is granite really "over"?

[Anonymous]

Big fan of Ceasarstone and it can sometimes mimick a natural stone:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This debate is exactly why we skipped the granite and went for something non-porous. Granite is just too high-maintenance.

soapstone is porous, what did you pick, quartz?

Soapstone is non-porous. Why do you think they use it in biology and chemistry labs? We strongly considered both but ultimately went with quartz because we wanted a lighter color.

http://granite-tops.liveeditaurora.com/pages/soapstone

But soapstone scratches easily and gets water marks, see the pictures upthread. There is always a trade off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This debate is exactly why we skipped the granite and went for something non-porous. Granite is just too high-maintenance.

soapstone is porous, what did you pick, quartz?

Soapstone is non-porous. Why do you think they use it in biology and chemistry labs? We strongly considered both but ultimately went with quartz because we wanted a lighter color.

http://granite-tops.liveeditaurora.com/pages/soapstone

But soapstone scratches easily and gets water marks, see the pictures upthread. There is always a trade off.

And granite stains and scorches. See other pictures upthread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This debate is exactly why we skipped the granite and went for something non-porous. Granite is just too high-maintenance.

soapstone is porous, what did you pick, quartz?

Soapstone is non-porous. Why do you think they use it in biology and chemistry labs? We strongly considered both but ultimately went with quartz because we wanted a lighter color.

http://granite-tops.liveeditaurora.com/pages/soapstone

But soapstone scratches easily and gets water marks, see the pictures upthread. There is always a trade off.

And granite stains and scorches. See other pictures upthread.

Not in my experience. There are a lot of valid complaints against granite: don't like aesthetics, think its untrendy, think its too hard or cold, and apparently, not safe enough with respect to bacteria but durability is one of its strengths. OP-- clearly plenty of people still like granite, but not everyone, chose what you like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Big fan of Ceasarstone and it can sometimes mimick a natural stone:

It looks like my 1980's cultured marble vanity top. eww.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are re-doing our kitchen (full scale overhaul and reno) in our forever home. I am reading everywhere and seeing everywhere that the hot new stone for kitchen is quartzite or something man-made (concrete or ceasarstone). Neither of these appeal to me, we live in a farmhouse (that's actually a farmhouse from the early 1900's) and we want something classic. Quartzite seems too soft, along with marble, and anything man-made seems too modern. While I agree with a lot of designers that certain types of granite are dated, the durability of granite seems to be the best choice (we'd most likely go with honed black). If you were not concerned with immediate resale value-what surface would you go with?

Why not simply chose what you like? If this is indeed your forever home, why care about resale or what a bunch of strangers think?

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

We put in granite 8 years ago because it was cheaper than quartz/Silestone at the time (as it seems to be now). It's black, builder-grade granite. Nothing fancy. We've never once resealed it. No stains. No chips. We'll put hot pots directly on it but don't cut on it (we use cutting boards). We wipe it down with Clorox wipes. Looks brand-new. Love granite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be very careful of hones surfaces, they show every cup mark, water stain, etc.

Granite is fairly timeless, it isn't trendy now but will hold up. The solid surfaces (caeserstone, silestone, etc.) are awesome - hard as granite, no maintenance - but are not going to be trendy picks either.

Soapstone is certainly trendy and is beautiful. It is more maintenance, and like concrete (which I personally love) will eventually go "out" of style.

Bottom line is, it's your forever house, get what you want. And feel free to mix materials - soapstone for main counters and thick teak or butcher block for another surface.

Soapstone is timeless and has been around for a long time. It's definitely trendy, but will never be out of style. It's classic.

[Anonymous]

We installed honed black granite seven years ago on a large island. We do everything on that island - cooktop, arts and crafts, wine, homework, baking. Really, we beat the hell out of it. We sealed it in the beginning and never once since then and it looks exactly the same. Our honed marble, on the otherhand, looks like hell. And not in a charming, has been used for centuries kind of way. In a what the hell were we thinking way. We also have caesarstone in the downstairs kitchenette and bathrooms and that looks just fine, but we don't beat it to death like we do the kitchen.

[Anonymous]

I vote for getting whatever you like. As this thread shows, you will never please everyone. I personally disliked our granite and replaced it with quartz, but my dislike was just a personal preference relating to style. The granite was fine and pretty did some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Big fan of Ceasarstone and it can sometimes mimick a natural stone:

Wow! That is fugly. Does not look like stone to me... looks like exactly what it is fake stone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My extra cheap flip granite used to do this, but when it dried, it disappeared.

[Anonymous]

Clearly, there is at least one poster here that really hates granite and can't stand that some like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Is that the U.K.?