Granite Countertop FAQs

Square footage, the specific stone and its yard pricing, edge profile, number and type of cutouts, seam requirements, removal of the existing surface, backsplash treatment and site access.

Because material pricing is slab-specific and layout affects how much material a project actually needs. A phone conversation can give a realistic planning range; a firm number needs measurements and a stone selection.

Neither material is uniformly cheaper. Entry-level granite is often less expensive than mid-range quartz, while exotic granite can exceed premium quartz. Compare specific slabs, not categories.

Yes: choose a widely available stone group, keep the layout simple, use a standard edge profile, skip full-height stone backsplashes, and consider remnants for small surfaces.

Granite is porous to varying degrees. Sealer reduces absorption but does not make stone stainproof. Oil, wine and highly pigmented liquids left sitting are the most likely to leave a mark.

It is heat resistant, not heat proof. Use trivets. Sudden extreme temperature change, such as a searing-hot pan on a cold surface, is the realistic risk.

It resists scratching well and will dull knives before knives mark it, but it is not scratch proof. Grit dragged across a polished surface is the practical concern.

A fissure is a natural separation along a mineral boundary and is a normal characteristic of granite. A crack is a fracture that typically catches a fingernail and can extend. They look similar and are worth having identified rather than guessed at.

Not equally. Denser stones absorb very little; more porous stones benefit from regular sealing. A water test — leaving a few drops for several minutes and watching for darkening — tells you more than a fixed schedule.

Most kitchens beyond a modest size do. Slabs have finite dimensions, and long runs, large islands and L-shaped layouts often require a planned seam placed where it is least noticeable.

Timing varies by stone availability, layout complexity and scheduling. The sequence is consistent: selection, templating after cabinets are set, fabrication, then installation.

Sink and faucet disconnection and reconnection are plumbing work, and timing needs to be coordinated around installation day.

The bottom row is often disturbed during tear-out. Plan for patching, full replacement, or a stone backsplash.

No. The existing surface is removed so the new stone sits on level, secured cabinetry.