You pick the cabinets first & the cabinet color, the floors....maybe....then take a cabinet door sample to the granite yard to see how they look together. I really like granite! I also like silestone, marble and soapstone.

The latest thing is to heat your granite.

I am in the minority in saying I would not do it again. I loved my laminate, the granite not as much, and now have quartz, which works well for us. Just love quartz. But there are so many good choices, you'll find something perfect for you.

I've never cared for it much though I did put some in part of our kitchen when we remodeled - most of it was Corian. We moved to two new places last year - both have granite on all kitchen counters. I don't mind the stuff we have in our house now. Though it's very common and uninspired it looks good with the rest of the kitchen and I like the color of it. It doesn't show smears and such. I despise the stuff we have at our weekend lake place - also very common but dark and dreary and shows every smudge and smear. It's on an island with seating and very cold on the arms in the winter if you lean on it. When I first had it and discovered that drawback I immediately thought it would be nice if it was heated. I wouldn't mind keeping it on the perimeter counters and replacing island counter with a nice coordinating Corian. Probably something I'll do at some point.

The only thing I like about it and the only reason I would have any of it is that some of it is very unique and beautiful and nothing else comes close to its natural beauty.

I love granite. I hate the color that the designer picked for my house but 20 yrs ago there wasn't a lot of choice in granite.

It has taken severe abuse in 20 yrs with no maintenance and looks fine. No chips, dents, etching, stains or anything.

I picked my color scheme and cabinet first then fell in love with a quartzite and had to rebuy and switch out a ton of stuff to accommodate it. My original color was gray, brown and green.

The quartzite was blue with streaks of rust and a green undertone. My scheme is now blue and gray. Only my flooring won't match as it has a beige pink undertone because it's limestone.

I was not willing to change the choice of flooring as it is indestructible against our daily abuse. A wood floor would have been dented and stained all over by now with my DIY accidents.

Is it noisy? Yes...you can't slam things down like on a laminate countertop, but yes, I would do my Arabian Nights granite again with the same fabricator again in a heartbeat.

I agree that not all granite is created equal, though , and it is not on its way out.

I have quartz in my kitchen, and have never actually had granite. The reason I picked quartz was it had some color options I wanted and I really didn't know the difference at the time. I would get quartz again, if it suited the kitchen.

There are so many varieties of granite, some I would never choose and others I would be happy to have in my kitchen. I generally like a quiet stone. I have marble in my bathroom and love it way more than my quartz. It's my favorite.

I think cabinets are the most important kitchen element to me, since they really influence the overall vibe and feel of the kitchen, esp. if you have a lot of uppers.

But, I'd keep an open mind regarding all elements. Look at first what isn't negotiable, because that would be your starting place and everything else will have to fall into line. Otherwise, get some samples you like that represent the range of your preferences. Stuff will start clicking and falling into place. Definitely visit a number of stone yards and see what's generally available in your area.

Good luck, and happy hunting!

No, granite isn't "done" at all. In fact, I'd venture to say it's still the big boy on the block; that is, I think it's what most people would choose if everything were an option to them. As others have said, it's essentially bulletproof and low in maintenance. Yes, marble's more trendy now, but it also requires babying. Most of us love the look of butcher block, but who wants the high maintenance? Granite, although expensive, seems like a good, all-around choice.

Sure, we all know that some granites are poorly chosen or cheap-looking, but -- more often than not -- when we hear granite complaints on this board, it's typically about a bad install or poor seams rather than the choice of granite.

As for laminate, I hate mine. When I redid my countertops about 12 years ago, laminate was what we could afford (note: I'll never have an extra-large kitchen again -- any change costs so much!). It has not held up well. It's a dark green, and in the high-use prep area we can see lots of scratches.

What gets chosen first? I think it depends. I liked the phrase someone else used: This or that is driving the bus. If you're already in love with a certain cabinetry, that might come first. If you're in love with a certain countertop, that might be the determining factor. I'm going with a U-shaped kitchen, and in that configuration, the countertop seems to be the most prominent item, so I plan to start with that.

