sealing is nothing more than wiping it down thouroughly with a liquid sealer every six months or so. No problems with grease, splatters, hot pans or anything. Just don't stand on it to reach something because it could get a pressure crack.

 

[my3kids]

I put hot pans directly on our island which has a granite top. Nothing seems to hurt it or stain it...knock on wood!!

 

[DawnCt]

Originally posted by my3kids
I put hot pans directly on our island which has a granite top. Nothing seems to hurt it or stain it...knock on wood!!

You mean "knock on granite....!

 

[damo]

I love my granite countertop.

 

[RUDisney]

We have a quartz (Zodiaq) countertop and a granite top on our wet bar (14" long in the next room.) I liked that the quartz is non-permeable and doesn't have to be sealed, but I have also had no problems with the granite on the bar. The kids eat there all the time and we entertain alot. The thing I don't like about the granite is that it is black and you can see streaks on it. I have the astral pearl in the kitchen and it is easy to wipe it down without being concerned about streaking.

The lysol wipes work pretty nicely on the granite.

 

[arminnie]

I miss my granite countertops that I had put in at my previous residence. The sealer is really no big deal. I only did it about once a year.

I loved not worrying about it at all. My kitchen was fairly small and I loved being able to put pans or cookie sheets that were still hot on it. It was also great for rolling out cookies, pie crust, etc.

I would like to do something to my current stained formica countertops. My friends who have considered quartz found that they did not like the way it looked in the big slabs. The samples looked good but there was something that they did not like in a big piece. Just something to consider.

I would never get Corian as it is VERY expensive (can cost as much as granite) and you have to baby it. Yes it's repairable but that means that you do have to repair it - i.e. it gets damaged from heat, knives, etc. To me (my opinion only) it looks like a hunk of plastic. It is a good option if you want an all white kitchen as the granite is going to have color.

So depending on how much money I have to spend I will probably go go with a good looking laminate (Formica) or granite. I will also probably consider the quartz but only after seeing the big pieces.

My current kitchen has tiles inset into the formica by the stove which is handy for taking things out of the oven. I just wish the previous owners had not scrubbed all the finish off of the formica.

 

[kpgclark]

I just had my kitchen redone with granite (Ubatuba to be exact). The darker the granite the less porous it is and the more resistant to stain. Some experts say that the less porous granites don't (really shouldn't) be sealed. There is an awesome stone site which really helped me a lot. There is something called the lemon juice test that you can do to see if your granite will stain easily. Generally they don't stain though. What you do is get a sample from your supplier and pour some lemon juice on it. Wait a day and wipe it off. Does it leave a stain? If so, it is a more porous stone. Your supplier can give you lots of information. My favorite way to clean it is first to wipe it down with a soapy sponge and dry it. Then all you need is a damp microfiber cloth to get the shine up. You can also use steel wool that is the fluffiest you can buy (I can't remember how steel wool is classified). I love that you can put hot stuff right on the counter directly out of the oven or off the stove. That is so great. I wouldn't have anything else on my counter.

 

[mrsv98]

Funny you should post this topic because I just found the coolest product I am considering for our kitchen! It is manufactured granite from a company called Granite Transformations . This stuff is amazing. It is made from granite and polymers and installed directly over your exisisting countertops in a day! Also, no sealing required and it is stain/chip/heat resistant. It can be used for couhntertops or even walls in showers. There is a showroom near us and my DSIL and I are going on a road trip soon to check it out. If you are interested I will let you know what it looks like in person.

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

That is so cool! Please post and let us know how you liked it, this may be something I would want to look into. Also, the nearest location it has listed to me is in Atlanta, which is about 4 hrs. away. Can you ask them how far out they can go? Or if you can just measure and have them shipped to you? Thanks for that link, I had no idea this was available!

 

[always dreamin']

mrsv98-this looks neat, would be curious what you thought about it when you see it in person. Please let me know.

Thanks for all the responses. I just don't know what to do. I have pretty much ruled out corian because I don't care for the dull finish. I like the shiny look. We are putting in Cherry cabinets with the Brazilian Cherry floor and I'm going crazy on what countertop to put with it. We were going to do the Black Star Granite Laminate top with it but we are now thinking this may be too dark with the cabinets and floors. I think granite is very beautiful and think it would be worth the expense. The only problem is that I keep hearing the negatives about granite which is what scares me. People tell me I should go with the quartz instead. I would love to hear more opinions on these two products if anyone has them.

