My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to the
gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the granite
worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on having the sink
under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it can double as workspace.

TIA for any assistance

Invisible Man coughed up some electrons that declared:

My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to the
gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the granite
worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on having the sink
under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it can double as
workspace.

TIA for any assistance

They're heavy - very very heavy - so best to be sure about your cabinets.

But all the ones I've seen look good, are very practical WRT to food prep
and the owners seem very pleased with them.

There's an intermediate solution, which is a granite capping (about 5mm)
over another substrate. Sometimes sold to dress up old mouldy worktops and
sometimes sold in their own right. I've been down to a place in T Wells
that specialises in these and I don't see anything wrong with them,
provided the substrate of choice is stable (you could use heavy ply for a
generally abusable substrate or just a bit of cheap ordinary worktop). They
stick lips on the front so you don't see anything of the base material.

Downside is you can't get round edges - just square.

I'd be interested if anyone's got experience of these in real life.

On the plus side, in either case, they have to be made to measure
("templated") so that's one fiddly job you don't need to do. Get the units
in and correct, and the company will do the rest.

Cheers

Tim

On Jan 25, 6:29*am, Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to the
gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the granite
worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on having the sink
under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it can double as workspace.

TIA for any assistance

Light colors and some types will stain from coffee and wine, I have
fairly dark color which wont stain.

Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to
the gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the
granite worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on
having the sink under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it
can double as workspace.

I'd find a reason if I were you, or even invent one. How much beer could
you buy for the price of a granite worktop?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"ransley" wrote in message
...
On Jan 25, 6:29 am, Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to the
gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the granite
worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on having the sink
under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it can double as
workspace.

TIA for any assistance

Light colors and some types will stain from coffee and wine, I have
fairly dark color which wont stain.

My next-door neighbour who had them fitted last year says they won't be
having them again because of the staining problem..
Michael

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to
the gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the
granite worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on
having the sink under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it
can double as workspace.

I'd find a reason if I were you, or even invent one. How much beer could
you buy for the price of a granite worktop?


We used to not live near a pub. One foul Sunday night we drove to a pub
because the weather was too bad to walk. Conversation ended up with
something like "If only we lived near a half decent pub". That
conversation has cost us about 70k so far with probably another 25k to
go. Where we have moved we now have 2 pubs within 200 yards of the house
and 2 others in the village.
I love my real ale but the doctor, children etc. would probably prefer
we spent a lot more time and money on the house and somewhat less
ensuring that our village pubs do not close for lack of business.
We do have a small kitchen. In reply to your question 1,500 to 2,000 pints.

Invisible Man wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to
the gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the
granite worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on
having the sink under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it
can double as workspace.

I'd find a reason if I were you, or even invent one. How much beer
could you buy for the price of a granite worktop?


We used to not live near a pub. One foul Sunday night we drove to a pub
because the weather was too bad to walk. Conversation ended up
after a single drink because we were driving
with
something like "If only we lived near a half decent pub". That
conversation has cost us about 70k so far with probably another 25k to
go. Where we have moved we now have 2 pubs within 200 yards of the house
and 2 others in the village.
I love my real ale but the doctor, children etc. would probably prefer
we spent a lot more time and money on the house and somewhat less
ensuring that our village pubs do not close for lack of business.
We do have a small kitchen. In reply to your question 1,500 to 2,000 pints.

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:25:38 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to
the gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the
granite worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on
having the sink under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it
can double as workspace.

None of that is any problem at all.


I'd find a reason if I were you, or even invent one. How much beer could
you buy for the price of a granite worktop?

Hmmm

When I got my kitchen done the supplier / fitter charged me £ 1,000
just for the chipboard worktops. Then one day my teenage daughter left
a sopping wet dishcloth over one of the big expertly done mitre
joints. It swelled up and the chipboard bubbled.

The cost of granite from a small independant supplier / fitter was
£3.4k for the dearest pattern dark blue granite (about £1000 less for
the cheapest) plus £500 for templating and fitting. Full thickness
stuff, no messing about.

We've never looked back.

One thing, square or arris edges on Granite are vulnerable to getting
chipped. Some sort of rounded chamfer is better.

Derek

Derek Geldard wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:25:38 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to
the gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the
granite worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on
having the sink under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it
can double as workspace.

None of that is any problem at all.

I'd find a reason if I were you, or even invent one. How much beer could
you buy for the price of a granite worktop?

Hmmm

When I got my kitchen done the supplier / fitter charged me £ 1,000
just for the chipboard worktops. Then one day my teenage daughter left
a sopping wet dishcloth over one of the big expertly done mitre
joints. It swelled up and the chipboard bubbled.

