vanity top : Granite / Marble / Cultured Marble?

[Rich P]

My wife had picked out a "granite" (called "Cheney Verde") for the kitchen but after consulting with our kitchen designer we learned it was actually a quartz and was difficult to work because it shattered easily (per her stone guy). We decided to stick with granite. Silestone or other quartz products were never brought up, so I have no experience. Looks like "Silestone" is somehow manufactured since they blend their own colors for it. Didn't see much talk about the physical performance of the product either.

[JimD]

I have marble tile countertops on the built-ins on either side of my fireplace, granite tile and solid granite countertops in the kitchen and cultured marble in 4 of 5 bathrooms (the other one has a pedistal sink). For their applications each works well. The built-ins get relatively light use so the marble holds up. It also matches the slabs around the fireplace. The granite is probably the most durable. The cultured marble holds up well in the bathrooms. When my wife was alive, she regularly got all kinds of makeup and stuff on her sink in our bathroom and it is not stained at all. The kids could not damage theirs either.

Jim

[Tom Slick]

I have granite in my kitchen and small bathroom. The only issue I've had with the granite in the bathroom is when water sets on it it gets absorbed and will be wet all day in those spots. This also happens where there is condensation such as under the soap dispenser and cup that holds the toothbrushes. It is not an issue in the kitchen.
The best sealer I've used is AquaMix stone sealer.

[robtonya]

I had this slab custom cut, and installed. They put a thick sealer on it, and have said that in ten years they have never had a call back to reapply it. All this talk on granite, and no pictures? I'll get the party started on the pictures.

[DaveS]

Green Labrador from our kitchen

The island is 5x9, and that once piece weighs almost 900 pounds.

[radhak]

Wow - nice stones, both.

And, just as nice cabinets, both ! What wood?

[robtonya]

Mine is oak, and oak veneered plywood. Thank you too! I'm still making the drawers. I just got a dovetail jig, and still practcing. I think the granite is Santa Cecilia (unsure of the spelling).

[Tom Slick]

Here is a pic from my kitchen remodel. notice the pulls aren't installed yet. The granite is Blooba Tooba (blue ooba tooba). cabinets are cherry.

[Two Much]

Ours is Creme' Bordeaux... I got the little counter under the tv cabinet for free, cause they cut it crooked.

[Two Much]

Wood is another much cheaper alternative.

8/4 QS white oak...

[radhak]

Amazing! what beautiful stones and cabinets!

Tom, did you do all that yourself?

Joan - never knew wood would work as counter tops! Classy!

[Tom Slick]

I bought all of the components for the cabinets and hung them myself. All of the casing/trim and drywall (minus taping and texturing) is my work. Tile and granite was also farmed out. The attached photo shows the scope of the job.

Wood countertops are traditional craftsman style. Butcherblock counters are still very common.

[robtonya]

I could look at granite pictures all day long. Those are some great pictures. I also like the wooden top as well.

[Two Much]

Radhak, If your counter is only 33" long, you should be able to pick up a drop off reasonably. Granite is all different prices. They start at about 40 a square foot and usually top off at about 90.00 with some exceptions that are higher. This is usually an installed price, with a 200.00 charge for a sink cut-out and an additional charge for a fancy edge.
Some charge for the template as well, and some include the template in the per foot charge.
When we did our kitchen in 2006, I think I ended up paying about 2700.00 after some
haggling over the template price etc... Then we took the summer off and went back and built the cabinets in the breakfast area. So we went back to the stone yard ...by that time I had some experience dealing with the stone guys. The piece we needed to match was 24" x 47" @ 90.00 a square foot installed with template it would have been 720.00.
I told them we would pick it up and install it ourselves and provide the measurement.
They said ok, then the charge will be 520.00... I said, 400.00 cash, they said ok. My point being, everything is negotiable.
They had to cut the piece and polish the edge, with no installation they could afford to sell me a 90.00 a foot granite for 50.00 a foot.
Also, if you provide the template and pick up the granite and install it yourself, you'll save a lot of money. The big part of the granite cost is the labor involved.