Splain me countertops…

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

I searched and found a few things about granite maintenance, so I’m hoping this isn’t a duplicate. 

I suppose the usual suspects are granite, marble, and quartz. Concrete is a little rustic for me, unless things have changed much for the better. Other similar options would be, well, options  

I’ve googled a bit, but what would y’all with experience say are some pros and cons of each? My kitchen isn’t gigantic so while the percentage difference in price might be a thing, the absolute dollar amount probably isn’t prohibitive for reasonable grades of the typical materials. 

I’m looking for something in medium to lighter tones, probably grayish or white with gray/blue, which looks potentially feasible for any of the three types I mentioned at first. Ideally, I think, I’d like full backsplash in the same or a compatible material. We cook a lot, but we”re fine with trivets and mats and generally protecting a surface.

What am I looking for here? What questions do I need to ask about how they handle seams or whatever else? Pitfalls? Things that sound good but in practice really aren’t? 

[HamsterHookah 112]

3 hours ago, Doc Daneeka said:

I searched and found a few things about granite maintenance, so I’m hoping this isn’t a duplicate. 

I suppose the usual suspects are granite, marble, and quartz. Concrete is a little rustic for me, unless things have changed much for the better. Other similar options would be, well, options  

I’ve googled a bit, but what would y’all with experience say are some pros and cons of each? My kitchen isn’t gigantic so while the percentage difference in price might be a thing, the absolute dollar amount probably isn’t prohibitive for reasonable grades of the typical materials. 

I’m looking for something in medium to lighter tones, probably grayish or white with gray/blue, which looks potentially feasible for any of the three types I mentioned at first. Ideally, I think, I’d like full backsplash in the same or a compatible material. We cook a lot, but we”re fine with trivets and mats and generally protecting a surface.

What am I looking for here? What questions do I need to ask about how they handle seams or whatever else? Pitfalls? Things that sound good but in practice really aren’t? 

I don't have a ton to add from firsthand as my wife did all the heavy lifting (pun intendedish?) on this stuff, but from what I recall:

• Granite & Marble is out; Quartz is in (style)
• I thought that Quartz would be cheaper and it is generally supposed to be, but the Quartz we chose ended up being more per sqft than Marble/Granite. I guess it was the coloring and style or something
• Granite & Marble emit radiation and gas in the air, apparently, and Quartz does not. Don't know if this is something to care about as it is probably minimal and a nothing-burger, but my wife cared about this. If you are one who thinks that gas stoves should be outlawed, this is probably of interest to note as well.

[Armybrat 40851]

Supposedly quartz is easier to maintain.

[HamsterHookah 112]

1 hour ago, Armybrat said:

Supposedly quartz is easier to maintain.

If you mean, it doesn't dull as quickly and easily, that's also what I've heard.

To be fair, we have marble countertops in bathrooms and I can't tell a difference between them and the quartz in the kitchen. Maybe I'm just not discerning enough and it's certainly true that I don't care one way or another about such things as countertops and interior designs.

[Surly Bevo 25048]

If you got the coin, spring for soapstone

[Chewbacca 7780]

If you got the coin, spring for soapstone

You can do soapstone finish on quartz.

[elfenix 34308]

2 hours ago, HamsterHookah said:

I don't have a ton to add from firsthand as my wife did all the heavy lifting (pun intendedish?) on this stuff, but from what I recall:

• Granite & Marble is out; Quartz is in (style)
• I thought that Quartz would be cheaper and it is generally supposed to be, but the Quartz we chose ended up being more per sqft than Marble/Granite. I guess it was the coloring and style or something
• Granite & Marble emit radiation and gas in the air, apparently, and Quartz does not. Don't know if this is something to care about as it is probably minimal and a nothing-burger, but my wife cared about this. If you are one who thinks that gas stoves should be outlawed, this is probably of interest to note as well.

pretty much everything releases some radiation.

[dcbc 14487]

2 hours ago, HamsterHookah said:

Granite & Marble emit radiation and gas in the air, apparently, and Quartz does not.