The cost of granite from a small independant supplier / fitter was
£3.4k for the dearest pattern dark blue granite (about £1000 less for
the cheapest) plus £500 for templating and fitting. Full thickness
stuff, no messing about.

We've never looked back.

One thing, square or arris edges on Granite are vulnerable to getting
chipped. Some sort of rounded chamfer is better.

Derek

Thanks for the info on the chips Derek.

Another 'plus' as sold to us was that you can have a granite upstand
along the rear edge of your worktops, (approx 100-150mm), which costs
virtually nothing extra and saves you the cost/hassle of tiling.

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:28:43 +0000, Invisible Man
wrote:


When I got my kitchen done the supplier / fitter charged me £ 1,000
just for the chipboard worktops. Then one day my teenage daughter left
a sopping wet dishcloth over one of the big expertly done mitre
joints. It swelled up and the chipboard bubbled.

The cost of granite from a small independant supplier / fitter was
£3.4k for the dearest pattern dark blue granite (about £1000 less for
the cheapest) plus £500 for templating and fitting. Full thickness
stuff, no messing about.

We've never looked back.

One thing, square or arris edges on Granite are vulnerable to getting
chipped. Some sort of rounded chamfer is better.

Derek

Thanks for the info on the chips Derek.

You'll have noticed rounded chamfers on Granite bar tops.

One word about the price.

Granite has got a lot cheaper in the last 3-4 years because they are
now sourcing it from 3rd world countries paying 3rd world (Indian or
Vietnamese) wage levels.

However, no doubt they'll want to be paid in a proper currency and not
mickey mouse "John Bull Printing Outfit" pounds so I think it will be
going up in price like most imported commodities if it has not done so
already.

Derek

On Jan 25, 12:29*pm, Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to the
gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the granite
worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on having the sink
under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it can double as workspace.

TIA for any assistance

We had a length of 4m plus and didn't want joins. Going above 3m
turned out to be prohibitively expensive even before the weight and
logistics of fitting it (none of which might trouble you)

Our friends have fairly standard black granite and find more chips out
of glass, crockery etc. if they put things down carelessly - it's a
very unforgiving surface in that respect. They also managed to crack
theirs in a small way with an ill-placed hot pan. It generally looks
great though.

In the end we went for this surface:

http://tinyurl.com/d3h2nu

coupled with this sink, which is a single piece

http://tinyurl.com/dfd5dt

but for a lot less than either of those prices

seani coughed up some electrons that declared:

Yes, granite et al are mentally expensive...

In the end we went for this surface:

http://tinyurl.com/d3h2nu

How do you find it WRT water? My late parents had a solid wood top in some
lighter wood and it required regular oiling and didn't like standing water
(went black)?

coupled with this sink, which is a single piece

http://tinyurl.com/dfd5dt

That looks neat.

Cheers

Tim

On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:04:08 -0800 (PST), seani
wrote:

On Jan 25, 12:29=A0pm, Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to the
gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the granite
worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on having the sink
under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it can double as workspac=
e.

TIA for any assistance

We had a length of 4m plus and didn't want joins. Going above 3m
turned out to be prohibitively expensive even before the weight and
logistics of fitting it (none of which might trouble you)

Our friends have fairly standard black granite and find more chips out
of glass, crockery etc. if they put things down carelessly - it's a
very unforgiving surface in that respect. They also managed to crack
theirs in a small way with an ill-placed hot pan. It generally looks
great though.

In the end we went for this surface:

http://tinyurl.com/d3h2nu

That does look good. Its a pity it only comes in 2m lengths. I'm
considering cherry wood
http://tinyurl.com/b2otxm
but I have yet to actually eyeball any cherry wood worktop to see if
reality lives up to my imagination

Anna

On Jan 26, 1:15*am, Tim S wrote:
seani coughed up some electrons that declared:

Yes, granite et al are mentally expensive...

In the end we went for this surface:

http://tinyurl.com/d3h2nu

How do you find it WRT water? My late parents had a solid wood top in some
lighter wood and it required regular oiling and didn't like standing water
(went black)?

coupled with this sink, which is a single piece

http://tinyurl.com/dfd5dt

That looks neat.


The place I got it from went up to 4.5m IIRC, but no sign of them on
ebay now.

They need oiling with Danish wood oil, a good few goes the first time,
and the no problems. Haven't noticed any darkening yet and I was
warned about that as well, but there isn't much direct sunlight in the
kitchen and I was lead to believe that accelerates the process.

After well over a year, the beading effect is wearing off a bit, but
liquids still just wipe off and don't stain.

