granite counter top anyone done it?

R

rashidme

Well-known member
I am planning on doing granite counter top in washrooms and kitchen. I am going to start with powder room (since it is small and will be a good starting point) and then work my way towards kitchen.

If you have done this kinda project:
- where did you get the granite?
- where did you take it for cutting/drilling etc?
- did you have to rent the tools?
- how did you cut out the template for the sink?

If i have missed anything please add it.

Thanks.
 
My only comment would be to consider Quartz instead of Granite since it's easier to maintain (no sealing) and it's much less prone to staining.

Good luck on the reno.
 
just have it done, it's easier and way cheaper, as you mostly are paying for the granite

we had this place do it all for us, kitchen, 2 bathrooms, powder room and laundry room

there is no way I would even attempt this on my own

Select Granite Tops Inc.
45 Moyal Crt.
Concord, Ontario
L4K 4R8

Patricia L. Marrocco
Sales Associate
Cell number 647-771-0262

905-879-5000
Fax 905-879-5001



here is the kitchen and that is a 3cm thick slab



I did the backsplash........

ohhhhh

this was the before.....



original homeowner's idea of a kitchen.....

.
 
Last edited:
GateKeeper said:
just have it done, it's easier and way cheaper, as you mostly are paying for the granite

we had this place do it all for us, kitchen, 2 bathrooms, powder room and laundry room

there is no way I would even attempt this on my own

Select Granite Tops Inc.
45 Moyal Crt.
Concord, Ontario
L4K 4R8

Patricia L. Marrocco
Sales Associate
Cell number 647-771-0262

905-879-5000
Fax 905-879-5001



here is the kitchen and that is a 3cm thick slab



I did the backsplash........

ohhhhh

this was the before.....



original homeowner's idea of a kitchen.....

.
Click to expand...

oh wow it looks very nice!
 
have somebody do it. Do some shipping there is a big range in the costs from place to place depending on the grade or granite, edging desired, and some other variables.

Not sure where you are from, we are currently finishing a build of our house in the next week. Our counters will be going in by the end of the week. We used this place:
http://firstincounters.ca/

They have been good to work with, reasonably priced and had a good selection. They are located in Wainfleet which could be a hike if you are closer to the GTA
 
Agreed. It's not a very DIY friendly task. By the time u pay for the holes and sink to be cut, you're better off to just get it installed. And you'll prolly go under mount sink which they should use an epoxy to set the sink in. We got our laundry room done in quartz installed for under 60 sq/ft iirc.

Both quartz and granite are beautiful, don't let sealing the granite out you off. We just use a spray cleaner with a sealer in it. Easy as pie.
 
amupahy2.jpg


epasu8u5.jpg


Also pending the sizes you need, if you can get off cuts it will save u a ton of money. Granite is sold by the slab, so if u only use 3/4 of it, your paying for the whole thing. So do your research and talk to a few different places to see what leftovers they have.
 
hu5uzemy.jpg


This is what I use to clean/seal the granite. Easy and cheap. Although if ur looking at unpolished granite thats a whole other story.
 
If you do manage to find someone who will measure, cut, and deliver the granite, all you really need is at least another helper to carry the sections on top of the counters, a level, glue, and shims. The rest of the job is just regular plumbing work (sink installation, caulking, etc.).

I haven't done this myself but a granite countertop project is something you leave to the experts. The material is simply to heavy and unwieldy, you cannot cut and polish granite slabs yourself. I paid someone to install mine, and I did the backsplash and faucet.

297231_10150274238977385_20961_n.jpg
 
Dresden said:
My only comment would be to consider Quartz instead of Granite since it's easier to maintain (no sealing) and it's much less prone to staining.

Good luck on the reno.
Click to expand...

Sealing granite once every 20 years is not a negative. The price of Quartz IS. Quartz counters are man made quartz chips in resin. It should be half the price of natural stone like granite.
 
WTH! The original kitchen was baller. Damn, you are lowering the value of your home because it is no longer original.
 
You can't cut it yourself. You can install the finished product yourself, though.
 
-D- said:
WTH! The original kitchen was baller. Damn, you are lowering the value of your home because it is no longer original.
Click to expand...

LOL, I guess removing the tiles and doing hardwood throughout is gonna drop it even further, once I am done I might as well give it away.....:p

mmmnaked said:
You can't cut it yourself. You can install the finished product yourself, though.
Click to expand...

Well actually I don't think the cutting would be the issue, it's the polishing of the cut you are going to have difficulty with....
 
Just drive to Vaughan ... there's like 10 or so companies selling/cutting and installing granite.
 
Mine are butcher block and polished concrete. Personally I like the look more then granite. If you do go granite, as others have said, it is cheaper to have a pro do it.
 
mxs said:
Just drive to Vaughan ... there's like 10 or so companies selling/cutting and installing granite.
Click to expand...


OP: +1 Edgley Blvd. Or hwy 7.
Or a place called TriStar
Everyone else: Nice pics
 
If you do granite pick your granite first and then design your kitchen and washroom around it. There are really nice slabs out there plus cheaper than box stores.

We found a granite installer first. Then we went shopping for a slab. If you are in GTA I can send you his number and you can go from there. Or you should be able to find someone by asking around. Good luck
 
We have quartz (Caesarstone) but sometimes regret not getting Granite. Quartz is functional but does not have the natural look of granite. However Cambria offers spectacular quartz counters but they are expensive.
 
The price of granite slabs varies widely depending on color/point of origin (frt) and how long the granite guy has had it in stock. There are people offering low price granite tops, they buy machined slabs 25" x 96" and 50" x 96" and cut/fit them on site. They have seams, look bad IMHO, and they do cutouts with a diamond blade on an angle grinder, you get what you pay for. At a real granite shop they have a CNC water cooled machine and start with a large slab, you may end up with 1 seam on a big top, they template your cabinets and its beautiful level and comes with a guarantee. Synthetic tops, quartz and corian and off brands of corian like silstar and ceasarstone offer a substitute, they cost less per sqft but actually have a lot of labor cost since they are made "one piece" by glueing slabs together and then polishing and routering edges and they need to be buffed back to a gloss, its a lot of polishing. I'm not sure I'd use granite right now, I get the appeal, but I don't see the value over a really nice synthetic.
 
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