Custom countertops are an investment in your home. So when it comes to designing your kitchen or bathroom one of the most important elements is the countertop. Countertops see a lot of action; in the kitchen, they take some abuse from hot pans, chopping knives, and spilled liquids, and in the bathroom, they are the resting place for hot curling irons, hair dryers, spilled make-up, and much more.
Countertops are functional but they also offer an aesthetic value to every space. They provide the perfect opportunity to enhance the visual appeal of your kitchen and bath. Other design opportunities include backsplashes in kitchens and baths and eye-catching materials for your shower walls and tub surrounds.
There are a variety of materials available today for countertops and many times no one material is best for all surfaces. This is especially true from a design perspective; combining different materials in creative applications always makes for a show stopper space!
Types of Countertops
Whether you need a stone countertop for your bathroom vanity or a full kitchen, Granite Artists has an option for you. We offer options for any budget, style, color preference, and more. To complete your countertop, check out our different edge profile options.
Granite: Granite countertops are a perennial favorite among home and business owners. One hundred percent natural quarried stone, each slab is unique and beautiful. There are endless colors and patterns, from Absolute Black to Brown Canyon to Magma Gold. Granite must be sealed annually to protect the porous surface from stains and bacteria.
Quartzite: Quartzite is a natural stone prized for its durability and offered in unique and exotic patterns, colors, and veining. You’ll find a large selection of high-quality natural quartzites at Granite Artists.
Marble: Marble countertops are a classic and popular choice. Used over the centuries due to their elegant aesthetics, they surprisingly become more beautiful with age. However, marble is a soft porous stone meaning it is vulnerable to staining and chipping. These countertops can also be one of the most expensive, depending on the quality of materials you choose
Quartz: Quartz countertops require less maintenance than granite, as they are nonporous and resistant to stains. Because quartz is partially engineered stone, the patterns are repeatable, consistent, and available in many colors.
Natural Stone: In addition to quartz and granite, there are many other natural stone countertop options. Many people enjoy marble in bathrooms, and soapstone or travertine in the kitchen. Each has different characteristics, thickness, hardness, and more. If you have questions, feel free to talk to one of our design and installation specialists!
Euro Style: Euro-style or waterfall style countertops are popular in kitchens with a modern twist. If you want a bold, statement-stone countertop, this may be the style for you!
Specialty: If you’re looking for specialty stone countertops or specialty fabrication, we can help! Let us know what you’re looking for and one of our design experts will see what they can do.
Granite Artists has a large selection of natural stone slabs, designs, finishes, and sinks available for you to create the custom countertop just right for your home and lifestyle.
Countertop Materials
Countertop materials often used for kitchen and bath countertops include granite, marble, quartzite, and quartz. The following is a brief overview of the common varieties of dimensional stone and hard surface materials stocked at Granite Artists.
Granite
Granites are undoubtedly the most popular stone type used in countertop applications today. Granites are an excellent choice for kitchen countertops, floors and other heavily used surfaces because of its hardness, low absorption rates and resistance to high temperatures. This group of stones, in a commercial sense, includes many stone materials that are not true granites by geological definition. They are commercially sold as granite due to similar working and performance properties. These are some of the hardest dimensional stones, offering high levels of resistance to abrasion and scratching. The primary minerals in granite materials are resistant to virtually all chemicals found in a residential setting.
Marble
Marbles are traditionally prized for their aesthetic appeal, accentuated by pronounced veining and often bold colors. Marble is ideal for bathrooms, foyers, floors, wall cladding and hearths. Marble has also become a very popular choice for countertops. Due to their mineralogical makeup, marbles are vulnerable to either abrasion or chemical attack. Exposure to acidic solutions such as lemon juice, tomatoes, red wine and vinegar should be avoided. Acidic solutions can permanently etch the surface of marble. Although impregnating sealers do an excellent job of preventing stains, they do little to reduce vulnerability to acid attack. Please consult a Granite Artists qualified stone fabricator with specific application questions.
Quartzite
Quartzite is a natural stone that forms when sandstone is exposed to heat, pressure, and time. The result is a very beautiful and durable stone that makes great countertops. A majority of quartzite is in the white to gray range, however, other colors do exist. In many cases, there is beautiful veining, which can give the quartzite a marble look while being more durable. Although quartzite is more durable than marble, it still has marble and limestone properties. This means that certain areas of the stone may not be as resilient as others. The best way to know is to get a small representative sample and perform scratch, stain, and etching tests on the stone you are interested in.
Quartz
Engineered Quartz (not to be confused with Quartzite, another appealing natural stone used as counters) is a manmade product created mostly from natural materials. It's made of 90 to 94 percent ground quartz and 6 to 10 percent resins and pigments that are combined into durable and nonporous slabs.
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Contact Our Team
Regardless of the type of countertop you choose, we represent your local source for amazing prices and expert service. For all your granite, marble, and quartz countertops in Plano, TX, choose Granite Artists! Call (469) 814-0555 if you have questions about design, templating, installation, different stone types, edge profiles, or more.
