Granite Counter Tops

[mas3372 14]

Hello,

Well, I just bought my wife a new Pathfinder for New Years - we needed it anyways - so in return, I get to redo the counter tops in the kitchen. Our house is a little over a year old and I can't stand the formica. I do a ton of cooking and want the granite look. We are also adding a 10foot by 28inch wide kidney island in the center to eat at and cook at.

My questions are these.

Does anyone have granite or other stone counter tops they like, don't like, etc. Problems with any. We are also considering the silvinsteen and similars engineered stone.

Granite is pricey but as are the others. In this area, the price is about $100 to $125 ft2 and we will have over 65 ft2 to do. So if anyone knows ways of saving money that would be great as well.

Any help or advise or anything you can think of that would be of help, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

[Celeste 341]

Hey Mike - you've just give yourself the perfect reason to come south :) The Pure Texture products can be used over your existing countertops and finished to look like granite for about 1/4 of the cost. You can take the class, buy the products and do it yourself AND get yourself an interesting winter sideline as well :)

Celeste

[squirtgun 122]

Mike,

If you are set on granite(nice choice by the way)ask around to see who sells remnant pieces.These pieces are left over from large jobs and on occasion are still in full slabs.This doesn't mean that they are damaged or inferior in any way.The cost saving will astound you.

[mas3372 14]

Scott, Thanks for the advise. I plan on looking for remnants for 3 smaller bathroom vanities.

Celeste,

Very interesting. Would love a winter gig. I have not heard of Pure Texture, is this something you do as well. BTW. Bawston has gained 1/2 pound since I took him home and is doing great. His training is coming along fast, listens well, so well mannered and good with the kids. He has made his way at home very nicely.

[Jarrod 22]

Here's some pics of my kitchen. I hope that this helps. This granite came from Brazil. It's called Golden Beaches. We had it installed in last October.

1 piece of advise I can offer is, spend the money! And get under mount sinks. It is worth it! Another thing is - the spotty granite is nice, but, if you seen an inch, you've seen a mile. Spend a bit more $ and get something with some veins and swirls.

[Jarrod 22]

Here's some more pics. 1 of them is our lower level bathroom.

[mas3372 14]

Very nice Jarrod. Undermount sink is a must. I agree, get something with character. I love granite but so many people have the same style with little variation. I want my kitchen to be unique.

[Jarrod 22]

Thank you. To be unique is why I picked out the slab that I did. Everyone has Uba Tuba and Verdi Butterfly & stuff like that. I wanted something timeless and different.

[Jarrod 22]

By the way, those ugly plants & nic nacks on the window are gone now! Martha Stewart would be proud! LOL

[JFife 14]

Sup Mas!

First off, Jarrod--that is nice!! And I love those fawn colored cabinets....is that clear on maple?? And was this a remodel or a new home?? Looks really good.

Mike, granite is one of those things that you can find a heckuva lot cheaper than what you are seeing at EXPO, etc. A friend just did granite.....$100 at EXPO and he found it for $50. Trick is, you have to look for people that wholesale it. Obviously, that price is having "seams" at the corners, etc. But a good installer should be able to make the seams look seamless (close). Another---I've seen concrete tops on some of the design shows (the cool shows, where they actually do neat stuff) that were really nice. But I've actually heard this costs more than granite.

[squirtgun 122]

Jarrod,

Those had better not be prefab cabinets.I'll kick you so hard............lol.Looks good.

During the summer I was lending a hand in a friends cabinet shop a couple of days a week.I was build 3-4 kitchen simulateously,as well as,helping him install.

The nature look with granite is the big thing right now.Also black stain is huge here.We did 1 kitchen that ended at $100k by the time granite and flooring were done.

[JFife 14]

Hey Scott, I'm looking at some furniture--and what I found that I like is walnut wood, with a "black stain"......but it's not really "black", right?? I wondering if what I was looking at was a typo or something. Actually, it was what I'd describe as a tobacco/walnut color stain (of course on the walnut wood, everything looks quite rich and dark). Try and post and pic, then I'll tiptoe back out of Mike's granite thread:)

[Celeste 341]

Mike,

We have trained for our decorative concrete through Pure Texture (they're also hosting my Round Table in February!)

Here's an example of how the concrete can be made to look like granite (not my work but from their contractor gallery) We would charge somewhere around $45 per sq foot, maybe less, however if you were able to do it, your materials would run you about $3.00 a square.

