No. Here are some of the pros and cons of prefabricated granite tops:

Prefabricated comes in standard widths. It also comes in one standard edge choice.

Does not seam up as well as custom fit to order slab countertops.

Prefabricated has limited color choices (usually plain ones, in lower group granites), and in most cases, does not increase the value of the property.

It offers a wide variety of edge choices and endless colors.

Custom slab granite, on the other hand, offers fewer seams, comes in non-standard widths, and can be shaped in almost any dimension.

Professionals can. The consumer may not notice the difference, as many companies install prefabricated without the customer’s knowledge. When a bid is incredibly low from another fabricator’s bid, it is usually being estimated as prefabricated. It’s always good to ask the company you are dealing with if you are getting custom slab countertops.

Certainly. Please make all the measurements as accurate as possible and allow for an 1.5 inch overhang on all the cabinets. Mark special areas (curves etc.), indicate your preferred edge(s), colors, and details of your sink (undermount or drop-in). Also indicate whether we will need to remove your old countertop and backsplash. While estimates done this way can be quite close to the final numbers, we cannot finalize the costs until we visit your project, measure ourselves, and discuss all the aspects of your job.

The average kitchen two-slab job takes approximately four hours to install.

Once upon a time, there was a report circulating that granite countertops were unsafe, harbor bacteria, and can produce disease. This is absolutely false. NIOSH and the CDC have no reports of granite or any other stone used as a countertop as being unsanitary. These rumors are circulated by the solid surface industry in an attempt to compete with the stone industry.

Granite is a highly dense material and relatively porous, so it can get stained if a spill is not cleaned quickly. Sealing the surface with a water-based sealant is therefore recommended to protect the granite from water patches and stains. Sealing can be done once a year or once every two years, depending on the usage of the surface.

An edge detail is the shape of the outer edge of the granite. There are many different types of edges and cost is one factor to consider when choosing a premium edge.

The term granite is used to cover a group of related stones, all of which have their origin deep in the earth’s molten mantle. As this extremely hot liquid material rises and cools, it forms a crystalline, granular structure, hence the term granite. Granite and other granite-like stones are formed of hard minerals such as quartz, feldspar, and mica, which are fused together into a very hard stone ideal for kitchen counters because its polish is resistant to household acids, such as citrus and vinegar, and is hard enough to resist scratching from knives and pots and pans.

Honed and polished refer to the finish of the granite. The finish of honed granite will range from flat to a low sheen gloss, which gives the stone a softer look. Polished granite refers to the glossy, highly reflective appearance, giving it a smooth, sleek look.

Granite is flamed by applying blowtorch-strength heat to the surface of the stone. This causes the surface to melt and some of the crystals to shatter, leaving a highly textured surface that is ideal for exterior paving or wet areas where optimum non-slipperiness is required.

Strictly speaking, granite is called honed when the polishing process is halted just before a reflective shiny surface is achieved. This gives a softer, matte appearance to the stone. Coldspring uses a special process called “velvet” that enhances and deepens the colors as well. Some fabricators can hone polished granite if they have special equipment to remove the polished surface, but this can sometimes result in wheel marks from the polishing head.

Only if you want to ruin your good knives. Granite is harder than your knife blades and will dull them very quickly if you use the countertop as a cutting surface. Always cut and chop on a wooden or plastic cutting board. Hardness is measured on a MOH scale of one to 10, with 10 being the hardest. Granite is a seven, while a stainless steel knife blade is around a six, so you cannot scratch granite with it.

Granite adds elegance and style to kitchens, baths, and other areas of the home with a richness that cannot be duplicated in synthetic materials. Granite is highly resistant to scratching, cracking, and staining. Impervious to heat, daily kitchen activities pose no problem, and it can take a hot pot without the use of a trivet. Because granite is a very hard stone that’s formed at very high temperatures deep in the earth, its polish is not subject to etching by household acids or scratching by knives and pots and pans. This makes granite an ideal choice for countertops.

Like any solid surface, high-impact blows can harm granite. Because of its crystalline structure, it can chip if subjected to sharp, hard objects. Unsealed granite can absorb stains, such as oil, which can ultimately cause dark spots or discoloration. Heat from pots and pans or burning liquids will not affect granite under normal circumstances. A chip can be filled with a granite dust and epoxy mixture.

Granite, which is crystalline in structure, always has tiny pits and spaces between the various mineral crystals. You don’t see them on a larger piece because the overall appearance is polished and mirror-like. Granite sometimes has natural fissures, which may look like cracks. However, these are not structural defects and are a naturally occurring result of the immense heat and pressure that formed the granite eons ago. These characteristics are part of the natural beauty of stone and will not impair the function or durability of the material. A product of nature cannot be expected to look man-made.

