granite worktops

debbie42

I've got tiles butting down onto my granite. Had I had the sense to go for upstands then the seal where the water splashes would be epoxy, and much harder wearing than the silicone I have, which looks really kakky in parts, especially behind the taps.

I wish I'd had it!

ruby25a

Thanks for all the advice,will prob go for it as there is more positive responses than negative. !!

kitipampa

I also have black speckled granite and its fabulous !! i dont get any watermarks but then again i have a water softener which also means my shower doors are sparkling too !! thoroughly recomend both !

Bogof_Babe

My sister has black very shiny granite worktops with little sparkly bits in it. It looks great, but when I was cooking there at the weekend I found it didn't show up any splashes or spills, so I was putting teatowels down in them etc. (I was frying onion and making tomato pasta sauce, if you are thinking what a mucky cook I must be )

I wouldn't have such a shiny finish myself, the matt black type would be easier to work with.

betterbargains4u

I have just won a 10k Magnet kitchen and really want the black star galaxy granite (shiny black with silver specks in it)
Can I ask what are the pro's and con's in having this....if anyone else has it?
Also have done some searching on the net, but wondered if anyone knows of a good company?

gregg1

betterbargains4u wrote: »

I have just won a 10k Magnet kitchen and really want the black star galaxy granite (shiny black with silver specks in it)
Can I ask what are the pro's and con's in having this....if anyone else has it?
Also have done some searching on the net, but wondered if anyone knows of a good company?

We are having a kitchen fitted at present and have gone for the Luxor Black Diamond quartz worktop from magnet which is black with silver specks. I think I am right in saying if you go for the quartz option, it is even more hardwearing than granite and does not show marks as much (but has the same appearance as granite). I think it costs a bit more than granite but might be worth you looking at. We are buying the worktop from Magnet so they will be able to tell you who the supplier is (John Lewis also stock this worktop).

betterbargains4u

Many thanks for that, but Magnet are far too expensive!!!
We have chosen our kitchen and have opted to source the worktops from somewhere else.
Even the lady at the Magnet showroom advised us to do this!!
Anyone know which is the best company to use?

cuffie

betterbargains4u wrote: »

I have just won a 10k Magnet kitchen and really want the black star galaxy granite (shiny black with silver specks in it)
Can I ask what are the pro's and con's in having this....if anyone else has it?
Also have done some searching on the net, but wondered if anyone knows of a good company?

I agree - this looks great..I was initially going to go for this for our granite but 2 things put me off....
1. Its very "now". In 2 years time I wonder if it will look a bit dated rather than just a normal "boring" granite (sorry - I know I'm being a bit safe here, but I don't want it to look like I had what everyone else had in 2007 when its 2010). Also, we have had quite a few spotlights put into the ceiling and there is quite a big breakfast bar area we need to have and I didn't want it to look like a disco going off in the kitchen!!
2. A fitter pointed out to us that the way the light shines on the granite varys as to which way it is laid. Its true - go into a showroom where they have it around a largish area and when you look, you can see lots of sparkles on one section and when it goes into a new slab around another part of the wall, it hardly sparkled at all. In fact, it looked like 2 different slabs of granite!!
Im still getting quotes at the moment, but I reckon I might go for Cosmos (still flickery but not as much as star galaxy), or just the absolute black.

I can't really think of anything else, but it is a lovely granite. Good luck.

Forgot to add....I got 3 internet quotes and 3 outside quotes (well, still waiting for one to come back to me). Internet quotes cheaper, but I am wary of using them. I don't feel there is much comeback if there is something wrong. Also, check they are using premium top grade granite. Apparantly some of them use cheap stuff. Another thing I was told is when you choose which one you want, ask to see their suppliers at the yard so you can see what you want as one big slab of granite rather than a small square (interestingly, all outside quotes have offered this - have said we can see big slabs at the yards.....none of the internet companies have - they have just said Mr Granite Man will bring a sample with him when he comes to measure up)