Everybody Must Get Stoned...or Corianed or Formica'd

[Boomer]

Well, I did it. I did not think I would. But I did.

I picked granite for a new countertop.

I had no intention of picking granite. I told myself it was not practical. I told myself it was a trend that would soon wave goodbye. I told myself I did not want to spend that much money. I told myself that I really did not like it that much anyway...uh huh...

But then...there it was...a little square...with my name on it...there it was...

a beautiful little sample of granite that was all in the colors of a turtle sundae. You know turtle sundaes...vanilla and butterscotch and chocolate...all swirled together.

It will arrive soon in a kitchen near me...right around the corner from where I am writing this.

So now, I need to know some stuff from people who already have granite countertops.

A couple of friends have told me to be really careful about oil and mayo spills.

And somebody told me that she shines up her granite with "Pledge"???

But basically, I am clueless about this stuff. And I want to take good care of it.

So I thought I would ask the TOTVers if they have any advice for me on how to take care of granite countertops.

Thanks for any help you can give me on this.

Boomer

[Ohiogirl]

And thanks for the reminder that I need to seal it. As I recall, you're supposed to do that yearly, but I haven't. Can't tell that any harm has been done. I'm not especially careful about oil or mayo - am sure I spill some occasionally, but just wipe it off. Maybe staining is worse on a more solid pattern. After 3-1/2 years, can't see any wear and tear on it and it just brings me pleasure to look at it.

Sounds like you picked a color very similar to ours - usually I just wipe it off with a sponge or paper towel, sometimes use Zep brand countertop cleaner & polish (got it at Lowe's or Home Depot, might be sold at grocery stores or Walmart as well, not sure). It's very hard to even see crumbs on it - we have a couple of stairs from our kitchen entrance which puts me at eye level when I walk in the kitchen, which helps - otherwise I might not even realize it NEEDS cleaned.

We remodeled our kitchen in Ohio about 3.5 years ago - I too didn't want to spend that much, etc. etc. But I love it. Just plain love it. When we move to the Villages this fall, as soon as I am sure we can afford it (I'm pretty uptight about being absolutely SURE and want to let the new retired lifestyle and budget shake out), I plan to replace the countertops in our CYV.

Now - my problem - we did an undercounter stainless steel sink - which I also love, but I apparently haven't kept it polished/cleaned as well as I should have and it is showing some stains. It's a good grade (gauge) of stainless, so that's not the issue. Looked up on the internet what to do and it said to clean stains with white vinegar. Did that and hasn't helped that much. Anyone have any advice about that?

[l2ridehd]

Congratulations, you will never regret making that choice. I have had granite in a couple homes and will put it in TV home when I reach the same place as ohiogirl. Have had black, gold, another one that I can't recall the name and loved them all. Our rental property in TV has granite as well and even that is great. In our kitchen in VA I have Corian (there when I bought the home) and there is just no comparison. Corian looks nice, does not stain, easy to care for, BUT looks like manufactured counter top. So when I remodeled the bathrooms in VA, chose granite and love it. Granite has a look that makes you glad to walk into the room. One bathroom has a color named Avaya Gold that is the most beautiful stone I have ever seen anyplace. Every where you go, they have different names for the same color stone so it is impossible to know what I am describing. And no two are the same, only similar variations of the same ones.

There are only two things that will stain granite. Olive oil and red wine. Makes sense I guess as they are both natural products as well. Any good granite cleaner polish works well to maintain it. I also like the Zep products. You will find they are very easy to care for and will always look nice. As for the stainless steel sink problem, I am at a loss. I have one that is a Kohler brand I think, 10 years old, and still looks great.

[graciegirl]

We too did granite. We have black galaxy in the kitchen so it doesn't stain, but the stainless steel sink does. (Use bleach.) The bathrooms have some sort of blue irridescent shelly looking granite.

I like the granite because you can sit hot pots on it. You must have it professionally sealed every three or more years. BUT it is a royal pain in the neck (or lower down) because ours is dark and it shows every palm print, water spot and smudge. I know I wipe down every counter in the kitchen at least three times a day. The ones in the bathroom show dust, especially the bathrooms you don't use much.

