I keep seeing granite countertops listed on real-estate listings, home improvement/remodeling project ads, etc. Why is this particular amenity so popular and considered such a plus? What are the alternatives and why are they inferior (at least, inferior enough not to be explicitly mentioned like granite countertops are)?
In: Engineering
Right? And now “butcher block”? Who cares!?
For cooks and bakers heat resistant bench/counter tops are hugely useful since you can plonk pots and pans etc on them without worrying about damage.
For baking, especially breads and pastries you can knead directly on the (cleaned) bench/counter top without the dough warming too much as the natural cool temperature of the stone helps immensely.
You can gently scrape food residue and they are generally resistant to staining and minor damage. There are some stone surfaces that require a sealant due to natural porosity but all in all stone is a versatile and durable product.
I have a friend whose wealthy stepfather had some kind of rare ‘blue granite'(that come from only one place in the world) countertops in his kitchen that cost a total of $40,000
There are very particular reasons why real estate listings specifically mention granite countertops. It’s written about in Freakonomics.
The word ‘granite’ is correlated with a higher sale price. The other canonical examples being ‘Corian’, ‘maple’, ‘State-of-the-Art’ and ‘Gourmet’.
The ideal countertop for the consumer is one which is sturdy, easy to clean and keep clean, and is attractive. The ideal countertop for the (countertop) seller is one which has the highest profit margin, and for the (house) seller one which attracts the folks with the most money.
Since attractiveness is in the eye of the beholder, marketing plays a huge role in our perceptions. “Granite ” is unique, and has won the marketing seal of approval. Engineered stone is cheaper, less porous, and very sturdy, so functionally “better,” but the consumer has to determine what is best for them.
Granite has a number of advantages…and a few disadvantages.
Advantages are a smooth surface that doesn’t give off a ton of heat (so even if you put a hot pan on the countertop you’re unlikely to burn yourself) and is resistant to heat and all kinds of abrasion. The disadvantages are that it can crack and it’s porous (so it needs to be resealed every now and then to prevent it from staining or becoming a magnet for bacteria). An additional disadvantage is that if the countertop is a complex shape then it will have to be made from multiple blocks of granite.
That generally makes it superior or equivalent to most other countertop materials (certainly superior to laminate, wood or marble). For pure utilitarianism a concrete mix (you can get a really nice finish on concrete if you mix it with the right materials) can usually match all the advantages of a granite countertop. “Concrete countertop” doesn’t sound very nice when you’re trying to sell the house though.
For commercial kitchens steel is usually the superior choice, since it’s easier to keep hygienic. The disadvantage of steel is of course that it will show any stains or deposites. If your tapwater is somewhat alkaline a steel countertop is basically cleaning hell (which is a pro in a commercial kitchen but not that desirable in your home).
In general, it’s a trend. Every generation has a kitchen trend and our generation is open floor concept and granite countertops.
However, stone countertops do have a practical reason for it’s popularity, which is it’s durability, and longetivity compared to older trends like wood, tile or god forbid, Formica.
Granite’s popularity stems from it’s early use to add some dramatic and interesting flair to the kitchen. Because of how granite is formed, it’s color, pattern and detail is basically always unique per stone. How it’s cut also determines what pattern faces the top. Uniqueness makes things valuable and interesting. Same goes for marble, but be warned, marble is a bitch to maintain.
As the trickle down effect goes, the mark of a modern kitchen came to be symbolized by a stone countertop.
Since there is a lot of money to be made by selling such a symbol, cheaper alternatives were created like engineered quartz etc. where it’s a man made stone. As part of the engineering, they added elements that made it more durable and strong. And then there’s those wannabe stones where it’s some colored epoxy on wood or plastic, which should be avoided…
Regarding alternatives, Corian and other engineered tops are my favorite. I had this in a previous house. The reason I love it is, you can have the sink made of the same material, usually a different color, bonded to the counter with a smooth seamless point of connection. There is then, no seam and easily cleaned. The engineered stone also isn’t as noisy as a sink as stainless steel. It does stain, but not easily and that is usually reversed by filling the sink with a bleach/water solution and letting it dit overnight.
Assistant architect here. Granite tops are mostly aesthetic, just like other types of stone tops, like marble, terrazzo or quartz for example. The reason for picking this over other options is mostly for the grain pattern or veins on the natural stone, making it uniquely beautiful as these patterns are difficult to replicate especially for marble veins. There are artificial ones, which are passable (more like large format ceramic tiles actually) but for something which you will sit or use up close like a countertop, sometimes the printed grains and veins can be seen.
A nice veined marble can look good in a well designed kitchen and the same one can be tacky as heck in a badly designed one, so this is personal taste and professional execution. As for feel, it honestly feels like a solid product with a nice cool touch, part of why people would like to use natural stone if they can afford it.
As for how it is mounted on the counter, normally a 20mm piece would be used, not really that thin, and then there are edge details which can be done to magically make it look much thicker than it actually is. Any thinner isn’t really recommended, also a bit difficult to source from my experience, and any thing veneer-like is more a question of why the heck is that used on your counter?
Your other options are the artificial ones like artificial quartz or corian. Those function comparable to the stone above, heatproof, impact proof etc, but the patterns and grains tend to be more subtle and consistent as it is difficult to replicate natural veins, but still, it’s possible to make a nice kitchen with this. Functionally, the good quality ones are similar to natural stone, a possible plus side is that the man made ones tend to be much more stain resistant than the natural ones, as natural stone has pores in it which if not sealed well, can allow for wine or water to seep in.
There are also composite panels, which in a way can be an option, however I feel that they aren’t as strong as natural stone or artificial quartz, with regards to heat, and in a design sense they don’t feel as nice to the touch.
All this being said, granite is often emphasised as a big deal because of the cost and feel of it as well as the uniqueness of the stone’s grains and patterns, giving the kitchen that premium magic; and it does, only if the interior and spacial design helps make it work too.
Fucked if I know. I (well, the wife) watches a lot of US house remodelling shows and we agree that granite countertops generally look fucking awful. Way too busy-looking.
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