I am thinking of laying granite tile on our kitchen counter top. I looked at
a local home improvement store and the tile is about $14 per tile. We also
have a discount home improvement place called HOBO and they have a good
selection of tiles priced at $7 per tile. HOBO's tile I beleive are from
india and they look the same as the other store (thickness and shine and
beveled edge). Would I be better off spending double or is granite granite
and spending double insane?

Also, I will put tile on the backsplash up to the cabinets. Can I install
the tile diretly to the drywall or do I have to put backer board on the
backsplash also?

Thanks

Don wrote:

I am thinking of laying granite tile on our kitchen counter top. I looked
at a local home improvement store and the tile is about $14 per tile. We
also
have a discount home improvement place called HOBO and they have a good
selection of tiles priced at $7 per tile. HOBO's tile I beleive are from
india and they look the same as the other store (thickness and shine and
beveled edge). Would I be better off spending double or is granite granite
and spending double insane?

Also, I will put tile on the backsplash up to the cabinets. Can I install
the tile diretly to the drywall or do I have to put backer board on the
backsplash also?

Thanks

Not sure about different qualities of granite except those made in China,
don't use them. Yes you can install directly to drywall, but make sure you
use the right tile adhesive made just for granite or marble and don't buy
the cheap stuff.

--
"you can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"

"evodawg" wrote in message
news:RbBpf.6598$7f3.3412@trnddc01...
Don wrote:

I am thinking of laying granite tile on our kitchen counter top. I looked
at a local home improvement store and the tile is about $14 per tile. We
also
have a discount home improvement place called HOBO and they have a good
selection of tiles priced at $7 per tile. HOBO's tile I beleive are from
india and they look the same as the other store (thickness and shine and
beveled edge). Would I be better off spending double or is granite
granite
and spending double insane?

Also, I will put tile on the backsplash up to the cabinets. Can I install
the tile diretly to the drywall or do I have to put backer board on the
backsplash also?

Thanks

Not sure about different qualities of granite except those made in China,
don't use them. Yes you can install directly to drywall, but make sure you
use the right tile adhesive made just for granite or marble and don't buy
the cheap stuff.

Granite is granite and if it has the same name it is the same thing. Both
stores may have got it from the same distributors. You can do even better
on price at a stone tile store and have more to choose from and thay might
actually stock what you are buying (avoid that special order and wait
thing).

Nothing wrong with granite from China unless you are into protectionism.
Stone from India, pakistan, china, and the middle east are all just as
likely to be "treated" in some way (usually for color). But that is not
necessarily a bad thing. Not much is mined in the US anyway

There are differences allowed within material labled granite and some
other stones are commercially classed as granite.
TB

A post several years ago warned about using acetone if memory serves
on dark granite as it MAY be merely a dye on poorer grade stuff. Try
inconspicuous spot first.

On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 09:58:05 -0600, "Don"
wrote:

I am thinking of laying granite tile on our kitchen counter top. I looked at
a local home improvement store and the tile is about $14 per tile. We also
have a discount home improvement place called HOBO and they have a good
selection of tiles priced at $7 per tile. HOBO's tile I beleive are from
india and they look the same as the other store (thickness and shine and
beveled edge). Would I be better off spending double or is granite granite
and spending double insane?

Also, I will put tile on the backsplash up to the cabinets. Can I install
the tile diretly to the drywall or do I have to put backer board on the
backsplash also?

Thanks

PipeDown wrote:


Nothing wrong with granite from China unless you are into protectionism.

That's interesting had a customer buy what was told to her to be Granite. It
fell apart before she got it home. It was from China. Also had the same
problem with some so called marble from China. I'm not a geologist but
that's not like anything I dealt with before or since.
--
"you can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"

I am not sure how I would test it. I did give a tile a nice little drop and
it did not crack. I guess thats a good sign!

Thanks for all the help

"evodawg" wrote in message
news:CQFpf.14156$l25.10809@trnddc03...
PipeDown wrote:


Nothing wrong with granite from China unless you are into protectionism.

That's interesting had a customer buy what was told to her to be Granite.
It
fell apart before she got it home. It was from China. Also had the same
problem with some so called marble from China. I'm not a geologist but
that's not like anything I dealt with before or since.
--
"you can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"

Don wrote:

I am not sure how I would test it. I did give a tile a nice little drop
and it did not crack. I guess thats a good sign!

Thanks for all the help

"evodawg" wrote in message
news:CQFpf.14156$l25.10809@trnddc03...
PipeDown wrote:


Nothing wrong with granite from China unless you are into protectionism.

That's interesting had a customer buy what was told to her to be Granite.
It
fell apart before she got it home. It was from China. Also had the same
problem with some so called marble from China. I'm not a geologist but
that's not like anything I dealt with before or since.
--
"you can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"


I'm sure then it would be ok
--
"you can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"

I have heard that the Black Galaxy granite in particular is being now mined
from inferior nearby mines and dyed to bring it up to standard. That
particular granite has been popular for some time. I don't know if acetone
would remove the dye but acetone is a harsh cleaner for many things.

Always get a lot sample of what you are buying. The store sample may vary
quite a bit.


"nospambob" wrote in message
...
A post several years ago warned about using acetone if memory serves
on dark granite as it MAY be merely a dye on poorer grade stuff. Try
inconspicuous spot first.

On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 09:58:05 -0600, "Don"
wrote:

I am thinking of laying granite tile on our kitchen counter top. I looked
at
a local home improvement store and the tile is about $14 per tile. We also
have a discount home improvement place called HOBO and they have a good
selection of tiles priced at $7 per tile. HOBO's tile I beleive are from
india and they look the same as the other store (thickness and shine and
beveled edge). Would I be better off spending double or is granite granite
and spending double insane?

Also, I will put tile on the backsplash up to the cabinets. Can I install
the tile diretly to the drywall or do I have to put backer board on the
backsplash also?

Thanks

"Don" wrote in message
...
I am not sure how I would test it. I did give a tile a nice little drop and
it did not crack. I guess thats a good sign!

Thanks for all the help


You could also put some water and other stuff (mustard and grape juice work
well) on it to test for stain uptake and put it near but not on the stove
for heat resistance or place a hot pot on a sample to verify it won't crack.
(it would do better mortared in but it is a test). Get the store to put a
sample of the stone sealer on your sample to see if it will change color or
appearance.

You indicated granite but if you change, beware green and red marble require
special adhesive.

I hope by "customer" you were not selling her the defective granite. At
what price? Anything under $4 sf is definately not select and I would expect
some defects. Stones are often misclassified at the store. I've seen
Marble, limestone, Onyx and Granite used almost interchangably at some
places and marble or granite applied to the same stone at different stores.

Like I said in another post, always inspect a lot sample before paying, the
store sample may not represent. This is a good reason to stay out of the
big box store. Stone tile is rarely returnable. Take your time deciding.

I have used multicolored slate from china and I am pleased with the result
even 2 years after installation in outdoor conditions. A couple of
anicdotes and you condemn the entire country's stone production. Sure some
mines put out inferior product but that is usually reflected in the price.
Often you never know where a stone came from for sure.



"evodawg" wrote in message
news:CQFpf.14156$l25.10809@trnddc03...
PipeDown wrote:


Nothing wrong with granite from China unless you are into protectionism.

That's interesting had a customer buy what was told to her to be Granite.
It
fell apart before she got it home. It was from China. Also had the same
problem with some so called marble from China. I'm not a geologist but
that's not like anything I dealt with before or since.
--
"you can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"