Know Granite Worktops Prices, Reviews, Pros and Cons
What are Granite Kitchen Worktops?
Free SampleGranite kitchen worktops are the most commonly used kitchen platform material and it gives a kitchen beauty full look. What you need are style, durability, heat resistance and low maintenance, you can find all of these in the granite worktops.
Getting the best worktops for your kitchen can be tricky, but when you have the know-how of what constitutes the best, it becomes easy. Granite is used as available in its natural state after cutting and polishing to provide good looking and durable granite worktops for your kitchen. When you install granite worktops in your kitchen, you enhance it in all the key aspects of looks, functionality, and safety.
“Kitchens are the heartbeat of the house where the day begins when everyone is ready for breakfast. It needs to be a place where you want to be rather than where you have to be. If your kitchen does not look welcoming, cooking becomes a chore and lacks inspiration. It becomes boring and routine and the joy goes out of eating. On the other hand, if the kitchen is a place you would rather be in, new ideas and motivation to push you to create new masterpieces every day and everyone looks forward to the next meal that will be set on the table.”
There are many kitchen design ideas to make the kitchen appealing starting with the addition of an interesting backdrop by a creative use of tiles and designing the kitchen cabinets to suit your personality. You can add comfort and convenience by having functional storage such as pull-out trays and racks. You can utilize the complete space available by creating smart storage. All these are excellent choices, but one aspect of the kitchen that is of extreme importance is your kitchen worktops. This is where all the work happens and if this remains unappealing, all the rest is irrelevant.
You can comfortably have the granite kitchen worktops installed for your home, irrespective of the part of the country you are living in. You can get in touch with granite worktops the UK or any of the three units of KML- granite worktops Essex, granite worktops London or granite worktops Surrey, depending on your location. The executive from the relevant unit can come and discuss your requirements and get the worktop in place for you. You can then enjoy working in your kitchen to the fullest and get inspired every day.
Granite Worktop Thickness: What is the best thickness for granite worktops?
20 mm and 30 mm granite worktop thickness are most common that is considered for the kitchen worktops. There can be other customized thicknesses made available on special request by the customer. Islands are generally provided with thicker slabs of granite.
Granite is sourced after quarrying massive blocks of rock. These are sliced into slabs of varying thickness, which can then be used for varying purposes such as tiles, countertops and other construction material. Depending on the thickness of the slab, it is assigned its role in the industry.
20 mm Granite Slabs
20mm granite is the thinnest granite slab available. Typically, these are used in bathrooms as they are created as smaller pieces. But, they do often find a place in the kitchen as well. This thickness is available for a lower price. This also prompts many owners to opt for this option for their kitchen.
The thinness of the granite 20 mm slab also makes it lighter and hence more appropriate for use in the bathroom rather than the kitchen. It is common to make it look thicker by adding an extra edge to it and using it in the kitchen, thus saving money.
30 mm Granite Slabs
30mm is the thickness used for most worktops. All stones available are cut in this thickness and 30 mm granite slabs as large as 105 in. by 54 in. can be made available. It hence gives the option to choose longer seamless slabs across the length of the kitchen.
The granite 30 mm thick slabs have many advantages. For one, they can be used for decorative edges. It can also be extended away from the cabinets without requiring any additional support. This is utilized when creating seating spaces at the counter.
How much should the Cost of Granite Worktops?
The cost range varies from £40.09 to £178 per square foot, including installation depending on the slab thickness. Granite worktop costs for 1250mm slab is £170 for the commonly available colors. The same length for a premium color costs £285. The prices for the length of 2500mm to 2900mm are £450 and £720 respectively.
Know the Granite Worktop Costs with their Thickness
Let’s consider an example of a kitchen for the cheap granite worktops, which requires fitting a hob, a sink, a drainer grove and a hole for a tap.