I am not a big granite fan, but I don't think the granite trend is over. I have quartz because I like simple in countertops, and it worked with my other elements.

I chose my backsplash first, then the cabinets and finally the countertop. But I knew what I was going for, and actually picked them all in one day. When I was planning my kitchen, I read one piece of advice that stuck with me-- to pick one element you really love and design around it. I fell in love with my backsplash tile, so my other decisions centered around what worked with the tile, and as a whole. I don't think it matters what you pick first or last, so long as ultimately everything works together.

I won't poultice this job. Too much risk, too little reward. Sent her some links and gave her a quote to replace it with solid surface. No charge.

Why did I get the call instead of her original fabricator? Just like 95% of my other calls, he's out of business.

Are you sure that's just not dirt ? YUK

I'm the exception to the rule. I selected the flooring first. Then the cabinet finish. I selected the counter top material last. It's like the work triangle in the kitchen. Pick one and the other decisions will follow.

No. Granite is not out of fashion. We have zillion choices. Years ago you only had two choices, laminate and marble. Now, the sky's the limit. That's part of the problem, we have too many choices.

i would do it again in a heartbeat. i have had no problems and still love mine after 4 years!! no maintenance for me and easy to clean...love it!! yes its cold but that has no bearing for me., its stone, it would be cold. had laminate and hated it. stained, scratched. and we the "old" stuff which was thicker than what they sell today & it still looked crappy... never again... i would get anything else besides laminate.

"Are you sure that's just not dirt ? YUK"

Yes, this particular granite has sucked up kitchen contamination like a sponge. The rest of the house was spotless. I've got more pictures of contaminated and hot-pot cracked/marked "bulletproof" granite.

My granite is my favorite thing in my new kitchen. I love it and am so glad we chose it over quartz or any other material. It is just so unique, and shiny. I have no idea what it means to be "noisy" so that is not my experience. We chose cabinet color first because with so many patterns to choose from, we needed to make sure the granite would match. We then chose the backsplash to match the granite and cabinets. We always knew floors would be hardwood so we didn't take that into consideration.

"I've got more pictures of contaminated and hot-pot cracked/marked "bulletproof" granite."

What type of "particular granite" would cause such a disaster? How long did they have it? Looks like they never cleaned under whatever they had sitting on their counters....more than likely though, it hadn't been sealed.

And I guess, like everything, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I have quartz in the kitchen and granite in a bathroom. I like both, but I really like the natural quartz crystals in my granite. If you're the type to collect rocks on the beach, maybe you like granite.

Coldness is a factor if you have island or peninsula seating. You could use a wood counter on an island.

We have granite in two bathrooms and a dining sideboard. The men who delivered the granite for the sideboard told me I couldn't put bananas on it. What?!! They'll stain it, they said.

When the kitchen redo came around granite was not even a consideration. I was tired of the calcium/lime buildup around the faucets, the water spots everywhere. After considering everything, including our solid surface sink in another bathroom, I determined that once again laminate was for me, with an upgraded edge all around.

I chose the backsplash, then flooring, cabinets, countertop, and paint, in that order.

Good luck!

I find it both hideous and boring. I would never use it and it is a deal breaker on any house we look at.

Veda,

What kind of counter top do you prefer? Most granites aren't "boring" enough for me :)

We have Quartzite in one house and Granite and Quartz in another and I would not hesitate to do it all over again. I love them all, each is different but beautiful and far from boring to me.

Not being able to put a hot pot on quartz was a deal breaker for me. After 18 years of living without trivets and hot pads, I won't go back.

The variety of colors and patterns that are available in quartzite, granite and marble are almost limitless - so I can't imagine that one couldn't find something that worked.

I wanted stain proof / resistant, heat resistant enough to put a hot pot, etch proof (alas, no marble, sigh), and easy to clean / maintain, natural looking - preferably with movement. To date, I have been unable to find another material other than the granite / quartzite options that fit the bill.

