Galveston's housing runs from 1870s Victorians in the East End and Silk Stocking districts to 1920s to 1940s bungalows in Denver Court and Lindale. A kitchen in a house that old may have been added onto or moved over the years, and its counters follow the walls as they stand now.
What granite is and how it performs
Granite is natural igneous stone, quarried in slabs mostly in Brazil and India, with some from Norway, Italy and the United States. It handles normal pan heat, and a trivet still protects the sealer. It resists scratching well, and a knife dulls on it before it marks. What granite asks for is a penetrating sealer. We apply it at install, and lighter stones want it again about once a year, dense dark ones less often. Small natural fissures are part of the stone, not cracks.
Granite next to quartz and quartzite
Next to quartz, granite wins on heat and variety and asks for a little more upkeep. Both resist scratching well. Next to quartzite, granite costs less and reads speckled or flowing rather than marble-like, and quartzite is harder still. For an outdoor kitchen, granite beats quartz outright, because sunlight yellows quartz resin. We bring all three to the estimate so you can compare them side by side.
Choosing your granite
Choose granite in person. A sample is a start, and the slab is the answer. Check both ends of the slab and the area where the sink will go, and ask which level it is, since the level changes the price, not the strength. For an island, ask about slab size: one piece needs a slab long enough, and otherwise we plan the seam with you. Once you pick, we plan the cuts on that exact slab.
Where granite fits
Granite works in the kitchen, on a vanity, around a fireplace and outside. Full sun and rain do not fade it, which makes it a steady choice for an outdoor kitchen, where quartz cannot go. Kitchens use 3 cm stone. Vanities can drop to 2 cm, or use a laminated edge to look thicker. An island overhang deeper than 10 inches on 3 cm granite needs support brackets.
Sinks and cutouts in granite
Undermount sinks suit granite well, because the polished cut edge becomes part of the look. Drop-in, farmhouse and vessel sinks work too. The sink and cooktop openings are cut in our shop from the template. A cutout narrows the stone around it, so we plan the seams and the support around each opening.
Caring for granite
Clean granite with warm water and a pH-neutral soap. Vinegar and bleach wear on the sealer, so skip them, and wipe oil and wine before they sit. To check the sealer, put a few drops of water on the stone: if it darkens, it is time to reseal. Hard tap water leaves spots on dark polished granite, and a dry cloth after the dishes keeps them away. Chipped edges, dull spots and tired sealer are all repair work we do.
How a granite job runs
A granite job starts with a free estimate at the house, where we check the cabinets, look at the sink and the cooktop and bring samples. You pick your granite slab at any stone yard and send us a photo of its tag, and the slab is confirmed at template. Once the cabinets are set and level, our templater records the room with a digital template, and someone should be home to settle the seams and the overhangs. In our shop, we cut the granite to that template, polish the edges and cut the sink and cooktop openings. On install day, the crew removes the old tops and hauls them away, sets the granite, fills the seams and sets the sink, with the faucet holes drilled on site at install.
Where we work and how to start
Beyond Galveston, our granite work reaches Tiki Island, Texas City and La Marque, and if granite is not the fit, we cut quartz and quartzite too.
To get a granite estimate in Galveston, send the form below or call us. We bring samples, so you can see the stone in your own light.