05

Mar

What Are The Disadvantages Of Granite Countertops

Due to its popularity, the first thing that comes to the minds of most homeowners when they think about countertops is granite. While granite is beautiful, tough, and significantly improves the value of a property, it has its fair share of dips.

Are you wondering what are the disadvantages of granite countertops? They are many. Here are some of them:

Granite can be expensive.

Granite is a high-end countertop material so if you are looking to buy it, be ready to shell out a substantial amount of money.

While granite is generally expensive than other countertop materials, there are several things you can do to reduce the cost.

First, take time to research. Visit countertop stores in your area and compare their prices. As you are shopping, remember you get what you pay for. So avoid ultra-cheap slabs.

You also should consider going for a granite tile instead of a slab as tiles are cheaper than continuous slabs. The downside to this is you risk having visible grout lines that can be off-putting and give your surfaces a cheap look.

Granite is now too apparent.

A few years ago, granite was rare, and you could only find it in the homes of the cream members of society, so it was prestige to have the countertops in your home. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case.  Now, you will find granite in the homes of ordinary people who aren’t too well to do.

The beauty is that even if the countertops are common, granite comes in an entire gamut of styles and colors to choose from. Find a unique slab with unique veining and color to stand out from the pack. Although, you may have to pay extra for the unique slab, it’s worth it.

Granite needs sealing

Like marble, granite is porous, so you need to seal it to prevent stains and bacterial from growing on it. This can be a put-off to some homeowners that don’t like countertops that need a lot of care. But if you don’t mind giving your surfaces some attention, this won’t be an issue as sealing granite countertops doesn’t take a lot of time or require specialized skills.

It’s wise to have the countertops sealed by granite installers at the time of installation then reseal the surfaces once a twice a year after that. To get the most from your efforts, use a high-quality sealing product.

The countertops need to be installed by professionals.

This might not be a drawback if you aren’t a dab hand at DIY projects, but if you are tight on budget, this might not be a wise countertop option as you have to hire a professional to help with installation. First, granite slabs aren’t light and often require two or more people to install them without risking dropping them.

Most granite sellers require professional installation for warranty. Granite installation also often requires specialized tools and experience that aren’t worth investing in when you do it once.

Granite can crack

Granite manufacturers and sellers market granite as indestructible, but this isn’t the case. When you exert excessive force to it, granite can crack or chip. For example, when you strike the countertop with a sharp or hard object such as a meat cleaver, it will break, and you have to replace the damaged area.

The good news is this rarely happens as you can’t shell out thousands of dollars on the countertop then go around striking it.

Granite is also prone to stains. When you allow liquids and other spills to stay on the surfaces for a long time, they will get to the inner layers and stain them. Luckily, you can prevent stains from developing by clearing the spills as soon as they happen.

While the countertops are tough and heat resistant, they aren’t heatproof. To protect them from damage, avoid placing hot pots and pans directly on them.

Parting shot

Like other countertop materials, granite kitchen countertops have their drawbacks. Fortunately, the countertop benefits far outweigh the negatives so if you have always dreamt of installing the countertops in your home, go ahead and do it. You only need to make sure granite countertop installers install them. After installing the countertops, take good care of them, so they have a long life.