I love putting something unique on my counters as a statement and building the cabinets around something gorgeous made by nature.

"Joseph Corlett likes to scare people off granite, and always posts those fear-mongering type pics and passive-aggressive mentions of the word "contamination" on threads of this topic. Joseph installs solid surface manmade counters. The last thing he wants is a lengthy thread with a lot of posts talking about how great granite is."

friedajune:

Your reply is the logical fallacy of relevance, ad hominem circumstantial to be specific. You must address my arguments, not my circumstances. "Contamination" in this context is a technical term, although it usually applies to cracks and/or seams. While I remain a Certified Corian fabricator/installer, I no longer own a solid surface shop or do production work. (I sold that business and it has 30 employees now.)

Rather than "fear-mongering" or "passive-agressive mentions", I believe I bring a context to the countertop debate that I assure you the stoners do not want consumers to see. Stone is a fine countertop material, but as a repairperson, I can assure you it's far from "bulletproof", the term I hear kicked around so often. I believe in matching the right countertop with the right customer, whatever that may be.

"I wanted stain proof / resistant, heat resistant enough to put a hot pot, etch proof (alas, no marble, sigh), and easy to clean / maintain, natural looking - preferably with movement. To date, I have been unable to find another material other than the granite / quartzite options that fit the bill."

jannicone:

Trivet use is recommended for natural stone countertops by the Marble Institute of America, the 70-year old trade association of the stone industry. This is what can happen when a hot pot is set on granite:

I would suggest looking at the sintered countertops (Neolith, Dekton) if you want a manufacturer who does not recommend trivet use.

I enjoy and appreciate my gneiss counters and love the fact they can't be damaged (I tested with food and muriatic acid, before purchase). Its coldness is a plus here in Florida, but if I lived where it was really cold I might heat my island stone. I don't like how loud it sounds when someone sets a dish down hard, and expected we'd have more breakage than with laminate - but we haven't had any. My counters won't change with time, won't get "patina", can always be cleaned and cleared to look like the day they were installed and I love that.

I also enjoy and appreciate Joseph's pictures and wit, and highly value his contributions and that of other pros and experts on the forum. He gets called to houses with stained, scorched, and cracked stone counters. People are told their counters are bullet proof, or think they'll never spill salad dressing, always use coasters/trivets, never slide something abrasive and heavy, and never have a house guest who behaves differently. Pricing is opaque, every seller is different, the names are made up, the variations among and even within slabs is practically infinite. "Granite" is used to describe things that aren't granite at all: gneiss, marble, sandstone, schist, slate, limestone, quartzite, or even something manufactured with some natural materials and some binder or epoxy. http://www.wsj.com/articles/4-kitchen-countertop-stones-that-go-beyond-granite-1453304547

Karin has done a tremendous service in answering questions on six different threads about rocks in the kitchen, and doing so in a way that is as warm and friendly as it is educational. http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2692150/countertop-geology-part-six-lets-talk-about-rocks-some-more

Joseph - I stand by my post. I have been on the Kitchens Forum a long time, and seen how you do this a lot. Since you've been in business so long, you must have also seen granite counters like mine, and other posters' here, which look immaculate even after years--a decade in my case--of hard use. But you never mention those.

Veda Beeps - I would love to see your kitchen! I am curious to see your counters.

Well, it seems to me that there is no single material that is completely indestructible. I bet I can find an example of terrible damage for any single counter top.

Joseph's post would be more useful if it came with some explanation of what went wrong, such as immediate cause, type of granite, etc.

I'm going to make a pitch to combine materials. I have a galley kitchen and on one side where the sink and prep areas are I have Corian and I can't say enough good about it from a utilization point of view but it is not as pretty as granite. On the other side where the stove is, it is surrounded by two 18" granite topped cabinets (too small I know but that was all that fit) so that my husband can put those hot pans directly on them and if they crack... oh well… He will have destroyed some very small pieces of granite.... I actually don't think that they will crack because they are too small to have been installed improperly. I am convinced that most of the time when granite cracks it's because the granite was not installed properly (not supported properly) and the homeowner puts heat on the granite that causes it to expand against the improper installation and over time, it just cracks.