I think it would take more maintenance if I went down the "carving a
drainer into the surface" route, although I think that approach looks
great.

In the event the sink we used just replaces a section of worktop, so
no trickiness with cutting holes and undermounting etc - it's the same
depth and thickness on the edges as the surface. As it's all
effectively one big seamless splashback it very low maintenance for
cleaning. I wouldn't have the 1/4 additional sink again, but the Mrs
loves it, so what do I know?

On Jan 26, 8:24*am, (Anna Kettle) wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:04:08 -0800 (PST), seani
wrote:



On Jan 25, 12:29=A0pm, Invisible Man wrote:
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and
everything in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to the
gas, electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the granite
worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on having the sink
under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it can double as workspac=
e.

TIA for any assistance

We had a length of 4m plus and didn't want joins. Going above 3m
turned out to be prohibitively expensive even before the weight and
logistics of fitting it (none of which might trouble you)

Our friends have fairly standard black granite and find more chips out
of glass, crockery etc. if they put things down carelessly - it's a
very unforgiving surface in that respect. They also managed to crack
theirs in a small way with an ill-placed hot pan. It generally looks
great though.

In the end we went for this surface:

http://tinyurl.com/d3h2nu

That does look good. Its a pity it only comes in 2m lengths. I'm
considering cherry woodhttp://tinyurl.com/b2otxm
but I have yet to actually eyeball any cherry wood worktop to see if
reality lives up to my imagination

Anna

I'm not sure if this was the place I got mine from via ebay (I think
so), but they go up to 5m:

http://www.oakworktops.com/classic_w...ountertops.asp

Those kitchen units aren't a million miles away from the ones we got
either. Quite a nice combo IMO, it doesn't look at all bad when you
use it "normally" as opposed to fanatically tidy.

That cherrywood looks nice - I like the idea of anything that changes
colour with age.

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:17:16 -0800 (PST), seani wrote:

That cherrywood looks nice - I like the idea of anything that changes
colour with age.

Michael Jackson?
--
Peter.
You don't understand Newton's Third Law of Motion?
It's not rocket science, you know.

PeterC coughed up some electrons that declared:

On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:17:16 -0800 (PST), seani wrote:

That cherrywood looks nice - I like the idea of anything that changes
colour with age.

Michael Jackson?

I'd rather have my children sitting on a cherrywood worktop!

On Jan 26, 8:45*pm, PeterC wrote:
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:17:16 -0800 (PST), seani wrote:
That cherrywood looks nice - I like the idea of anything that changes
colour with age.

Michael Jackson?
--
Peter.
You don't understand Newton's Third Law of Motion?
It's not rocket science, you know.

Oh but I wouldn't want it falling to bits so quickly

Derek Geldard wrote:
On Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:28:43 +0000, Invisible Man
wrote:


When I got my kitchen done the supplier / fitter charged me £ 1,000
just for the chipboard worktops. Then one day my teenage daughter left
a sopping wet dishcloth over one of the big expertly done mitre
joints. It swelled up and the chipboard bubbled.

The cost of granite from a small independant supplier / fitter was
£3.4k for the dearest pattern dark blue granite (about £1000 less for
the cheapest) plus £500 for templating and fitting. Full thickness
stuff, no messing about.

We've never looked back.

One thing, square or arris edges on Granite are vulnerable to getting
chipped. Some sort of rounded chamfer is better.

Derek

Thanks for the info on the chips Derek.

You'll have noticed rounded chamfers on Granite bar tops.

One word about the price.

Granite has got a lot cheaper in the last 3-4 years because they are
now sourcing it from 3rd world countries paying 3rd world (Indian or
Vietnamese) wage levels.

However, no doubt they'll want to be paid in a proper currency and not
mickey mouse "John Bull Printing Outfit" pounds so I think it will be
going up in price like most imported commodities if it has not done so
already.

Derek

Thanks to all those who have replied. Much appreciated

"Invisible Man" wrote in message
...
My wife is very keen on having granite worktops in our kitchen. I have
done a kitchen before but this one needs the floor, ceiling and everything
in between replaced, the walls replastered and changes to the gas,
electric and water. Bit much for me!

Before we commit to spending an obscene amount of money for the granite
worktops are there any downsides to granite? We plan on having the sink
under and ground-out grooves for the drainer so it can double as
workspace.

Some friends have got granite worktops issues they have encountered a
- coffee stains it
- red wine stains it
- can chip on edges (hint don't have Le Creuset cast iron cookware)
- very hard on things like glasses, glasses easily chip if place down too
heavily and break if knocked over
- hot pans can leave stains and dull the surface polish.

They said they would not have it again mainly due to the staining issue.