[squirtgun 122]

Hey Scott, I'm looking at some furniture--and what I found that I like is walnut wood, with a "black stain"......but it's not really "black", right?? I wondering if what I was looking at was a typo or something. Actually, it was what I'd describe as a tobacco/walnut color stain (of course on the walnut wood, everything looks quite rich and dark). Try and post and pic, then I'll tiptoe back out of Mike's granite thread:)

Fife,

There are true black tinted stains.To get the desired color that the customer wanted on cabinets it involves hand staining then a sprayed on toning application.It verges on looking like black paint.It's not something I personally like.I prefer to see the natural grain of wood and like cherry colored stains on most furniture.I also have just about zero use for anything other maple when building cabinets and furniture.I love the way it looks,works,and finishes.

I've been in and out if cabinet shops since I was in my late teens.I have found that if I think it's ugly as a mud fence customers will love it,I love building and installing,but hate with a passion the finish work.I also hate counter top building and installing.At one time I was certified to do solid surface counters with 2 companies and formica with 2 other.I would rather have my toe nails pulled out than build and install any kind of counter tops.

[JFife 14]

[Mike, this hijack will rapidly be coming to an end.....I'm gonna see if I can pull some links of some granite wholesalers for ya]

http://www.woodleys.com/library/woodley_homeTheater.pdf

In this PDF, at the top of page "3of18", is a collection called 'Coal Creek' and below the entertainment center is says, "walnut with black stain", but that is the color I like. So people in your area are going with a true Ebony/black color?? Boo. Think I'd just save and paint my cabinets black. My parents, sister, are both just finishing new homes, and they had their cabinets painted white, which I couldn't comprehend. I agree, Maple is beautiful. If bored, you might scan this website I've linked to. This is the only place I've found that has furniture I like. When you look at their room (office, bedroom, theatre, etc) you have to click on the "woodley collection" to see the stuff they actually make. The rest they just distribute.

[Jarrod 22]

Sup Mas!

First off, Jarrod--that is nice!! And I love those fawn colored cabinets....is that clear on maple?? And was this a remodel or a new home?? Looks really good.

Mike, granite is one of those things that you can find a heckuva lot cheaper than what you are seeing at EXPO, etc. A friend just did granite.....$100 at EXPO and he found it for $50. Trick is, you have to look for people that wholesale it. Obviously, that price is having "seams" at the corners, etc. But a good installer should be able to make the seams look seamless (close). Another---I've seen concrete tops on some of the design shows (the cool shows, where they actually do neat stuff) that were really nice. But I've actually heard this costs more than granite.

Thanks John. The cabinets are in fact clear on maple. The house is about 3 years old. Here's pics of the original counter tops.

I did not take pics of the upstairs bathroom for some reason.

[Jarrod 22]

Jarrod,

Those had better not be prefab cabinets.I'll kick you so hard............lol.Looks good..

The cabinets came with the house. How can you tell between pre fab and not pre fab? I honestly don't know.

[Jarrod 22]

Mike, 1 thing I forgot to mention is to make sure you pick your granite by the slab and not the sample. You might already know this, but I thought I'd pass that on just in case.

[squirtgun 122]

Yes they actually like the ebony/black look.

What you are looking at in the PDF is beautiful and not what I would call black.There maybe some black tint in the stain or even a brushed black glaze,but this is not IMO black.

I hate painetd cabinets,I mean really build a nice set of boxes with quality lumber to cover it up with paint.And glazed or distressed cabinets are even worse.Why on Gods green earth do people this that glazed cabinets with a million little screw dents and holes poked in them look good.Someone please tell them that there interior designer is an idiot.STOP THE MADNESS>

[squirtgun 122]

The cabinets came with the house. How can you tell between pre fab and not pre fab? I honestly don't know.

I could tell with pics of the cabinet interiors,the parts you don't see when you open the doors.I wouldn't worry about it,you have a nice looking kitchen.I just come from a custom build background and prefer the quality that come with them.

I have installed a lot of HD & Lowes kitchen that were beautifil once complete.

[Celeste 341]

Hey Squirt......have you thought about doing cabinets anymore? My kitchen looks like, well, poooo.

Celeste

[JFife 14]

Just smear a bunch of PureTexture all over them, LOL

[Celeste 341]

Hey, my countertops are getting the treatment but what holds them up looks like poooo :)

[Jarrod 22]

Well, as long as it doesn't smell like poo, I guess yer ok.

[squirtgun 122]

Hey Squirt......have you thought about doing cabinets anymore? My kitchen looks like, well, poooo.

Celeste

Ummmm......NO.I only help my buddy out when he is short handed and we are slow.

[mas3372 14]

Celeste, looks great. This is done over concrete tops already installed?

everyone else, thanks for the advise. I am going this week to start looking. It is hard to find a wholesaler in this area but will keep looking. Any other advise would be great. Thanks.