The Ultimate Guide to Granite Countertops

Kitchen Remodel Trends The Relative Popularity of Granite Countertops 

Granite, as far back as the 1920s was seen in kitchens however it was the exclusive domain of only the uber-rich. It was a rare material, those many decades ago, which caused it to be one of the most expensive ways a wealthy socialite could impress their friends. 

It was a status symbol for sure and like many trends that start with the extremely wealthy, they eventually make their way into everyday life, though it took many decades. The increased supply for granite countertops allowed for prices to fall bringing granite into more and more homes. 

Granite while still extremely popular, has fallen to the #2 position behind quartz capturing roughly one-third of the market.  Prices for granite have continued to fall reaching near bargain levels with some grades of granite going for $40 per square foot. 

Price is not the only reason granite has been a mainstay of kitchen countertops, its natural hardness, physical durability, ease of maintenance have allowed it to remain on top. It’s an extremely diverse stone available in nearly all the colors of the rainbow and is widely available at nearly any home improvement or kitchen design studio. 

Kitchen Remodel Trends How Much Does Granite Cost?

The cost will always, unsurprisingly, be one of the biggest considerations to keep in mind when opting for any material. Within the cost department, granite tends to perform better than certain other materials such as marble.

Within the U.S state of Florida, for example, more common varieties of granite costs between $40 to $60 per square foot with some of the more rare varieties carrying a higher cost between $70 to $100 per square foot. You also have exotic granites, like Van Gogh Granite, which looks like his famous starry night painting which could be tens of thousands per slab. 

Another factor that can have an effect on the price of granite countertops is the thickness of the material. There are fabrication techniques like mitered edges, that allow you to have the look of an extremely thick slab of granite while using thinner and therefore less expensive stock.   

Kitchen Remodel Trends How Easily Can Granite be Damaged?

Granite is a very strong and robust material as we’ve already established, but of course, it is not indestructible. If handled incorrectly, your precious granite countertop could crack resulting in a major problem.  

Granite may not be a porous material, so it does not suffer from deep stains the way that marble does but if left exposed to acidic chemicals such as fruit juice, olive oil, vinegar, bleach, ammonia, or Windex it will experience some discoloration that is not easily corrected.  

More serious problems can occur if you place excessively heavy items on your granite kitchen countertop for long periods of time. Cracks in granite countertops are extremely rare due to the material’s hardness but they can happen if, for example, you decide to stand on your countertop or place heavy weights upon it. Though granite can withstand high force, there is a common issue with respect to the materials and temperature resistance.  

Kitchen Remodel Trends The Weaknesses of Granite

Overall, it can be observed that granite is a fairly ideal material to use for a countertop, its strong, beautiful-looking comes into diverse types and varieties is temperature resistant, and is not easily scratched or damaged.  

That being said though, at the same time it has been observed that it is vulnerable to etching, cannot withstand extreme force, and its greatest weakness is that its sealant and finish can be easily damaged by high temperatures.  

Overall, though, it can be said that if used properly and maintained appropriately, granite is one of the most affordable, and simultaneously practical, options for your countertop. The biggest concern for you when selecting granite should really be to make sure that you’re able to maintain it properly.   

Kitchen Remodel Trends The Pros of Using Granite

Cost: Granite is one of the more affordable materials with respect to kitchen countertops, especially when compared to marble. So, opting for granite is one of the best decisions for you if you are interested in reducing the costs of your kitchen counter.  

Hardness: Granite is a very hard material so it is extremely practical for use as a kitchen countertop. In if you expect to place a lot of heavy material and items on it, it is especially one of the best materials that you can opt for.  

Abundance: Granite is not a particularly rare material, especially since in the past few decades when new granite mines have been found in many different regions of the world. This makes it relatively easy to access no matter which part of the world you have to reside in.  

Diversity: Granite is a very beautiful material, and it tends to come in very diverse colors and patterns. If aesthetic diversity is a major concern for you, granite can be one of the best materials that you can use especially if you want to have a very diverse-looking décor for your kitchen.  

Easy Maintenance: Granite does not require the same level of maintenance that other more sensitive materials such as marble require, so the cost and effort that’s invested in maintaining granite is far lower than what is required for marble. Thus, the overall costs for granite, both short and long term are far lower than for other materials.