Granite Worktops - Truth, Lies and misinformation

Alan_M_2

Ems112 wrote: »

Hi Alan

I am wondering whether you assist on a quick query. We are looking into installing either Granite or Quartz worktops in our new kitchen. We don't want to spend a fortune - is around £1,500 - £2,000 a realistic aim? Our room our kitchen is located in is about 13ft x 13 ft. We live in South Devon - are you able to recommend somewhere near to where we live that could help us out?

thanks

Speak to Paul or Simon at The Little Granite Kitchen shop in Paignton.

Both traditional stonemasons, at your budget keep things simple and they should be able to help.

Ems112

Fab, thanks Alan. We plan to keep it nice and simple so fingers crossed we will be able to manage it with our budget!

super_reds

Hi to Alan and anybody else that could help. We are looking to get some Silestone fitted in our new kitchen in Birmingham. Any recommendations would be much appreciated.

Alan_M_2

super_reds wrote: »

Hi to Alan and anybody else that could help. We are looking to get some Silestone fitted in our new kitchen in Birmingham. Any recommendations would be much appreciated.

I don't know anyone in the Birmingham area dealing specifically with Silestone, plenty of granite firms around but not all of them want to offer Silestone.

Do be aware that you've picked a pricey material.

That will be in the region of £1200 per slab before any work is undertaken. (A slab being 3000mm x 1400mm).

super_reds

Alan_M wrote: »

I don't know anyone in the Birmingham area dealing specifically with Silestone, plenty of granite firms around but not all of them want to offer Silestone.

Do be aware that you've picked a pricey material.

That will be in the region of £1200 per slab before any work is undertaken. (A slab being 3000mm x 1400mm).

Thanks, are there similar quartz products which aren't too inferior in quality that we should look at which would be more widely available and not so pricey.

Alan_M_2

super_reds wrote: »

Thanks, are there similar quartz products which aren't too inferior in quality that we should look at which would be more widely available and not so pricey.

Other quartz branded products worth looking at are:

Cimstone
Compac
Quartzia (actually compac rebranded)

If you want a light colour or mirror sparkle these are the way to go.

If you want something black and the budget is stretched, granite will probably be less expensive. Probably a better product also.

brucefan1962

Hi Alan, and anybody else who knows their stuff!

I'm at the point where i need to order my worktop - budget is really stretched now, so have to keep costs sensible. Don't have exact measurements but need two lengths apparantly, with cut out for sink and hob, and also have a peninsular. Don't really want black granite, prefer light coloured quartz to go with a cream gloss kitchen.
If black granite is going to be much cheaper will have to go for that, bit do not want the sparkly one.

Don't know where the best value supplier is in my area - near to Gatwick. Are the independents better thans say Howdens or Magnet (kitchen was bought from DIY kitchens online).


Any recommendations please?

Thanks in advance

Cambridge32

I am looking to purchase a kitchen worktop.

I will be honest, I have only read 3 pages of this thread and not the whole thing, so apologies if this has already been asked:

Why is (almost) any natural rock that is sliced up for the purposes of making worktops (among other things) called "granite"? I am a geologist and find it very confusing to have people trying to sell me a "granite" worktop when I know that it is a gabbro (a dark, coarse-grained igneous rock) or (in one instance) a conglomerate (a sedimentary rock)?

I find it all very confusing. :undecided

Alan_M_2

Cambridge32 wrote: »

I am looking to purchase a kitchen worktop.

I will be honest, I have only read 3 pages of this thread and not the whole thing, so apologies if this has already been asked:

Why is (almost) any natural rock that is sliced up for the purposes of making worktops (among other things) called "granite"? I am a geologist and find it very confusing to have people trying to sell me a "granite" worktop when I know that it is a gabbro (a dark, coarse-grained igneous rock) or (in one instance) a conglomerate (a sedimentary rock)?

I find it all very confusing. :undecided

It simply makes it palatable for the public at large.

A very large proportion of people simply refer to any stone worktops as "marble" no matter what it is.

In simple terms, most people have no need to know what type of "Intrusive felsic igneous rock" (or even if it is that) they are ordering to install in their kitchen. It is superflous information and confusing.

Most wholesalers don't even need to know this information (and most don't), just what it is and where it comes from and how good the quality is.

For anything other than that, a geologist is employed, generally at the quarrying stage as a quality control inspector of the quarried blocks.

Cambridge32

Thanks, that's a helpful answer!
Clearly when shopping for kitchen worktops, excess abstruse information is a hindrance. I'll just get my partner to pick one that she likes (as with everything else in the house).