While granite and other decorative stone can contain some trace natural radioactivity, granite countertops are not considered to be a key contributor to radiation in the average home.

 

https://www.epa.gov/radiation/are-granite-countertops-radioactive-are-levels-dangerous

[HamsterHookah 112]

10 minutes ago, dcbc said:

While granite and other decorative stone can contain some trace natural radioactivity, granite countertops are not considered to be a key contributor to radiation in the average home.

 

https://www.epa.gov/radiation/are-granite-countertops-radioactive-are-levels-dangerous

Yea, exactly, which is why I said, if you are one of those who think having a gas stove is going to hurt your health then you might care about the trace radiation that granite/marble gives off, but most everyone else sees it as a nothing-burger.

[Texzilla58 4738]

The granite/marble/quartz choice comes down to personal choice and budget. I prefer granite.

I also prefer backsplashes that cover the entire wall up to the cabinets, using the same material as the countertops. I don’t like tile back there as the grout gets nasty.

[deadshank 24653]

4 hours ago, Texzilla58 said:

The granite/marble/quartz choice comes down to personal choice and budget. I prefer granite.

I also prefer backsplashes that cover the entire wall up to the cabinets, using the same material as the countertops. I don’t like tile back there as the grout gets nasty.

This is your answer.  Personal choice and budget.  Of course, Texzilla has shitty taste but he gets the concept. (JK, Texz). 
 

Look at a lot of slabs, use the same product on your backsplash.  
 

Be prepared to spend at least 25% more on your material.  There is a mind-bottling amount of product variety out there.    You’ll have the “a ha!” moment when you see the perfect slab and you’ll need to pull your checkbook quick like Doc Holliday.  
 

7 years ago I had $125 / sq ft turnkey budget.   Wife went slab shopping with our countertop contractor and called when she found her top 3.

I went and looked and our. consensus #1 came in at $220 / sq ft.  I told my wife she better be sure.  We’re not swapping this out.  Ever.   In fact, my dead body will be on the island slab.  
 

Taj My Haul quartz.   Looks great.  Don’t spill and leave red wine.  Like anything else, pull your head out of your ass.  

[Armybrat 40851]

We did that, but went cheap with granite tile 15 years ago.

 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Armybrat

[52-80 19162]

the meaningful functional differences are bullshit. 

all these things you mentioned are literally rocks, and have similar properties. they are or should be sealed, so its the sealant layer that is the actual interface in daily use.

so its mostly an aesthetic choice.  "quartz stone" as an artificial composite of smaller grains and epoxys, are then available in a wider variety of color and appearances, rather than limited to what nature produces.

where i live whole wood slab countertops are popular and i rather like the look and feel of them. that said in actual use laminate is completely fine too and its the overall fit in the kitchen (and cabinetry) that determines the overall appearance

[deadshank 24653]

30 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

We did that, but went cheap with granite tile 15 years ago.

 

Nothing wrong with that.  Where's the shackle you attach your wife's chain to?

[elfenix 34308]

10 hours ago, HamsterHookah said:

Yea, exactly, which is why I said, if you are one of those who think having a gas stove is going to hurt your health then you might care about the trace radiation that granite/marble gives off, but most everyone else sees it as a nothing-burger.

gas stoves give off orders of magnitude more indoor air irritants and pollutants.  they're not in the same ballpark.  not in the same league.  not even the same fucking sport. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

3 hours ago, deadshank said:

Look at a lot of slabs, use the same product on your backsplash.  
 

I'd like to do this if we ever remodel, but we have a full on 20'+ run on one wall.  Would be extremely apprehensive about that junction with high end/grain material.  Yours looks great. 

[Armybrat 40851]

Don’t care, had great food.

9 minutes ago, elfenix said:

gas stoves give off orders of magnitude more indoor air irritants and pollutants.  they're not in the same ballpark.  not in the same league.  not even the same fucking sport. 

