Decisions You'll Need To Make When Choosing Granite Countertops
The mere decision to add granite counters to your kitchen is a big one. You've decided on a counter material that is a little on the expensive side but will last for decades and add endless beauty to your home. What you may not expect, though, is the other decisions you'll need to make as you work with your countertop manufacturer to select and design your granite counters. Here are a few of those key decisions.
What color granite do you want?
You may be used to seeing slabs of granite with tan, gray, and brown tones. These are the most common granite colors. But one of the really awesome things about granite is the variety of colors it comes in. You can find granite that's almost all black. You can find granite that's gray, white, or that has streaks of blue or green running through it. Take a look at all of the slabs your granite company has to offer. Keep in mind that they may come at a variety of prices. If you're on a specific budget, you may want to ask the granite company to show you only the ones within your budget.
Are you okay with a seam?
Your granite company may use two or more smaller pieces of granite to piece together a whole counter. Or, they may use one slab of granite to make your counter. You'll usually pay a lot more if they use a single slab and less if they use multiple small pieces that are otherwise considered scraps. Seams in granite counters are not that obvious, and most people can deal with them just fine. However, if you have a reason to want to avoid seams, you can pay more for a solid, single-slab counter.
What kind of edge do you want?
Not all granite counters have to have blunt, squared-off edges. Some have rounded edges, bull-nose edges, or waterfall edges. You can usually choose what type of edge you want put on your granite counter, although some cost more than others because they are more work. Look at the options and see which one will coordinate best with the overall style of your kitchen. Rounded edges tend to be more traditional, while squared-off patterns are more modern.
These are the key decisions you'll need to make when selecting and designing granite counters. Talk to a contractor for more information about granite countertops.