Are you considering granite countertops for your next home project? Read through the benefits of granite countertops to see if it’s the right choice for you.
Is a kitchen renovation in your future? A major midrange kitchen remodel averages $68,490 and a high-end remodel averages $135,547. Choosing materials carefully, from the best countertop material to the ideal cabinets, ensures that budget is well spent.
Natural granite countertops are popular in new homes and renovations. If you’re considering granite kitchen countertops or granite bathroom countertops, you probably already love the look of this stone option. Weighing the pros and cons of granite countertops helps you decide if they’re right for your space.
Explore the other benefits of granite countertops here.
1. Unique, Beautiful Designs
Since granite is a rock, every piece is unique. It’s not manufactured to look like natural material, which means it won’t look like anything else.
Instead, the natural rock is cut into slabs and polished, creating a smooth surface. This polishing process highlights all the natural patterns and colors in the rock. The polished finish adds a beautiful shine to your countertops.
Your countertops will have unique patterns and colors created by nature. No one else will have a countertop that looks exactly like yours since it’s not produced in a factory. This makes granite perfect for people who don’t want a cookie cutter kitchen that you could see anywhere.
While manufactured materials can be an affordable alternative, they often look fabricated. You can tell that they’re man made. With granite, your countertops truly look natural because they are.
2. Wide Range of Styles
Granite comes in a wide range of colors and patterns, allowing you to get a look you love. Brown, black, and gray are popular colors in granite slabs, but you can find pieces with other colors that come into play. Many slabs have lots of different hues sprinkled throughout the pattern.
Patterning can range from subtle veining to bold naturally formed patterns with swirls, specks, and other designs. The specific coloring and patterns depend on the minerals and materials that make up that specific piece of rock. This variation lets you decide how much you want your countertops to stand out within your kitchen.
Granite countertops work beautifully in any style of kitchen, from farmhouse to modern. By choosing a granite pattern and color that matches your preferred kitchen style, it blends in with all of the other materials.
3. Long-Lasting Countertops
Because it’s a rock, granite is a very hard material. That hardness makes it a durable, lasting countertop material.
It holds up well to all of your regular cooking and other kitchen activities without showing signs of wear. The durability is great in busy kitchens or in households with kids.
Granite countertops can last decades. Investing in granite now means you might never need to change your countertops again. It’s a good investment since the material holds up so well over time.
While granite rarely chips, scratches, or otherwise becomes damaged, those issues can be fixed by a professional. They can polish out scratches and repair minor damage. Being able to fix your countertops can extend the life even longer.
4. Easy Maintenance
Smooth granite countertops are easy to wipe clean since they don’t have any rough surfaces or crevices where crumbs can stay. You can simply wipe them down with mild soap and water to keep them clean.
Properly sealed granite countertops keep liquids from soaking in, which makes them stain resistant. It’s easy to wipe up those spills to keep the countertops clean. The smooth, sealed surface also prevents bacteria from settling into the countertops, which can make it easier to sanitize your countertops.
5. Increased Home Value
Granite countertops are popular with homebuyers. One survey showed that 57% of homebuyers prefer granite or natural stone for their kitchen countertops.
You might not be planning to sell your home soon, but you can feel confident knowing your home value increases with granite countertop installation. If you do decide to sell, your kitchen will be a selling point in your home with its granite countertops.
6. Heat and Scratch Resistant
Your countertops hold up with a low risk of damage due to their resistance to heat and scratches. That’s particularly beneficial for granite kitchen countertops, which often come into contact with heat and sharp objects.
It’s still best to use a trivet or hot pad under hot pans. But you don’t have to worry about heat from pans or other objects causing your granite countertops to bubble or warp.
Likewise, it’s best to put a cutting board down before you chop your veggies. However, if the knife slips and touches the countertop, it shouldn’t scratch the surface.
7. Custom Countertops
Granite countertops are custom made to fit your kitchen space. You can visit a granite wholesaler to see all of the slabs of granite and find one that has the look you want. That slab(s) will be delivered to your fabricator who is responsible for cutting countertops just for your kitchen.
Enjoy the Benefits of Granite Countertops
The benefits of granite countertops go well beyond the beauty and unique style they add to your kitchen. When you choose granite, you get countertops that are long lasting and easy to maintain.
Are you ready to upgrade your kitchen with granite countertops? Contact us for a free estimate to get started.