Best Kitchen Countertops- Granite and Marble

How long have you dreamed of a granite, marble or Corian countertop?

You can stop looking and start planning.

Use their Granite Colors page to begin your journey to a beautiful new kitchen worktop, bathroom vanity or wet bar.

Nothing changes a kitchen more than a solid surface countertop. With their wide selection of marble and granite to choose from you will find something you love and can afford. Just because it's granite, doesn't mean it's too expensive.

Corian counters, also known as solid surface kitchen tops, offer a number of advantages over plastic laminate, ceramic tile and even natural stone countertops. Although plastic laminate countertops are fairly durable and inexpensive, they consist of only a single surface layer of color. This surface can fade over time, and can be damaged by cuts from knives or other sharp objects. They can also become damaged from direct heat. Corian countertops are not as hard as granite but scratches are typically easier to repair. Like granite and other natural or manufactured stone worktops, the color and pattern is continious throughout the slab.

Corian solid surface counters are nonporous, and both heat- and water-resistant. They're smooth for easy cleaning, and generally have no visible seams. Sinks of coordinated or matching colors blend seamlessly to the work surface and are often the leading reason for choosing Corian.

Finally, because the color goes all the way through the material (instead of a single layer, as is the case with plastic laminate) scratches can be buffed or sanded out. They can also have resistance to mold and bacteria, which ensures that your family isn't inadvertently exposed to illness.

One significant difference between Corian, Caesar stone, Silestone and Vetrazzo is the overall thickness of the material. Corrian is thinner and laminated on a wood base while all our stone countertops are solid.

This kitchen features Silastone, a man-made solid surface material. The large sizes and number of sections required 2 slabs of material. The customer visited the yard to personally select the slabs used in their kitchen.

Color: Baltic Brown granite from Columbia.
Edge: 3/4-inch radius with rounded corners

Sections of Counter top:

Island Worktop 40 sq/ft

Island Bar top 44 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - main section 100 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - stove sideboard 8 sq/ft

This kitchen features an peninsula counter. The large sizes and number of sections required 2 slabs of material. The customer visited the yard to personally select the slabs used in their kitchen.

Color: Azule Imperial granite from Columbia.
Edge: 3/4-inch radius with rounded corners

Sections of Counter top:

Peninsula Countertop 40 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - main section 100 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - stove sideboard 8 sq/ft

This kitchen features an island with a raised breakfast bar. The large sizes and number of sections required 2 slabs of material. The customer visited the yard to personally select the slabs used in their kitchen.

Color: Baltic Brown granite from Columbia.
Edge: 3/4-inch radius with rounded corners

Sections of Counter top:

Island Worktop 40 sq/ft

Island Bar top 44 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - main section 100 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - stove sideboard 8 sq/ft

This kitchen features an island with a raised breakfast bar. The large sizes and number of sections required 2 slabs of material. The customer visited the yard to personally select the slabs used in their kitchen.

Color: Baltic Brown granite from Columbia.
Edge: 3/4-inch radius with rounded corners

Sections of Counter top:

Island Worktop 40 sq/ft

Island Bar top 44 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - main section 100 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - stove sideboard 8 sq/ft

This kitchen features an island with a below-counter sink. Because Corian was used, all the various pieces matched perfectly. The customer chose their color from the samples provided by our sales representative when he visited their home for a free estimate.

Color: Baltic Brown granite from Columbia.
Edge: 3/4-inch radius with rounded corners

Corian was chosen for its light color, ease of maintenance and uniform texture. Since it is a man-made solid surface material, the color and pattern are uniform throughout the stock. The homeowner owned another home with Corian and loved it. When they moved south, they insisted on Corian for their retirement home here in Fort Myers, Florida.

Sections of Counter top:

Island Worktop 40 sq/ft

Island Bar top 44 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - main section 100 sq/ft

Kitchen Counter - stove sideboard 8 sq/ft

All of our their countertops are custom fabricated for a perfect fit and pattern match. Granite, marble, quartz and other natural materials have a natural beauty and the ability to bring a special ambiance to your home. But to enjoy these qualities, a slab of the correct size must be used so the patterns and designs can be matched up.

The larger and more distinct the pattern, the larger of slab you might need. This is because it is hard to match a large, swirling strata. The only solution that you will be proud of for years to come is to use the proper size slab. This will allow enough material to eliminate seams entirely or to allow enough material to match properly.

It is because of these difficulties that may customers opt for synthetic products like Caesar stone, Silastone or Vetrazzo. They also sell, fabricate and install these materials. Their goal is to create the perfect kitchen with a countertop you will love. They like all of these and will be happy to discuss the advantages of each material.

At Granite Building Contractors they work to provide value but won't cut corners on fabrication. You might find a cheaper price but every time you notice the patterns don't match, you will feel the disappointment of a poor job rather than the joy of saving a couple hundred dollars.

Silver Wave color Exotic style Granite
Quartz slab 3-cm thick

Azule Imperial Blue Granite
Quartz slab 3-cm thick

Baltic Brown Granite
Quartz slabs 3-cm thick

Bamboo Amzonia VC Green Granite
Quartz slabs 3-cm thick

Alaska White from Brazil Granite
Quartz slabs 3-cm thick

Iron Red Granite
Quartz slab 3-cm thick

Asterix Black color Granite
Quartz slab 3-cm thick

Amarello Santa Barbara Gold / Cream / Beige / Yellow Granite
Quartz slab 3-cm thick

Granite has wonderful qualities but nothing is completely maintenance free. Whether you choose granite, marble, quartz or one of the man-made products such as Caesar stone, your worktop will need periodic maintenance.

One of the biggest factors affecting maintenance is the heat from pots and pans. If you are careful to always use insulation between your countertop and hot pans, the sealant should last for many years. If you use your worktops a bit more robustly, you may want to seal them as often as every 6-months.

Each type of granite is unique with some being more pourous than others. There are also significant differences in hardness and pourosity between granite, marble quarts and the spectrum of man-made products.

Perhaps the easiest test is to place a very damp, folded towel on an area where you frequently place hot pots or pans. If you move the towel after 15-minutes and the surface is dark, the water has penetrated and it is time to reseal the surface.

This is something you can typically accomplish on your own or Granite Building Contractors would be happy to reseal your countertops for you. Just