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Full Granite Backsplash 2cm or 3 cm?

13 years ago

I'm replacing the 4" backsplash with a full backsplash. The granite company sent the layout and measurements for the template for me to review. When I questioned why 3cm instead of 2cm, he said 3cm thickness was the norm.

I was very surprised to hear this and thought I'd reach out to those who have full backsplashes for input.

I would appreciate any experience you have had with a project like this.

Thanks

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Comments (9)

Fori
13 years ago
It won't matter for a backsplash (and not necessarily for a countertop either). In some parts of the country for some reason, one size is much more commonly available. What I recommend is finding a particular slab you like and not worry about the thickness.
weissman
13 years ago
I'm guessing they don't have 2 cm in stock. When I got my 3 cm granite countertop and asked about a backsplash they told me they would use 2 cm. I ended up going with matching granite tiles for the backsplash, which was significantly less expensive.
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"I have also been told that 2 cm is rarely used here anymore." and ..."oh, those over there are just 2 cm so don't bother looking at them." Not really. 2 cm is pretty much the standard on the west coast. I live in the very northern part of San Diego County and have been looking at granite for about 8 months. It turns out we live in Granite Yard City; there are at least 6 granite yards within 5 miles of my house and another 8 or so just 30 min. down the road towards San Diego. Lucky us, the closer ones seems to have a better selection. In any case, about 95% of what we've seen has been 2cm. The place I linked above is absolutely the exception in offering only 3 cm. In the end, our choice was made because we liked this outfit's work, not the thickness of the stone. There are benefits to each choice, but personally, I could readily go either way. I did see a 2 cm quartzite I loved, but it was pricey (!) and we would have needed 2 slabs to be sure there was enough to cut for the extra thickness on the edge. sigh The place we went with charges per square foot and they keep the leftovers. Had the quartzite people offered that, we would have seriously considered it. 2 cm or 3? Don't worry about it, just find one you like.
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Ricki - I assume you’re talking about kitchen countertops. I’d go for 3cm for countertops. We replaced 3cm granite with quartz. If we’d used 2cm a plywood base would have been needed to raise the countertops so we didn’t wind up with lower tops than the granite. We weren’t replacing cabs. For the 2cm an edge has to be made & attached to give it the depth. That’s a seam. We didn’t want that. My understanding of uses for 2 & 3 thickness is the same as yours. You can confirm or disapprove what designer is telling you by walking into a tile / stone store & just ask which is generally preferred. As for the Home Depot prices - they’re getting a huge volume discount on patterns provided exclusively to them. You cannot buy a pattern they have from an independent stone yard or another dealer who sells that specific brand. I tried with the Cambria brand quartz I wanted. Home Depot carried it & I couldn’t buy it from them & have my own chosen fabricator cut & install it. Home Depot explained their pricing includes all the fabrication & install & they can’t break up the cost. It’s also a contractual deal between them & their suppliers. ETA - remind your designer who the customer is…..
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2golftoday
13 years ago
We have a full granite backsplash that is 3 cm. It looks really nice. I had such a hard time deciding on tile. This way I don't have to worry if it matches or not :)
momto4kids
13 years ago
HI Mustangs! :)
I had a full-height granite backsplash in my former home. It was 3cm...only because that's what they carried. If it's the same as your counters, at least it'll come from the same slab(s) and you'll know it matches.

A caution...for some reason, my builder insisted the backsplash go in before my appliance garage, because that's what he "normally" does. Due to the unplanned thickness (most people before me had 4" backsplashes and somehow the appliance garage measurements were "standard"), the sides of my garage had to be cut down to fit flush with the front of the upper cabinet. The extra thickness inside the garage reduced the amount of space I had.

Of course the shortfall of space meant my perfectly planned/measured, well-thought out toaster oven purchased specifically for that space...would NOT FIT!! Grrrr....I was so mad!!! Lesson learned. Put in appliance garage before backsplash...regardless of what builder "normally" does. Haha!
mustangs81
Original Author
13 years ago
Waving to Momto4kids!!

Thanks for the responses, it makes me feel better.

The guy did say that "here in Florida it isn't unusual to use 3cm". Who would have thought it was a regional thing.

Weissman, I tried with the tiles and it was more costly because of the shipping. I checked county wide and no Verde Butterfly locally. I wanted the tiles as I thought installation would be easier because the cabinets and under cab lighting are already in place.

One of the problems is that the cabinets and granite countertop were installed years ago so the full backsplash will be replacing and the 4" backsplash.
kaismom
13 years ago
mustangs....
I don't want to burst your bubble, but have you looked at the new granite slab with the existing slab. Ypu have to put the slab next to each other to see how they look together. If you are trying to go for the matching look, the differences may make them look not so good together.

When the full granite slabs as backsplash look best is when the veins match from the counter slab to the backsplash slab, IMHO...
pharaoh
13 years ago
3cm is a waste of material for backsplashes or shower surrounds. For that matter even 2 cm is a waste.

I have started seeing 1cm slabs (delicate to handle) that are used to wall applications.

The other new innovation is to glue 1/4" stone to an aluminum honeycomb substructure. It will arrive in the US soon, I hope!
mustangs81
Original Author
13 years ago
Kaismom, The template maker took one on my 4" back splashes to the shop to match the slab. Thanks

Pharaoh, "waste of material" that was my thought exactly. Plus it seems that it would be easier to install in my situation where the granite counter top and cabs are already in.

Thanks all!
PRO
Marble & Granite Tech, Inc
last month
Choosing The Right Backsplash: Standard vs. Full Height

When looking to elevate the visual appeal of your kitchen, the decision between a standard 4-inch backsplash and a full-height backsplash holds significant weight more here: https://www.marbleandgranitetech.com/backsplash-standard-vs-full-height-options-pros-and-cons

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