I-Home improvement

[PMS Witch]

A couple of thoughts on granite...

I installed granite because I liked the look of it. After living with it a couple of years, I find its utility makes it far more desirable for me than its appearance.

Kitchen countertops are one of the many things that are sold by men and used by women. How can some guy who has never so much as made toast in a kitchen properly address the various facets that must be considered before making an informed decision? In short, he's looking at installation, appliances, sinks, and faucets, while she's looking at preparing the family's three meals daily for a number of years.

Some questions to ask...

Where will the joints be. Unless you have a very small kitchen, granite will be installed in pieces. Stone is shipped from the quarry in roughly 12 X 8 foot pieces. You'll want to avoid joints near the sink. Consider the colour of the material used in the joint and how it matches the stone. Consider the pattern in the stone too. Some installers encourage the customer to come to the shop and approve the very piece of stone before work begins -- no surprises.

Thickness of stone. Thin stone will cost less, but will require a double thickness at the edge. Two-piece edge pieces lend themselves to more decorative treatment. Two-piece edges also have a seam running the entire length. Again, consider colour and grain, as it will show. Thick stone costs a little more for material, but less for labour. Thick stone reduces choice of edge treatment, but the edges are seamless.

Sinks and faucets. Most people choose under counter sinks and through the counter faucets. It's easy to wipe the counter spills into the sink. (Corian sinks molded to the countertop offer this convenience too.)

Granite countertops do not weaken from dishwasher steam. The particle board backing used with some other material requires a metal shield above the dishwasher.

Stoves and ovens. If a cooktop is selected, granite is often installed in pieces around it. The hole is just too big to allow sufficient material width otherwise. Cooktops in islands can be set into one piece of stone.

Cleaning. I find them easy to clean. Although I haven't scratched mine, the material is consistent throughout and injury could be repaird with a bit of polishing. So far, I've found nothing stains, although I was told olive oil will.

Heat resistance. A delight. I can take hot dishes, pots, or pans from the oven or stovetop and put on the countertop. It's thermally indestructible.

Disadvantages. Don't drop a glass jar on it. The Commander once dropped a Waterford sherry glass and it didn't break, but we're Irish and as such, are very lucky.

Another issue. Granite is usually polished to a mirror finish. This will reflect under-cabinet lighting and may cause glare when working. Consider this when selecting the lighting.

One thing one must consider is the wall behind the countertop. Select the covering for this wall and the countertop at the same time. Think about a backsplash.

Juggle these three (countertop, backsplash, and wall) to get the look you want.

Hint: Tiling the wall can be expensive. There are many choices of wallpaper that have a pattern similar to tiles. Most kitchens could be done with one roll -- and you can do it yourself. Live with it a while. When you're absolutely sure you like the look, remove the wallpaper and finish the job in tile. (Take some wallpaper with you to match tiles.)

I've seen stainless steel on kitchen walls. This stuff is a bear to keep clean. It shows every fingerprint, splash, and bit of dust. This is a very durable and practical material for commercial kitchens, where it stands up to abuse from hurried chefs and industrial cleaners, but at home, it's labour intensive. I like to clean my stainless steel appliances with baking soda -- it's quick and it doesn't look too bad if I miss a spot.

Cheers, PW

Originally #msg-319588 and #msg-319607