Houston has housing from every era, and Garden Oaks, Oak Forest and Sharpstown hold some of its 1930s to 1950s houses. In a kitchen from those decades, a tile backsplash may be set tight against the old counter, and the wall behind it may need new tile or paint once that splash comes away.
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.
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.
Seams and edges in granite
A long run or a large island may need a seam. We place it at the sink or the cooktop where the layout allows, cut the joint tight in our shop and fill it with epoxy tinted to the stone. Speckled granite hides a seam well. A veined slab shows it more, and we match the veins across the joint where the slab allows. Up close, a seam is visible in any granite. Every one of our ten edge profiles, from eased to ogee to mitered, can be cut on granite.
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.
From estimate to install
You will see our crew three times. First comes the free estimate, with samples and a written price that lists the granite, the edges, the cutouts, tear-out and the sink install. You pick your granite slab at any stone yard and send us a photo of its tag, and the slab is confirmed at template. Second is the template, once the cabinets are set and level. The digital template catches walls that are out of square. Between the visits, our shop cuts the granite and its sink and cooktop openings. Third is the install: old tops out, granite in, seams filled with tinted epoxy and the sink set, with the faucet holes drilled on site at install.
Where we work and how to start
The crew that sets granite in Houston also works in West University Place, Bellaire and Hunters Creek, and it cuts quartz and quartzite as well.
Ready to price granite for a house in Houston? Send the estimate form with a few photos, or call, and we will set a time to visit.