 

[CooterBrown 18014]

Fuck off with maintenance of granite or quartz. It’s fucking rock. Unless you hit it with a hammer as hard as you can, you’re not doing shit to it. You think a $10 protection spray is doing anything to increase the durability of a material that was created under tens of thousands of pounds of pressure and thousands of degrees of heat over a million years? GTFO with that retardation.

[deadshank 24653]

23 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I'd like to do this if we ever remodel, but we have a full on 20'+ run on one wall.  Would be extremely apprehensive about that junction with high end/grain material.  Yours looks great. 

Thanks.  We have good sized runs with cut-outs around windows and what not.  Exactly why I told my wife you better be sure because they're going to lay me out on this stuff when my piss stops foaming.

[tx 3 putt 77060]

Buy what looks good and don’t fuck up the back splash 

[Gene Parmesan 4008]

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Fuck off with maintenance of granite or quartz. It’s fucking rock. Unless you hit it with a hammer as hard as you can, you’re not doing shit to it. You think a $10 protection spray is doing anything to increase the durability of a material that was created under tens of thousands of pounds of pressure and thousands of degrees of heat over a million years? GTFO with that retardation.

The spray is mainly for stains not for making the rock stronger, but even to your point we quit the sealant spray a long time ago, and never had an issue with granite staining.

[fattyflattie 4639]

I think I polished ours a couple years in and haven’t done it again in almost a decade.   We don’t have any stains.  It is slicker than owl shit when freshly polished. Maybe I’ll add that to the list of to do’s.  

[Armybrat 40851]

18 minutes ago, Gene Parmesan said:

The spray is mainly for stains not for making the rock stronger, but even to your point we quit the sealant spray a long time ago, and never had an issue with granite staining.

Same here.

[locodos 5387]

I have this granite Bahamian Sand (pic is not my counter)  it's been great.  With two caveats

• if you place something small down on the counter it can be tricky to see...  bread clips, keys  Everything blends in.
• If you spill a little bit of something on the counter it can ALSO be tricky to see, but the counters NEVER look dirty, even when they are filthy
• Oh and the seams between counters, SUPER hard to see because it's so veiny (that's what she said)

Edited June 2, 2023 by locodos

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

The replies basically reinforce why I was asking in the first place… they seem relatively interchangeable with various price points. 

I’m leaning toward quartz for aesthetic reasons and because it can supposedly do a 14” overhang without additional support (may not be different from the other two, but it should be sufficient), but I’ll talk to the guys who’ll be installing about stuff like that. 

Thanks for all the info. 

[Elvis 3371]

There's not much marble talk in here, so I'll add some knowledge.

We remodeled our bathroom and used a lot of marble and white subway tile.  The marble tiles and slabs that we used have been great.

The vanities are from Wayfair and have real marble tops.  They are great looking and affordable, well kind of compared to custom built.

Over time the marble on the vanities have started to turn brown.  This really takes away from the chrome, white and gray color pallet of the room.

I found out that cheap Chinese marble contains a lot of iron, and it oxidizes to rust color.  

Better expensive marble has less iron in it.

[Chewbacca 7780]

There's not much marble talk in here, so I'll add some knowledge.
We remodeled our bathroom and used a lot of marble and white subway tile.  The marble tiles and slabs that we used have been great.
The vanities are from Wayfair and have real marble tops.  They are great looking and affordable, well kind of compared to custom built.
Over time the marble on the vanities have started to turn brown.  This really takes away from the chrome, white and gray color pallet of the room.
I found out that cheap Chinese marble contains a lot of iron, and it oxidizes to rust color.  
Better expensive marble has less iron in it.

Marble is also much more porous. It stains easier and can retain smells.

[Elvis 3371]

Good point. I’ll tell Priscilla to be careful with her makeup. 

[Chewbacca 7780]

Good point. I’ll tell Priscilla to be careful with her makeup. 

I was thinking more of snail trails.

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

OK, so I have a couple of guys coming today to measure for countertops and backsplash. Almost assuredly going with marble. I want, I think, a slab backsplash throughout. They’ve both said that should be fine.