I love to come to our Camellia in TV that has some kind of formica that you never see anything on. (No, I clean it, but not as often, so you don't have to be afraid to eat at our house.)

It is very pretty though, granite. And it is eons old, as the salesman told us.

[Halle]

BUT it is a royal pain in the neck (or lower down) because ours is dark and it shows every palm print, water spot and smudge. I know I wipe down every counter in the kitchen at least three times a day. The ones in the bathroom show dust, especially the bathrooms you don't use much.

:agree::agree::agree:

The smudges and hand prints drive me crazy!

[moongirl]

I also have granite, was in the house when we bought (TV). I would never choose it again. We have the brown/beige/cream (mostly cream background) color. It has yellowed on the right side where my husband does most of his "food fixin." I wash it constantly (dish soap on a sponge). I'm thinking the soap has yellowed it. Any acidic food will etch the surface so keep those cleaned off promptly. I'm going to try one of those "poltice" concoctions to try removing the yellowing. Anyway, if given a choice I would go with formica - there so many beautiful patterns and colors now. And it is much cheaper to replace/update in the future.

[BeeGee]

I, too love granite, but a few years ago when we were renovating our kitchen, we chose Avanza (a quartz product that was distributed by Lowe's) it's beautiful all the time, never needs sealing/polishing and the fear of olive oil and mayo doesn't exist. The color/style is a tan/gold/brown natural looking w/a few specks of copper in it. We have undercabinet lighting and it just gleams beautifully. When hubby and i move to TV, we will definitely look for something similar.

[KathieI]

My last house in Los Angeles had a huge counter in formica and it had been there for probably 10 years or more. I bought the house with it and it was the best. It always looked good, wasn't hard to clean, and spray a little Pledge on it, and the shine would blind you. I don't think I would ever do Granite.

I also had a slate floor in that house and I would never do that again. Awful to clean and it never looked good.

[Whalen]

Had granite in our home on Long Island since 1997. Never sealed it, easy to maintain. Looked brand new when the house was sold.

Ohiogirl
We also gad a good quality sink which was imported from Germany. The manufacturer recommended Bar Keepers Helper to clean and polish the sink and also warned against using bleach or harsh abrasives.
The sink looked beautiful but was high maintenance

[another Linda]

We have a dark green Corian here in Syracuse (difficult to keep looking good) and I just put a lighter color granite in TV (wonderful!). We haven't had the granite long enough to know whether or not it will discolor, but it has had both red wine and olive oil spilled with no effect (Christmas was a bit chaotic.) The people who installed the counter sealed it and left me some stuff to seal it again. They said do it every year.

[Boomer]

Thank you for all of the great information.

And ohhhh, that red wine thing. How well I know that one. (says the woman who has a yellow couch)

And about those stainless steel sinks, the Bar Keepers stuff that Whalen mentions works really well on lots different things. It is an old product and can be found at the grocery store usually.

And Linda, my bathroom vanities are Corian and I use Windex on them.

I have always been a fan of the practicality of Formica counters. They look nice and are the easiest thing in the world to take care of. But this time..... I saw that butterscotchy-chocolaty-vanilla stuff and ....it was all over for me.

(Now, do I dare to tell TH that the cabinets I have picked out are almost exactly like his that he showed us over in that thread about the under-cabinet lights? And then, do I dare to ask TH to take another picture with all the kitchen lights on so I can see his cabinet hardware better because I think those are the kind of handles I am going to pick, but I need a closer look to see the drawer fronts better? I cannot tell if there is a raised panel in the middle. Do you think that maybe if I tell TH he has the most exquisite taste in kitchen cabinets, he will show us a picture with brighter lights? Do you think maybe? And I think his wall color and his countertop might be almost like mine, too. Do you think TH might truly be "The Nice Administrator" and will show us another picture of his kitchen so I will know how much alike we are?)

