Granite buying tips needed

For those of you following some of my threads that I have made about a kitchen remodel I have been doing I now have new cabinets and I need to buy a granite counter top. I would like to have some tips on buying slabs and I have heard of pre-sealed slabs and also have heard of pitting. So are there countries that generally have bad slabs as I know they are sometimes imported.

I want to try to get the best granite I can afford while staying within budget and I want the best granite I can find. Note I am not asking for prices as I know that varies. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

Are you paying for fabrication and installation? I ask because some high end products are only available to certified installers.

I like the brand name pre-sealed slabs for one reason, perfection. I work with very picky customers and the salesmen promise the world. The pre-sealed material will usually deliver the promises.

Besides the high quality finish, it also offers pretty good color consistency.
Seams will be visible, no matter what any salesperson says. Some colors hide seams better than others.

 

Hi Handyone I am paying for fabrication and installation at a nearby granite and marble distributor. They also sell other kinds of stone as well as quartz products. I am only interested in granite though as I hear it is more durable than other stone. This is all new to me though as I have never bought stone counter tops before.

 

Check with several different seller, installers in your area. all slabs are different and colors vary. pick the one you are most comfortable with and with a good rep.

 

I do not know of one better quality granite to another. They are stone, and natural product.

I would not just pick your granite from a sample, I suggest picking the actual slab you want. Many granite showrooms will have a warehouse where they store the slabs and customers can choose the one(s) they want.

 

Don't know that I would agree with that statement but you're the one picking and you say you want granite so that's fine.

 

Don't buy your granite based on a salesroom sample. Go to the warehouse and pick the slab that you want. Take a photo of the slab to make sure that you are getting what you payed for. We looked at probably 30-40 slabs before choosing one.

I have read that slate is the hardest natural counter top material. IMO marble limestone and concrete are too soft. Man made Quartz is probably the most durable, but I don't think they can match the beauty and uniqueness of natural stone.

One caution - we have granite in both our home and our vacation home. In one the installer did not machine polish the cutouts for the fixtures and the cook top. Over the years the stone has darkened slightly around those openings where it has absorbed water and cooking oils. We were smarter the 2nd time and paid extra to have it done. Also, if I were doing it again, I would pay to have the sharp bottom edge machined. While the stuff is near indestructable, sharp edges can chip from impact. The 2-3 feet of counter top bottom edge above our dishwasher has several small chips from getting smacked by posts and pans.

 

Thank you everyone for your tips on buying granite. cwbuff I am not going to be extending the granite up in a back splash I am going to use tile for that as I have a set pattern in mind for that part of the kitchen. I think either way looks great but going that route may save me some money as far as materials are concerned. Please if you guys have any more tips please pass them on I will be buying the granite Monday. Thank you again Happy Easter!

 

Thank you to everyone who gave me granite buying tips I bought my granite today and I am quite happy with it.