That being said there are types of granite that really do absorb absolutely everything that you put on them. There are other types of granite that powerfully reflect light and show every bit of dirt on your countertop. But many of them are simply fabulous. Both of those problems can be avoided by trying out a sample in your home....And then there was the one granite owner who was very upset that the granite looked like, well, dirt, and guess what? It really is compacted dirt, more or less, so be sure and get a slab that you really like and if this slab is not uniform in appearance be sure to go to the templating and make sure that you like where they are going to cut the slab so that they capture what you liked about the slab and put it in your kitchen. There are some beautiful slabs out there. But I would still not want granite in my prep area where it would be cold and noisy and subjected to a lot of liquids (again this last point could be avoided if you pick the correct granite)

In response to the OP's question I don't believe granite is out. In my area (East Coast) it is still the most common choice for people who want an upgrade from builder grade options. That said, if you spend any time on this forum you will see beautiful kitchens where people have chosen other materials in addition to laminate or granite . Many were named in posts above.

My favorite countertop material is soapstone, which we installed in our lake build and has remained beautiful and bulletproof through 9 years of heavy use. But I chose granite for this kitchen because I wanted a lighter look. I also wanted something with a hint of color and subtle pattern to warm up the look of my white cabinets and island.

I'd had laminate in our old house for 20 yrs. and granite in my previous kitchen here for 12 yrs. I found I much preferred the look and function of granite. My old one looked like new when it was removed even though it had not been babied - at all. The coolness of the stone wasn't off putting and we had no issues with breakage, even through the years when my kids & their college friends often hung out here.

What prompted me to reply to this thread was when working at my sink this morning I felt so pleased at our decision to bring the stone up behind the sink and create a granite sill for the kitchen window. This is one of my favorite features in my kitchen and one I'd do again, for sure. It is easy to wipe any splashes. It gives a visually seamless unfussy look and allows me to have pots and decorative items on the sill that don't clutter my workspace and never leave a mark.

There are lots of "right" choices. Granite seemed the best for this kitchen, and I would choose it again.

Amck2 - your granite is beautiful. What is its name?

The main thing is that the natural stone needs to be sealed. Mine was sealed at installation 20 yrs ago by the builder. I've never renewed the sealer because I had no clue it was needed.

My granite is still brand new looking so I'm reusing it in the laundry. The water damage people broke the large pieces when they removed the cabinets so o can't reuse over all.

Amck2, your granite is beautiful.

What type is it?

If I sit something that's warm, oily or even wet on my leathered Black Pearl granite, it will leave a darker area just like Joseph's pics above. However, just wash and dry it and it goes away. It's really not a big deal. Not sure that's what was going on with that particular granite he posted pics of, but for mine, it's just a matter of cleaning. Other than that, mine has been bullet proof.

You pick the cabinets first & the cabinet color, the floors....maybe....then take a cabinet door sample to the granite yard to see how they look together. I really like granite! I also like silestone, marble and soapstone.

This is not a hard and fast rule. As I said, both times I picked my granite first!

Don't make absolutes.

We picked cabinet color first, counters second and backsplash tiles last. We kept our floor, so we did work around that, which was easy, since its a neutral porcelain (white/beige blend). Although most people pick cabinets first, if you have a granite in mind that you absolutely love, then work around that.

Joseph Corbett - I have had Volga Blue granite for 18 years now - and it's still perfect. I have resealed periodically - but certainly not annually. I've cooked on it, set hot pots on it, slapped tomato and lemon juice on it, used the crock pot on it and I am sure any number of "not recommended" things have been done to it. And yet, it endures.