Boomer

[Ohiogirl]

Thanks all - I will try the Bar Keepers friend next - I have some under the sink!

I too had Corian before - a sand color - with a bisque Corian sink. Only had it for a few months before I moved and would never do it again. In the right light I could see some scratches where someone (unnamed) put their keys and probably wasn't careful about putting other things on the counter.

I hadn't decided what color granite to do in TV, but now will for sure avoid the dark stuff. My sister has a granite called Mahogany (I think) which is kind of dark and shows a lot, but she is also probably the worst housekeeper I have ever known (she has other good qualities, but being neat is not among them). I thought maybe all the stuff that showed was just because she is who she is.

I'm not Mrs. Clean, but the gold/black/cream granite I have is pretty wonderful and doesn't show much. It was called St. Cecilia (if I am remembering correctly) and was pretty close to Venetian, which a lot of areas seem to have - am pretty sure it's a standard Home Depot color nationwide. Boomer described it pretty well - kind of like a Turtle Sundae, although she's right - lots and lots of variations. Picking out the color is tough, but you've put me back on the right track.

If there wasn't a snowstorm outside today, I'd go get my sealer right now - however, it will have to wait a few days.

[Pturner]

I considered granite a while back for a kitchen. It was even more expensive than I initially realized though. I was told that I would have to improve the floor foundation because of the weight of the granite. Has anyone else had to do that?

[Whalen]

When we bought our granite the supplier told us the stone was polished and didn't have to be sealed. If it ever showed any wear they would come and polish it for us. (at a price of course).
So never sealed it and it always looked beautiful and was so easy to care for.

[GMONEY]

Granite is very heavy.. if you live in a mobile or manufaact.. Home you might need to beef up the floor for support if you have like a big island you are doing. Or if you are making you counter top wider for like a bar area, you would have to have supports place under the counter attaching to the wall.

We have it in our house. Love it, woud never go back to formica or laminate. Best move we made. Price wasnt that bad either. Even got a upgraded color free. soap and water will clean it good. Just go online an google grantie counter top cleaning. find all you need to know.

as for sealing, we got the Stonemark from Home Depot. suppose to last longer with out sealing. But we keep it cleaned and put wax on it.

[faithfulfrank]

In our NY home we have coffee colored speckled Corian. We've had it for 10 years, still looks great.

I will have to decide what to put in our Florida home within the next two years when I redo the kitchen. Right now we have pink formica countertops. My wife hates the pink.....(Only in Florida...)

I MAY use that Giani granite paint system on them to get us by until the big redo. It looks just like granite for less then $50.00 and a little work.

When we do the kitchen, I think I might do concrete countertops myself. (I built my own house, so I love this type of project). We'll see. I like the granite look, but the oil and wine thing scares me.

Frank

[Ohiogirl]

Well - I've had my granite for 3-1/2 years, drink red wine and cook all the time with oil, especially olive oil, and also corn or peanut oil in a wok right next to the granite - am sure it doesn't all stay in the wok, and am not an especially neat person. Have spilled red wine on it, but wipe it off as soon as I notice it (but you know, when you're drinking red wine and cooking, which is what I like to do - you don't always notice it right away).

Haven't sealed it yearly like they told me I should (although I plan to), don't even remember if the installer sealed it (think they were supposed to, but I was at work when it was installed). Still looks wonderful, and just makes me feel good when I look at it.

Even though my Corian was slightly scratched (only really saw it when the light and the angle was right) I just didn't get the same "in love" feeling when I looked at it. So, I will do it again, but different tastes are what makes the world go round.

[tony]

I beg your pardon, but I wish to break in here with a question.

Did Boomer ask to see Talk Host's drawers?

[Whalen]

I beg your pardon, but I wish to break in here with a question.

Did Boomer ask to see Talk Host's drawers?

She most certainly did.
Boy howdy, you gotta watch those Cincy girls.
Bold I tell you, bold as brass.
English major...I don't think so.
:girlneener:

[another Linda]

I beg your pardon, but I wish to break in here with a question.