Not with ordinary use. Granite is most susceptible to cracks during shipping and installation. Normal use will not overstress this durable material. Normal use does not include standing on the countertops.

Granite is one of the hardest stones in the world. It is highly resistant to scratching in ordinary use. A knife blade will not scratch granite. It can only be scratched by another piece of granite or with specially sharpened tools designed to work with granite like tungsten and diamond blades.

In general, no. All stone, however, is porous to some extent, but granite has very little porosity. A few colors may absorb some moisture with prolonged contact compared to others. For example, a puddle of water left on the counter, for some colors, may show a dark spot when the water is wiped away. Usually, no evidence remains once the liquid is removed and the granite dries. A stone sealer is highly recommended for all granite after installation.

No. You can’t burn granite with ordinary use. It is perfectly okay to set hot pots or pans directly from the stove or oven onto granite.

Warm soapy water will do the trick. Or, use cleaners specifically formulated to help clean and protect stone surfaces.

The samples you see on the computer may not be absolutely correct due to variations in computer systems, monitors, and software compression. Marble and granite are natural stones created by the forces of nature. They are composed of various minerals and are susceptible to wide variations in color, texture, spotting, veining, and cracking. These variations are expected and are the source of its natural beauty.

Most counters overhang by 1 1/2 inches, which is standard. This may be changed for whatever reason due to cabinet configuration, cabinet installation, and/or personal tastes.

You can cantilever granite up to 12 inches with sufficient support on the fixed end and with a large enough piece. Never cantilever unsupported granite where it might receive excessive stress like someone sitting on a counter or stepping on a counter to change a light bulb. You must have support underneath for these situations.

No! It is simply supply and demand and rarity of color. More attractive stones are in higher demand, and if they come from a distant land in small quantities, the price will be higher. Some of the toughest stones are also quite cheap, and some of the most expensive can be very fragile. Also note that all natural stone contains small pits in their surface to varying degrees. These are simply small voids between grain boundaries, and some of the most expensive stones can be full of them.

Most granite installations will require at least one or more joints called seams. During layout and design, we will try to minimize the number of seams required. Additionally, our care in manufacturing ensures that edges fit together very tightly to help lessen the appearance of visible seams.

Our preferred method of payment is personal check. However, we do accept Visa and MasterCard as well.

We do not recommend the use of marble as kitchen counters because marbles (and limestone and travertine) are calcium carbonate, and their polished surface is more vulnerable to household acids, including vinegar, mustard, ketchup, citrus, and a host of other food-related products. These acidic substances cause a chemical reaction, which will remove the polish.

Additionally, marble and limestone can be scratched more easily than harder stones, such as granite. Marble is, however, sometimes used in the kitchen as a pastry slab because its perfectly smooth, cool surface is ideal for rolling out dough and pie crusts.

Some green stones, such as the jades from Taiwan, are not truly marble but a different material called serpentine. Serenities, or serpentines, as they are sometimes called, do not etch or react to acids the way limestone and marble do and are somewhat harder.

Green tiles of this family must always be installed with an epoxy adhesive to prevent the curling that can take place if a water-based setting material is used.

Marble, travertine, or limestone that is honed has a matte or satin finish, rather than a highly reflective polish. This is achieved at the factory by stopping just short of the last stage of polishing.

Some fabricators have special equipment and can hone marble in their shops by removing the factory polish. One feature of honed marble is that it doesn’t show etching as readily or wear patterns on floors. It is preferred by some because it has a less formal, softer appearance than polished stone.

Etching happens when acid in some form comes in contact with a polished marble or limestone surface. This causes a chemical reaction that removes the polish or roughens the surface of honed marble or limestone. Green marbles, such as the jades from Taiwan, are resistant to etching, and granite is impervious to any common household acids.

The old rule of thumb is never to use anything you wouldn’t use on your hands. Never use powdered cleansers or abrasive pads to clean your stone. Even “soft scrub” cleaners contain pumice, which is powdered volcanic stone that might damage your stone countertops or floors. Never use any product that is acidic; this includes substances like ammonia or many common liquid cleaners such as Windex™.

You should always use sealers and cleaning products designed specifically for natural stone.

Countertop Rock LLC in Tempe, AZ backs up its work with a lifetime warranty on the seams of our countertops. This warranty covers seam separation for one year from the date of installation. In the over 1,000 kitchens that have been installed over the years, this has never been an issue.

The warranty will not cover fissures and pits in granite. Because it is a natural stone, granite may have fissures that look like cracks; these pose no actual structural problems. When selecting your granite, please look for these carefully in your slabs if you wish to avoid them.

Granite is one of the hardest substances on earth because it is heat resistant to a hot frying pan and you can cut on it. That said, it is still a natural stone, so hitting it with a hammer or a meat clever is not recommended. Countertop Rock LLC will not warranty against breakage after installation.