I am sure that there are differences in granites and their true suitability for countertops - and I am currently abusing a sample of a granite I am considering if my quartzite ends up costing me a kidney. The MIA guidelines that you reference seem to make ZERO differentiation between the types of stone and "generally" recommend trivets. Well.... since granite is an igneous rock formed by molten lava solidifying - it SHOULD be okay with my All Clad. The photo you show is interesting - it would be helpful to know what caused that ring - is it the sealer or perhaps there was some sort of binding agent used in that granite? It is certainly nothing I have experienced in my usage.

I had solid surface in a prior home with a lovely molded in sink, and my parents have solid surface (Corian, I think) today. I have found it to be WAY too easy to scratch.

I considered Dekton / Neolith - but with the limited experience of installers, as well as the thickness available (and pricing) and the chipping / fracturing that occurred in Consumer Reports testing, it's off the list. The Dekton looked very pixelated, too, in it's pattern. It's also (IMO) wicked expensive to do all that mitering to make it look thick enough - esp if you have a large island. I had HOPED that was the perfect material - and it MAY end up being so - but until installers are up the learning curve a bit more - it's not for me.

"I enjoy and appreciate my gneiss counters and love the fact they can't be damaged (I tested with food and muriatic acid, before purchase)."

kksmamma:

I'm no chemist, but if you didn't test toilet bowl cleaner, the kind with the hydrochloric acid that is still common, you've missed granite's kryptonite.

While moving in, this guy sat a cardboard box with leaking toilet bowl cleaner on his new granite island overnight. It's easily fixed. With a placemat:

I get this call regularly, but few pictures because people accept a terminal diagnosis over the phone.

As far as the order of making selections, pick the things with the least selection first (appliances), then cabinets/countertops, then floors, and lastly paint or wall coverings. You want to have more selections with each pick, not less.

"Joseph's post would be more useful if it came with some explanation of what went wrong, such as immediate cause, type of granite, etc."

Separate love and science when you're stone shopping. So often I hear about how someone "fell in love" with a certain stone. This is magic to the ears of a stone salesman. Temper your purchases by checking the porosity of the stone you're dating. Weigh that against your lifestyle. A retired couple in a high rise that eat out often can baby a fussy stone; a mom with babies that will turn into teenagers, not so much.

I read Fred Huston's columns and recently learned that hot oil will dissolve stone sealer. That looks like what's happened to the granite I pictured, but that doesn't explain the contamination by the sink, does it?

At the risk of repeating myself, stone can make a fine countertop. It's the matching of the particular stone with the lifestyle of the owner that gets tricky. Less love, more science, please.

I'd never fall in love with a stone. Maybe a rock :)

The problem with hot pots on stone counters is they heat only a small area of the countertop, and cause it to expand. Depending on the density or small variations or inclusions in the stone, this expansion could cause cracks. The longer the pot sits there, the more heat would be transferred to the counter. Results vary because each instance has its own unique combination of size, mass, temperature, time, and the characteristics of the specific area of stone.

For those who asked, my granite was called "New Golden Beach".

After choosing it I googled the name hoping to see images of it used on finished countertops. What I kept getting were pictures of "Golden Beach" which is far more golden and tan than mine. Mine's a cream base with taupe striations and flecks of black. It is much cooler in tone than Golden Beach which to me has a yellowy cast.

When I went looking for granite at the huge stone yard outside of Boston that my KD recommended, I was surprised to find very few slabs in white & cream that had muted patterning. They told me that those like mine flew out the door as soon as they got them in. They said it was because most who wanted that look were going with marble or quartzite, of which they had plenty. They tried to persuade me to consider one of those but I said I didn't know anyone personally who'd had a great track record using it the way I knew it would be used in my kitchen. The rep said that was the reason the light granite stones were taken so quickly. Customers like me who wanted the light stone but felt more secure with granite chose them over marble and quartz/quartzite.

I selected my stone 2 years ago. Since then I have seen a number of people here install quartzite and/or quartz countertops and give positive reviews about their performance with regard to being stain and heat resistant.

I still think granite was the best look for me in this kitchen, and it sure has stood up to all manner of things like lemon juice, red wine, ketchup, blueberry jam, etc, that might have been bad news with other more porous stones and choices. That said, I think there's a lot to choose from other than granite & laminate.

