What's so great about Granite Countertops?

[Midlife]

Edumacate me a bit on this...why is it so popular? I've run across it in hotels, and it seems fairly easy to clean, but what about in the kitchen? Can one lay a hot pan on it? Doesn't it scratch from usage? Isn't it a bit porous? I can understand the colors and grain design as being aesthetic, but is that why it is so popular?

My training and education is in earth sciences, and the stuff is mis-labeled. Granite is a very pale gray and white speckled rock with moderate to coarse texture, and the stuff seen elsewhere is more of a diorite, quartzite, or andesite, and the very green stuff is peridotite.

 

[johnpro]

Edumacate me a bit on this...why is it so popular? I've run across it in hotels, and it seems fairly easy to clean, but what about in the kitchen? Can one lay a hot pan on it? Doesn't it scratch from usage? Isn't it a bit porous? I can understand the colors and grain design as being aesthetic, but is that why it is so popular?

My training and education is in earth sciences, and the stuff is mis-labeled. Granite is a very pale gray and white speckled rock with moderate to coarse texture, and the stuff seen elsewhere is more of a diorite, quartzite, or andesite, and the very green stuff is peridotite.

Having just gone through the "project from hell" in my house (installing granite tops), I can talk about some of this. The counter top is sealed by the cutters, so it is no longer porous. They're supposed to be re-sealed every 5 years or so, but I know people that have never resealed them and have had them over 15 years. Acidic fruit and coffee are bad for the sealant and should not be left on the counter very long (should be cleaned up as quickly as possible).

Yes, you can put a hot pan on them. They don't scratch very easily. Mine have been in now about 6 months, and we have no scratches. They are simple to clean and always look great. They don't chip like tile, and don't stain like grout.

My project was complete hell, and took over a month, but it was worth every bit of the work in the end.

 

[aslan]

We put in granite about 4 years ago and it was one of the best things we ever did to the house. It's easy to clean and just nice to look at. I looked at other types of counters and they didn't hold a candle to the granite.
Stan

 

[lethal289]

if the granite scratches it can be sanded/buffed out and you would never know (although very unlikely to be needed). Mid, im not questioning your rock knowledge, but i was always told that the color of the granite depends on the part of the world its farmed from.

 

[JeffTepper]

Edumacate me a bit on this...why is it so popular? I've run across it in hotels, and it seems fairly easy to clean, but what about in the kitchen? Can one lay a hot pan on it? Doesn't it scratch from usage? Isn't it a bit porous? I can understand the colors and grain design as being aesthetic, but is that why it is so popular?

My training and education is in earth sciences, and the stuff is mis-labeled. Granite is a very pale gray and white speckled rock with moderate to coarse texture, and the stuff seen elsewhere is more of a diorite, quartzite, or andesite, and the very green stuff is peridotite.

Randy:

I can't really say from personal experience as i used Corian the last time I did a kitchen as it addressed the issues raised by you to my satisfaction. My guess is that granite (and marble for that matter) are expensive looking and most folks dropping a ton of money into their kitchen want to be reminded that they went first class??!!

 

[KBMWRS]

first class??!!

Oh Randy has no problem with anyone thinking that about him. :scar

 

[cmayna]

Jeff, when we remodeled our kitchen, we found granite being just a little more than Corian so we spent the extra few dollars. It was well worth it.

 

[Laurie S.]

I had granite countertops installed in my kitchen last December and loved them so much, I put it in both bathrooms. They are beautiful, hardy, and increase the value of my home, not that I'm selling. I was told to seal them twice a year, and since it only takes a few minutes, I will be doing that. I also am a geologist, and can report that granite comes in a very wide range of colors depending on where it is mined. I went with three different types in the kitchen and bathrooms and even got a beautiful slab of another type that has a wide band of quartz in it for an end table. Although I don't do it, you can cut on it the granite countertop and put hot pans on it. My feeling is, why take a chance when I already have glass cutting boards and trivets?

 

[Rorin67]

Edumacate me a bit on this...why is it so popular?

At least for us, it will look one hell of a lot better than the multiple paint-layered chipped wood kitchen counter top that currently is there...