Granite Worktops - Truth, Lies and misinformation

garry1978

Here for a follow up question, if anyone has any views.

So far (from 6 companies), Mistermarble are cheapest (but they all seem to be within a 15% range.

Except for one thing - we had hoped to consider a Silestone colour (Mountain Mist). I had thought that it would be a bit cheaper, but it's more expensive. Two companies have quoted - one has it at £1000 more, and another has it at £3100 more!

That seems a bit odd!

Does anyone have a view?
thanks

Alan_M_2

Silestone is a branded product with which the manufacturer tries to create an exclusive image, as such it has it's wholesale restricted to certain suppliers.

That means the price is fixed at a level that is generally double the cost of comparable granite.

You're paying a premium for the brand name basically. (plus the cost of using Fernando Alonso in it's advertising and the resulting sponsorship associated with Formula1)

It's no different to buying a Louis Vuitton Handbag - 80% of the cost is the brand name - 20% is the product itself.

The £3,100 more is more like it - at £1,000 more than granite it's unlikely to be Silestone.

sambacat

Wish I had been able to read this article before buying granite worktops 5 years ago. Yes, we chose black ! Unfortunately where water has stood around the tap/basin area the granite has become discoloured . I suspect it had been stained . It looks as though oil has been used on it .

Question - is there anything which can be done to restore the colour and if so who could do it and at what likely cost please ?

bensgranddad

I have (black) granite worktops and matching granite floor tiles. I can clean anything off the worktop and it does not stain. The floor, however, is potmarked with stains from fatty or oily drips that won't come out. Why the difference and can anything be done to clear the oil drip stains?

ChelseaGirl

Hi, I wonder whether anyone can help me please?
I have black granite worktops in my kitchen and very hard water. Is there anything that will remove white hard water marks without damaging the granite?
TIA for any help you may be able to offer.

ettie

A potential kitchen supplier has recently told me that if I want black stone worktops with a sparkle then I will have to go for quartz (or similar) not granite but that this manmade material does not join up well, as the joints have to be quite thick. Is this true does anyone know?
Also I read somewhere here that quartz fades in sunlight and this will be a very sunny kitchen!

TheSKIers

I have used a company in Bradford after we were very badly let down by Mistermarble in Manchester. Their quote was cheap but on the day before it should have been fitted they glibly announced that they didn't have the marble I needed - this after a 2 month order and communication with the firm - beware.

sweetpea123

This is really informative, thank you. My Dad was a quarryman in Cornwall:j and I loved going to his quarry to watch him work. We still have lots of his granite in the house - as well as a beautiful wall outside - built by a skilled stonemason (my dad).

Mamma_2

Hi
We need granite worktop to make an island unit, we want just a plain (no veins, marble etc) white or cream. We've been told its better quality & cheaper to go direct than to the DIY/Kitchen stores. We live in East Yorkshire, near to Hull. Can you recommend someone/where please?

Alan_M_2

sambacat wrote: »

Wish I had been able to read this article before buying granite worktops 5 years ago. Yes, we chose black ! Unfortunately where water has stood around the tap/basin area the granite has become discoloured . I suspect it had been stained . It looks as though oil has been used on it .

Question - is there anything which can be done to restore the colour and if so who could do it and at what likely cost please ?

Have a chat with a local stonemason - a proper stonemason - a good place to start is the monumental masons attached to funeral directors, part of their business will be refurbishment of existing installations.

bensgranddad wrote: »

I have (black) granite worktops and matching granite floor tiles. I can clean anything off the worktop and it does not stain. The floor, however, is potmarked with stains from fatty or oily drips that won't come out. Why the difference and can anything be done to clear the oil drip stains?

First port of call for the tiles will be - http://www.extensive.co.uk/

Give them a call, explain the issue and they will be able to recommend a course of action. Then a product to seal it all afterwards so it won't happen again.

ChelseaGirl wrote: »

Hi, I wonder whether anyone can help me please?
I have black granite worktops in my kitchen and very hard water. Is there anything that will remove white hard water marks without damaging the granite?
TIA for any help you may be able to offer.

Try the company I've linked to above, it's a starting point. If you called a professional firm in to do the work likelyhood is they would turn up with a Lithofin product anyway.

If the above doesn't work - then go the route of a local stonemason for advice, there is no substitute for being stood in a kitchen and actually looking at the problem in person.