Grounded in Granite

Despite showrooms of alternatives, this rock is still a solid favorite for kitchen counters.

By Sonja Hakala, 10/12/2003

Granite has proved to be the rock of ages when it comes to kitchen countertops. Formica, ceramic tile, wood, stainless steel, marble, soapstone, concrete, quartz, and even lava stone may come and go, but granite holds its own as the classic kitchen surface. Granite lovers -- and they are legion -- swear that if it is treated right, this natural surface is as carefree as a kitchen countertop gets.

"I haven't really had to do much of anything with them, and they look just as good as they did the day they were installed," Lib Maloney says as she shows off the shivakashi granite countertops in the kitchen of her Hanover, New Hampshire, home. Rob Malz, owner of the Shaker Hill Granite Co. in Enfield, New Hampshire, who installed the warm, smoky amber counters, smiles as he listens to Maloney. "I really like the movement and the flow of color that you get in granite," he says. "There are no two countertops alike."

While Malz's company may be in the Granite State, he does not use the familiar gray-on-gray rock New Englanders see in their curbstones. Native stone is too brittle when sliced into thin slabs to be used for counters. Rather, the stone used in kitchens comes from Brazil, Canada, China, Italy, and Africa as well as other regions of the United States.

Because granite is expensive, as countertops go, running $60 to $100 a square foot depending on the type of granite selected and the complexity of the installation, Malz says, the carpenters' maxim "measure twice, cut once" is even more applicable. Before a piece of stone is touched, his crew makes a plastic template and sets it in the kitchen exactly where the granite is going to be installed. "When we're done with this part of the process, the customer can see how the whole layout will look," Malz explains, "and this gives them the chance to make any changes they want before we get involved with the stone."

Shaker Hill uses granite slabs that are 1 1/4 inches thick. Other installers may offer different options such as thinner single slabs, which some designers prefer, or a laminate of two slabs glued together and edged with granite veneer.

Because granite is made of interlocking mineral crystals, its surface is porous, even after it has been polished. A good sealant, properly applied, will make granite quite stain-resistant, says Malz, noting that sealing the stone should be the last step in the installation process and be included in the price. "If it's done right the first time," he says, "your granite shouldn't need anything more than normal cleaning."

Kitchen designers suggest that consumers take the time to select the stone that will be installed. There are variations from one slab of granite to another, even within the same color, and a showroom sample can be different from the granite that will be delivered. In addition, picking out your own slabs will give you the chance to alter your kitchen's design to fit an available supply. For example, if kashmere gold only comes in slabs that are 54 inches wide, you can scale down your 60-inch island so it can be covered by a single piece of stone rather than contend with a seam. "It's really hard to match the flow of granite perfectly where two pieces come together, because each slab is unique," says Malz. "But that's also what makes it so beautiful."

For information about the Shaker Hill Granite Co., call 603-632-5280 or visit www.shakerhillgranite.com.

Sonja Hakala is a freelance writer living in Vermont.