Thanks!

 

[kpgclark]

What negatives do you hear about granite?

 

[Lisa F]

A lot of the negatives that you "hear" about granite are simply not true. Some of the negatives that ARE true are the following:

-Some stones that are sold as "granite" (but are not actually geologically granite) need to be sealed. There are many stone countertops that do not require sealing and if you find a knowledgable dealer they should be able to tell you which is which. In general lighter colored granites need to be sealed more often than darker colored granites.

-Granite is hard. It sounds stupid and obvious but granite IS a very hard material. If you drop a plate or glass on it, you can say goodbye to that plate or glass... sometimes laminate and corian can be more forgiving. Some people don't care for the clanking noises that things make when you put them down on granite. You will have the same problem with engineered quartz products.

-Granite is cold. If you put hot dishes or mugs of coffee down on them, they will cool down pretty quickly. You'll have the same problems with engineered quartz countertops.

As far as I can tell, along with the expense, those are pretty much the only downsides to granite. Some people also complain about the seams in granite (vs. corian which is seamless) but if you go with a good installer, the seams will not be noticible.

The benefits of granite are many. It's beautiful. The price has come down quite a bit in recent years making it more accessible to people who are not quite so rich and famous. It's one of the must durable things out there and will last forever. You can place hot things on there without worrying about whether you are going to ruin your countertop... in fact, with the exception of dropping a bowling ball on it where there already happens to be a hairline crack, granite countertops will be virtually indestructable. Some quartz products are not quite as resistant to heat, but in general quarts products and granite have most of the same upsides and downsides, it's generally just a matter of which look you prefer (they are also priced comparably).

If you love the look of granite, go for it! I don't think you will regret it.

 

[arminnie]

I really agree with Lisa F. In my old house I lived with horrible peeling laminate for two years while I was researching. When I decided that I really wanted granite - then I had to save to pay for it!

I did not know that you were supposed to seal it and didn't for over a year with absolutely no problems.

You really should get estimates from multiple sources. One of the first people that I had come by in CA quoted me a price 2 1/2 times what I ended up paying. Also a friend of mine here in AR found a place that charges about half of what others are charging - and their work is the best. Some places are really gouging in my opinion.

If you can afford it I would just go with it. Price is really the only reason to pick something else. Be sure that you do go get to pick your own piece of granite if that's what you go with. You really cannot tell from just a sample. Your kitchen sounds like it is going to be fabulous and the granite would really be a nice finishing touch.

 

[always dreamin']

Originally posted by kpgclark
What negatives do you hear about granite?

The big complaint I hear about granite is the hassle of sealing it. However, the people who actually have granite countertops seem to say it's not a hassle at all. I've also heard the negative about the seams... but you also have seams with quartz, correct?

Thank you, Lisa F. Your information is very helpful.

It's nice to hear from people who have granite that really love it. Would love to hear more negatives about quartz to help the decision process!

Thank you for all the information. I just knew this was a good place to ask!

 

[kpgclark]

There is no sealing! Your installer will (if needed depending on the type of granite) seal it before you get it. Don't worry about it after that. Regarding the seams, seeing them depends on pattern or movement of the stone you select. My granite is dark with flecks of gold/silver. It is a very consistant stone. My installer matched the seam color to the granite and you can't see them unless you really look. A good installer will place seams in unobtrusive places too. Slabs are pretty large so you won't need too many seams. Now if you pick a stone with a lot of movement you will have more apparent seams because the seam is only one color. Also the more movement you have the harder it will be to have a nice flow from stone section to stone section. Ask your installer or kitchen designer where he/she thinks the seams will be and go from there.

 

[Lynn CC]

I LOVE my granite countertops and backsplash!
Rosa Beta was the color we got, it goes well with white cabinets.
We've had ours 2 years and we are going to seal them this spring for the first time since they sealed them at the place.
I put a potholder under a hot pan...just in case.

 

[kpgclark]

Lynn, go for it. Remove the potholder! I promise you don't need it...

I'll be happy to e-mail the original poster photos of my counters (I have Cherry cabinets like you, and I have a tumbled marble backsplash). Just try to find a seam! Send me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send you pictures.