What Are the Pros and Cons of Choosing Granite Countertops for the Kitchen and Bathroom?

Deep down inside the surface of the earth, volcanic activity is a constant. We surface dwellers only see the results when the cap can no longer contain the bottle being shaken and the pressure decides it is going to be released no matter what. Down there among the Mole People, the Chuds and Morlocks is geological processes underway that will eventually wind up being a block of rock upon which a bare bottom sits freezing or globs of pink toothpaste congeal into hardness. Granite is the result of all that volcanic power and granite is utilized today to create some of the most beautiful countertops in the bathrooms and kitchens around the world.

All that commotion down there in the bowels of the very earth we live upon results in the creation of a product that could not be more perfectly suited to the needs require of countertop material in kitchens and baths. As a countertop surface for kitchens, you can't find another competing type of surface that is more resistant to stains from foods on the acidic line of the matter. Most granite countertops can get away with a resealing job on an annual basis and you soon discover how convenient and cheap that is compared to other materials.

If having a kitchen or bathroom counter that is a one of a kind is important to you, then consider well the potential for making the big investment in granite. Human hands are not responsible for the end result of this rock from the earth. Each countertop has been touched by the hand of God or the hand of a god or Mother Nature or just fate or kismet or whatever. At any rate, the granite counters upon which you prepare dinner or over which you apply makeup for your big night out will not look exactly like anyone else's granite counter anywhere. A premium price should be expected for these bragging rights, but if the rights are worth it to you, then you also get yourself a durable piece of equipment that becomes increasingly more resistant to scratching with each increase in the density of the stone itself.

Another reason for the popularity of granite as counter material that doubles as décor is that the rocks are flecked with minute little crystal bits that give granite its effect of twinkling beneath the lights. The dull flat appearance of other rock materials, wood or man-made surfaces simply cannot compare to the beauty of a high quality slab of granite situated perfectly beneath a light source.

The current cost of installing a granite countertop can top out over $200, but you may get lucky enough to find a company that will do it for closer to $50 if the piece if relatively small. Granite is like other stone surfaces such as marble and travertine when it comes to providing you with a variety of options for edging and finishing. Overall, you can expect to shell out significantly more for granite counters over lesser options like engineered stone, glass and solid surface materials. A high quality slab installed by experienced professionals will result in a payback well in excess of the cost, however.