- 3 slabs of 2500mm each @ 340 £1020
- Production delivery and fitting £900
- Polished cutout £180
- Unpolished cutout £105
- Drainer Grooves £145
- Tap hole £17
The total cost including granite worktops for this project would be £2367, considering the use of a standard range granite slab. The same project with a premium slab would cost you £3057.
A standard upstand of dimensions 1250x100x20mm would cost you £18 going up to £42 for the premium range.
The worktops are generally sold by the standard thickness of 30mm and a maximum depth of 650mm depth; the granite worktops price vary by the length of the slab and the premium of the colour that you wish to install. The prices are directly proportional to both these factors.
The installation cost of the worktops depends on various factors such as the design of the kitchen, the level of involvement required, the labour involved and the transportation cost. The granite worktop’s prices are only one small factor. There is a lot of further processing involved such as shaping, cutting and designing. The pricing varies from supplier to supplier as well; hence, you should try and look for the best price of granite worktops available for the same quality of slab.
How to Clean Granite worktops?
You don’t have to worry too much about how to clean granite worktops as it only needs a bit of soap and water for regular cleaning.
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- The shine of your granite kitchen worktops can easily be maintained with the use of soap and warm water.
- For granite worktops cleaning, use a soft cloth and a natural cleaner on the surface. Rock and sealant can get damaged by harsh materials. Dish soap is a safe product to use.
- Clean the surface regularly to keep it free of dirt and grime.
- If you spill any liquid, clean it up promptly. Do not wipe; blot instead. Wiping can spread it and cause staining. A well-sealed granite tabletop will repel stains, but it needs to be dried up immediately to avoid damage.
- Avoid placing hot pots and pans on the surface. Though granite is heat resistant, it can get damaged due to persistent temperature changes.
- Use coasters under any vessel containing liquids to protect the surface from absorbing moisture.
Everyday Maintenance
Even though granite is a very durable rock, it can be harmed by certain actions and products. When you get the worktop installed, you can ask the workmen on tips for how to clean granite worktops.
Granite Worktops Reviews: Are Granite Countertops Worth It?
Different people have different opinions, but on an overall level, most agree on their granite worktops reviews. Considering all its strengths and weaknesses, it comes out as a successful product.
It is a product that can make your kitchen look gorgeous with the right combination of colours and it is available in many unique ones. Since it occurs naturally and is affected by natural forces, each rock is different and on sling up the rock, each slab is also different from the other. It is one of the most durable rocks and once installed in the kitchen, it can last a lifetime with a bit of care. The cost of a granite worktops is a little bit on the higher side if you want the premium range, but over the years of service it provides, it’s all worth it.
Granite kitchen worktops qualities of being durable, heat resistant, scratch resistant and stain resistant making it ideal for use as a kitchen worktops. To make it stain resistant and moisture resistant, it needs to go through the process of sealing, which need not be repeated for many years but is advisable to carry out at least once a year to keep the worktop good as new.
All you need is some soap, warm water, and a soft cloth. Regular cleaning helps to keep it looking bright and shiny. On the safety aspect, since the rock is completely natural, it does not have any chemicals or gases that could affect the users in any way.
If compared to quartz, which is the closest competitor to granite, quartz score on appearance, not to say that granite is a loser in any way. It’s just that quartz countertops are man-made and can be created with different colours and appearances. Both products are equally durable, but granite is more heat resistant while quartz does not need to be sealed to become stain resistant. Both the countertops are easy to maintain and can retain their look for years.
Sealing the Granite Worktops
Once the sealing is in place, cleaning the granite worktops is a breeze. Since granite is a naturally existing rock, it is porous and requires to be sealed before it can be used as a worktop. Sealing with a good quality product protects it from spills and makes it resistant to moisture.
Check if your granite worktops need to be sealed. If yes, follow the steps below for effective sealing:
- Ventilate the area where you are working.
- Wipe the surface with a soft damp cloth. You might need a bit of soap to remove any grease from the surface. Dry the surface completely and rub it well to ensure that there is no moisture present.