I am happy with my granite. I was sure, at first, that I would get solid surface, but was shocked at the cost of any color/pattern that I liked/didn't remind me of work. Our counters at work (desks, not work surfaces) are solid white and full of easily visible fine scratches. That gave me pause. I looked at laminate, realizing that the quality was better than when my old counters were installed, but just really didn't want it. It still felt like laminate to me.

I had decided on quartz as the best option for looks, durability, and (sale) price.

I had never wanted granite, since most that I had seen I find pretty ugly. But as I shopped around and hung out here, I started seeing stone that I really liked. Then found stone that I liked at a price better than the quartz would be. After a lot more wavering, I finally made the choice.

My stone is very dense and doesn't need sealing. It is easy to clean, doesn't show fingerprints etc. Only thing is, I did have to develop a lighter touch when setting things down -- which happened rapidly (never chipped or broke anything) and is no longer a matter that requires thought.

No, granite is not passe, but I do think that some colors and patterns are not so popular anymore.

"if you didn't test toilet bowl cleaner, the kind with the hydrochloric acid that is still common, you've missed granite's kryptonite"

I still have my sample. While I look for some toilet bowl cleaner, what else should I try? I ruined my my old laminate with a leaky bottle of muriatic acid (brought home for the pool), I think it is the same as hydrochloric acid but I'll test anyway. Tonight I've decided to let olive oil sit on the back, honed side of my sample just because I often shape oily dough on my counters and the oily stains I've seen pictures of lately are upsetting and perhaps slower to develop than my original tests were given.

I don't like granite, but that is personal preference. I do like both quartz and laminate. In fact, I think quartz is bulletproof having cut on it and set hot pots on in for 13 years. I thought I would go with quartz again except I fell in love with soapstone. I can't cut on it, but I can set hot pots on it.....and it is beautiful!

Try superglue. Just the fumes from a tube that was laying on top of a paper towel etched a splotch on a granite counter ( did the same to laminate.). Argh..

We've been living with and cooking on granite every day for about 25 years now. No issues of any kind, and I'm not at all careful with it. It's never been sealed, I set hot pots on it, almost everything you can imagine gets spilled on it, never seen color variation where things sit. We do have pretty wildly patterned stone that would hide most variation.

I have to admit it never occurred to me to treat my countertop with toilet bowl cleaner.

I would never use any granite again other than absolute black. Quartzite is a nightmare that etches if a lemmon even looks at it. And try getting someone to refinish it, who isnt a rip

off ! Its beautiful stuff but never again. Formica will out perform granite at a 1/3 of the price. Functionality has become more import as i get older 😏 Call it wisdom

A granite countertop is an excellent choice. It is unique and will last 100 years or more when properly maintained. I would go for it again, but there are some things to consider before you choose it.

The main questions you need to answer are: How frequently do I use the kitchen, and Do I want to maintain my countertop constantly? If your answers are "I use my kitchen a lot" and "I do not want to maintain," I would recommend not going with granite and Quartz.

I have a complete article that I explain everything about and help to decide.

Quartz vc Granite: How to choose?

https://www.ravivacompany.com/post/quartz-vs-granite-how-to-choose

In my previous house I had a dark granite. About 15% rubbing alcohol in a sprits bottle & quick dry. I put hot pans on it daily including my cast iron and gril pan. Not a scratch or stain on it. i hace soapstone here & treat it the same way. occasional scratch but I oil it although i havent oil it in 3 yearss…

We had granite in 2 houses, quartz in one, and soapstone in another. The granite is my handsdown favorite. We seal it once, when installed, and never again. It could take anything. My Caesarstone quartz tends to stain, so I'm hesitant to recommend it. The granite never stained, required zero maintenance, and could take hot pots. The key is to find a granite that is not busy; we replaced our very dark brown granite (Uba Tuba) with a modern-looking white and black streaks. Gorgeous and durable.