The Sad Truth About Granite Countertops

Mildred called me just balling her eyes out. I was so stunned.
ME:  “Mildred what are you so upset about?”

MILDRED: “It was the wine (sniff, sniff)”

ME: (My mind is racing – what could have happened? A one night stand? A drunk driving?), “Oh Mildred, What happened?”

MILDRED: “It’s my granite countertop. It’s ruined!”

ME: (Light Bulb Moment), “ah ha, you spilled wine on your counter and now it is stained, right?”

MILDRED: (more sobs), “yes”

The Sad Truth About Granite Countertops

The sad truth is that a granite countertop is not all it is cracked up to be. I know you have been told that you need to replace your dated tiled countertops with granite, but you need to consider all the options.

The Sad Truth About Granite Countertops #1

Granite is a porous material and MUST be sealed at least every six months. If you don’t properly seal it any spill not immediately cleaned up will leave a stain. Additionally, because of it’s porous nature, granite will harbor bacteria and germs (yuk).  So you say, “I will just seal it, no big deal.” But what if you get busy and don’t have the time to seal it? Or what if your teenager thought she would be a big help and decided to clean the top with an aggressive cleaner and removed parts of the sealer?  Having one more maintenance chore is just not necessary.

The Sad Truth About Granite Countertops #2

Granite is a natural material and hence the appeal (that uniqueness thing), but this can be a problem because their will be inconsistencies in the pattern. You need to look at the whole slab to make sure you like all the patterns on that slab, not just the small sample. Also, there will be seams in larger areas and it will be nearly impossible (no matter how experienced your installer is) to get a match at a corner. If you’re a perfectionist, this might not be acceptable.

The Sad Truth About Granite Countertops #3

The biggest problem with a granite countertop from a design perspective is the busy pattern inherent in granite. Sure it is a natural stone and can be very beautiful in certain applications, but in a kitchen with many competing patterns, such as wood grain in the cabinets and floor or mosaic tile backsplashes, the highly textured granite is just too much busyness. Also, I fear that granite will soon become outdated for this very reason.

The Solution to Granite Countertops

What to do, what to do? Granite is a beautiful material in certain circumstances. You need to evaluate your specific living style and determine if it is the best fit. If you don’t think you will take the time to seal it, or if you are messy consider a quartz or other solid surface material. For sure, pick a slab that has a subtle pattern, and create the unique design you crave with a stone backsplash or a linear mosaic with stone and glass. This will give you more flexiblity in the future if granite becomes outdated or you become tired of it.

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Why This Kitchen Doesn’t Work

A: The countertop competes with the tile backsplash B: The cabinets and the countertop both contain pattern causing too much busyness C: The floor on a diagonal pattern is yet another another competing pattern.

If the countertop had a more subtle pattern then the backsplash would be the dominate detail.   Each element on its own is beautiful, but when combined like this, they all just melt away.

Are you considering remodeling your kitchen? Schedule a consultation and we can get down to the ditty gritty of what is the best countertop material for you and your family.

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Comments (2)
  • […] Granite: When most people want a solid-surface top, they say they want “a granite countertop” as it has become generic for solid surface tops. Granite comes in many, many colors and patterns. The thing I don’t like about it is the busyness. When the crumbs blend in with the countertop, it bugs me. Also, the upkeep! It is much more porous than quartz and requires semi-annually sealing. You can read about how I really feel about granite here. […]

  • Mark
    | 10 May 2021

    Yeah. I went to big box HD for my install. Never was offered the opportunity to go to the warehouse in order to pick out our slab to be used. Never learned about the significance of seams until we learned that our one counter top section would have 5 seems. The installation crew of 2 young dudes dropped a section breaking off the corner. They never admitted this to us. Although, I was outside in my garage. The two guys were discussing what had happened and the lead installer consoled the other installer that Home Depot has an excellent income warranty program and not to worry. Found another crack in the same piece along with the broken corner at the end of the seam.. I just don’t get it. We know he had to see it because he was working on the seams four at least two hours. Now, it has turned into a Mexican standoff. The customer, the install vendor and Home Depot. We have a meeting to my home to discuss this dilemna. They know that I am super pissed.

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