- Let the surface sit for a day to get the stone to dry out completely.
- Pour the sealant on the surface and spread using a paper, foam or cloth. Leave it on the surface to get absorbed. After 5 minutes when all the sealant is absorbed, add some more. If not, blot away the surface to remove the extra.
Polish the surface till it shines.
What are the Most Popular Granite Countertops Colors?
Granite countertops are available with a wider range of colors combination and design. The black, white and grey are the most popular granite worktops colours. These colours are easy to maintain and blend in well with most decoration scheme that you have in mind for your kitchen.
Different kind of personalities has different preferences when it comes to choosing the decor for the kitchen. Some like to have the appearance of brightness and prefer to go all-out with white, while others choose to have a dark setup and love to use lights to give it an ethereal feel. There are others who use dark and light colours for a contrasting look that allows one colour to pop out, while the other merges with the surroundings. Some also prefer to take the middle path and keep it to a neutral shade like Grey and use it either with contrasting colours or just let it blend in with the rest of the fixtures.
All of these ideas sound wonderful. But, before you start the work on the interior of your kitchen, you should have your granite kitchen worktops ready. Since granite is a naturally occurring rock, you cannot customize the colours. As every rock has a different appearance owing to its environmental conditions it is found in, you can be sure that each rock is unique and hence every granite countertops is different from the other. When you consider the most popular granite countertops colours, they fit in well with the colour concepts mentioned above.
Let’s discuss each of these colours in brief:
Black Granite Countertops
Black granite kitchen countertops fit in with most décor themes due to their versatility. Granite occurs naturally, black and other dark colours are available in greater abundance. Since the supply can meet the demand, this leads to the prices of the black granite countertops to be lower than that of the lighter colours.
White Granite Countertops
White granite kitchen countertops fit in well either in a contrast setting where everything else is dark or in a blending decor where everything is white.
In contrast to the black granite, the white variety is not as easily available and hence the white granite kitchen countertops are difficult to acquire at a low cost. It can also be used to break the monotony of a colour scheme by using it in a section where it just pops out.
Grey Granite Countertops
Grey is a very versatile colour and fits in well with most colours used for the granite countertops or kitchen storage in the current times, adding a brighter look to the decor. Grey granite worktops also cover up the stains better and make the kitchen look neat and clean.
Granite Worktops Pros and Cons
While using granite kitchen worktops has its pros, there are some other aspects that need special care for it to sustain its quality.
Granite worktops pros and cons are listed below:
- Natural Resource: Though it takes a long time for granite to create, it lasts for a very long time. Responsible quarrying to source granite makes it a great product to have as it does not contain chemicals or emit any harmful gases.
- Heat Resistant: One of the most heat resistant worktops available today, they can get damaged if constantly exposed to changing temperatures.
- Scratch Resistant: Since it is a very hard rock, it can be scratched by very few minerals. It won’t get damaged if you cut on it, but your knives might bear the brunt.
- Low Maintenance: The granite worktops do not require much maintenance as long as you keep them clean and grease-free.
- Colour Options: Granite is available in a large range of colours that occur naturally; some are more abundant than others. You can come across some beautiful and exotic slabs of granite in quarries, which are not always accessible. These could sell at a very high price.
- Seaming: Since these are carved out of rocks, you cannot have a customized slab size. The average slab size varies and often you could need to seam together two or more slabs.
- Repairing: In case of crack or a chip, the repair of the granite worktops must be taken care of by a professional. A color-matched epoxy can generally solve the problem.
- Sealing: Being porous, granite needs to be sealed before being used in the kitchens. This is required to make it moisture- and stain-resistant.
- Pricing: Though granite is by no means a cheap kitchen worktops option for a countertop, it is not very expensive either. You can get affordable options too. The pricing varies a lot by colour depending on the demand and supply.
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