Granite Worktops - Truth, Lies and misinformation

Innys

I've been ultraconservative with my granite overhang.

The overhand forms one end of a granite dining table sitting on a steel frame. Between the frame and the table is an mdf sub-base which extends under the overhang. As my units are painted, I painted the sub-base the same colour to match.

I'm not suggesting that is a solution for you because my dining table is at a lower level than your worktop and so the sub-base is hardly visible.

I agree, though, a breakfast bar leg (in any colour) looks rubbish.

ikati5

Hi Alan
Can you tell me what to use to get rid of limescale staining around the tap area. The granite has gone very dull and matt where water is continually splashed or sitting.

It is a beige/ black/ tan coloured granite.

bigheadtodd

This thread is very useful.

I'm currently getting an extension done and am looking for a new kitchen. Any recommendations on a good granite worktop provider/fitter in NW London (Harrow area)?

cddc

Spoilt for choice in NW London as Park Royal is full of fabricators. A couple of friends of mine have used Touchstone and been pleased with them.

hotcookie101

Hi, I was advised to ask the following question here

I would like to get granite tops for the run around cooker and sink. I keep reading different things about them-how careful do I need to be? I've read wine will ruin them, lemon juice is kryptonite etc.... Is it true?

Also-we have very hard water, and get watermarks around the sink-does anyone have the grooves cut in for drainage and if so-how do you get limescale off? Can I use Viakil (its what I use on my shower screen and taps-nothing else seems to touch it )

Thanks

BTW we have a freestanding cooker-there is 1060mm straight worktop on one side, and a corner section leading to the sink run on the other (that section is 970mm from wall(full depth of worktop to cooker) there is currently a diagonal join there, then approx 1750mm run (again this is the whole length from the wall-so including the diagonal section of the join)

cyclonebri1

hotcookie101 wrote: »

Hi, I was advised to ask the following question here

I would like to get granite tops for the run around cooker and sink. I keep reading different things about them-how careful do I need to be? I've read wine will ruin them, lemon juice is kryptonite etc.... Is it true?

Also-we have very hard water, and get watermarks around the sink-does anyone have the grooves cut in for drainage and if so-how do you get limescale off? Can I use Viakil (its what I use on my shower screen and taps-nothing else seems to touch it )

Thanks

BTW we have a freestanding cooker-there is 1060mm straight worktop on one side, and a corner section leading to the sink run on the other (that section is 970mm from wall(full depth of worktop to cooker) there is currently a diagonal join there, then approx 1750mm run (again this is the whole length from the wall-so including the diagonal section of the join)

You wonn't get water scale on your granite or on your existing taps and bathroom IF you wipe the water off before it dries. If you can't hold to that cleaning regime then maybe granite isn't for you. Believe me I pondered long and hard over the same issue;)

hotcookie101

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

You wonn't get water scale on your granite or on your existing taps and bathroom IF you wipe the water off before it dries. If you can't hold to that cleaning regime then maybe granite isn't for you. Believe me I pondered long and hard over the same issue;)

Yes, drying it off immediately would solve the issue-however-surely the point of a draining board is to allow stuff to drain-so the water evaporates? If I dried it up immediately then I wouldn't need the board/groove area?
And life is too short to dry taps after showering ;):p

cyclonebri1

hotcookie101 wrote: »

Yes, drying it off immediately would solve the issue-however-surely the point of a draining board is to allow stuff to drain-so the water evaporates? If I dried it up immediately then I wouldn't need the board/groove area?
And life is too short to dry taps after showering ;):p

I'm one of the splash it about types and I know what a mess shiny black would look in our kitchen, which is one reason I went for the golden stone appearance of Kashmir gold. Don't ask me how it fairs under water attack as it isn't fitted yet (a long story).

hotcookie101

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

I'm one of the splash it about types and I know what a mess shiny black would look in our kitchen, which is one reason I went for the golden stone appearance of Kashmir gold. Don't ask me how it fairs under water attack as it isn't fitted yet (a long story).

Yep-thats my plan too-there is no WAY I would like black-we have granite look laminate at the moment in black and I don't like them. I want a yellowy colour-am figuring its a bit like my silver car-won't show the dirt so much

cyclonebri1

hotcookie101 wrote: »

Yep-thats my plan too-there is no WAY I would like black-we have granite look laminate at the moment in black and I don't like them. I want a yellowy colour-am figuring its a bit like my silver car-won't show the dirt so much

Hmm, I don't know where you are but I'm using Mayfair Granite up in Bradford. This was on recomendation or rather the fact that they topped out a very large kitchen I fitted for my daughter a year or so ago. They did a great job and it's faultless.

I posted this earlier in the thread but I went to have a look at their granite stocks, very important to me to see the actual material I'm buying. I fell in love with the Kashmire gold they have in stock at the moment as it's such a rich mottled gold and orange colour, far better than any samples I'd seen from them and several other suppliers.
I put my name on 2 slices there and then.
Be prepared to travel to view, they told me they regularly have people visit from as far away as Glasgow or London, around 200miles off.


Be warned tho', as I hinted in my earlier post, I've had an issue with the combination of granite choice and the size of the sink I had sourced.
KG is about in the middle of the hardness range of available granites. The sink I had chosen was a deep double bowl but the narrowest I could find. It require a cut out just under 800 x 400. The suppliers wouldn't take the risk and as I was determined to use the sink I had the compromise was to separate the sink into 2 independant bowls and allow a "land" of 180mm of granite between the 2. Seems like a plan, will see later this week when it gets fitted