My question is: is there anything specific I should ask them about a slab backsplash? Should they remove Sheetrock and use a different backing? I get that they’re (supposedly) the experts and they’ve done this before, but any info, potential gotchas, etc. would probably be helpful. 

[dcbc 14487]

7 hours ago, Doc Daneeka said:

OK, so I have a couple of guys coming today to measure for countertops and backsplash. Almost assuredly going with marble. I want, I think, a slab backsplash throughout. They’ve both said that should be fine.

My question is: is there anything specific I should ask them about a slab backsplash? Should they remove Sheetrock and use a different backing? I get that they’re (supposedly) the experts and they’ve done this before, but any info, potential gotchas, etc. would probably be helpful. 

Assuming we're talking kitchen and not bathroom, I don't know that it's "high moisture" enough to warrant a green board backer.  But I could be wrong.  When we replaced counter tops and backsplash over ten years ago, we went with tile for the backsplash and our contractor did not replace the sheet rock. 

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

1 minute ago, dcbc said:

Assuming we're talking kitchen and not bathroom, I don't know that it's "high moisture" enough to warrant a green board backer.  But I could be wrong.  When we replaced counter tops and backsplash over ten years ago, we went with tile for the backsplash and our contractor did not replace the sheet rock. 

Yeah, kitchen. 

Looks like the countertops and the full slab backsplash throughout would be a bit north of $10K. May or not involve Sheetrock modifications but apparently getting the slab backsplash anywhere near the depth of a tile one is non-trivial. 

[Chewbacca 7780]

23 minutes ago, Doc Daneeka said:

Yeah, kitchen. 

Looks like the countertops and the full slab backsplash throughout would be a bit north of $10K. May or not involve Sheetrock modifications but apparently getting the slab backsplash anywhere near the depth of a tile one is non-trivial. 

You doing real marble or quartzite that looks like marble?  I would not do real marble in a kitchen.  Too porous and it will stain.

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

37 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

You doing real marble or quartzite that looks like marble?  I would not do real marble in a kitchen.  Too porous and it will stain.

Real marble. Calacatta Tuscan, varying shades of gray. 

[conVINCEd 21469]

35 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

You doing real marble or quartzite that looks like marble?  I would not do real marble in a kitchen.  Too porous and it will stain.

This.  SIL has white marble and loses her shit anytime someone sets a glass of red wine on it.

[Chewbacca 7780]

2 minutes ago, Doc Daneeka said:

Real marble. Calacatta Tuscan, varying shades of gray. 

I would rethink that plan if I were you.

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

41 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

I would rethink that plan if I were you.

Just Zelled 50% so they can start fabrication.

[Chewbacca 7780]

6 minutes ago, Doc Daneeka said:

Just Zelled 50% so they can start fabrication.

I'll be on the lookout for posts asking how to get stains out of marble countertops.  Good luck.

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

49 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

I'll be on the lookout for posts asking how to get stains out of marble countertops.  Good luck.

Sealant and not letting stuff sit seems to work for a lot of people. The marble looked so much better than anything else it will be worth the effort.

[Okie State 3821]

We did quartzite with a leathered finish which looks awesome. Quartz is manmade and I wanted to like it, but I just didn't. The Taj Mahal Deadshank posted was one of our options. We ended up with Mont Blanc which was more white and has blue and green veining. We looked at more slabs than I can even remember. One thing we found was that even the same color of slabs were extremely different from one place to the next. Mont Blanc was not consistent at all to the point that I think some were probably mislabeled. Granite seems to be more consistent.

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

On 6/2/2023 at 5:50 AM, deadshank said:

This is Taj My Haul quartz.   Looks great.  Don’t spill and leave red wine.  Like anything else, pull your head out of your ass.  

I went sort of down the “don’t spill and leave red wine” path. We’ll see if the sealant and care don’t work and if it’s a five-figure mistake, but when we were in the car driving away we were both like, “Damn, that marble, though…”