Did Boomer ask to see Talk Host's drawers?

She most certainly did.
Boy howdy, you gotta watch those Cincy girls.
Bold I tell you, bold as brass.
English major...I don't think so.
:girlneener:

And this is why I'm not getting anything done these days!! Gotta keep checking back to make sure I don't miss anything. I blame TOTV for all my shortcomings.

[Boomer]

She most certainly did.
Boy howdy, you gotta watch those Cincy girls.
Bold I tell you, bold as brass.
English major...I don't think so.
:girlneener:

Yes, Whalen. Yes, Mr. Tony. I most certainly did ask to see TH's drawers. I asked to see them up close. But alas, he has not shown them to me.

Oh well, at least I have found happiness elsewhere in this thread, knowing that I can swill and spill that red wine while cooking with olive oil. Me and my granite countertop.

Boomer

[another Linda]

Now this is what I mean. I'm not able to come up with "swill and spill" on my own so I keep checking in here.

[Talk Host]

I'm afraid you will have to wait until Friday. I have been tied up all day today with important sh......I mean stuff.

[Boomer]

Now this is what I mean. I'm not able to come up with "swill and spill" on my own so I keep checking in here.

Linda,

Swilling and spilling I can do -- getting stuff done today -- I cannot. And I am truly pathetic because I had sworn to myself that I would not even look in on TOTV until this evening. But oh no, I just had to look. And then I started writing this stuff and I could not stop.

And next thing you know I am asking TH if I can see his drawers. The picture in the cabinet thread looks good, but I need to see his drawers up close. And he is not showing me. I feel rejected now and I must go find some red wine to swill.

(And, btw, Linda, I have got to figure how to get two quotes into one post, like you did earlier in this thread. Sometimes I want to do that, but I don't know how. Oh well, I will just go find that red wine now.)

Boomer

[Boomer]

I'm afraid you will have to wait until Friday. I have been tied up all day today with important sh......I mean stuff.

Hey! TH! You're on. I was so busy talking to Linda in my last post that I missed your promise to show me your drawers up close on Friday.

Your picture in that other thread about under-cabinet lighting looks really good. But I can't see your drawers well enough.

I must know if your handle will work in my kitchen.

Seeya Friday.

Boomer

[golfnut]

we have formica with beveled edges and love it, can't imagine paying another $5K plus for something that requires constant maintenance...teho..gn

[jebartle]

I use Pledge on all my stainless appliances....works great

[jblum315]

When we redid our kitchen in NY 10 years ago and had to choose counter top material there was very little difference in price between granite and the best quality Corian, so we went with granite. It was gorgeous stuff, black with green swirls. But keeping it shiny was well-nigh impossible. Not that it stained, I was always very careful with acid and oily spills. But it showed every fingerprint, every smudge, and had to be polished daily with special granite cleaner (not Pledge, never!!) and lots of elbow grease. By the time I sold the house I HATED it but I'm sure it helped sell the house.

Here in TV I have wonderful Wilsonart counter tops that look great all the time and very easy to keep clean. Frankly I can't see any advantage to granite except that you can set a hot pot on it.

[salpal]

Ok, was going to keep this a secret...but here goes. There is a company called Granite Transformations that takes chips of granite and mixes it with polymers. They pound it into a thin sheet and it goes right over top of any countertop. You cannot tell it from "real" granite and it never needs to be sealed because of the polymers.

What does it look like? It is beautiful. I had it installed on my kitchen (Corian) countertops and fireplace (tile) surround this past autumn. It took them about 4 hours to complete the entire job with NO construction, removing old tops, etc. I got black galaxy because my current kitchen cabinets are white. Always wanted a black and white kitchen. I also had the entire backsplash done. It looks like an expensive, updated kitchen now in my 1950's rancher.

To update my bathrooms, bought the pre-cut granite with sink attached and put over existing vanities. Now that is real granite and frankly I find it to be a pain, it shows finger prints, water stains and I have to be very careful not to spill any rubbing alcohol or perfume on it.

No, I do not work or make any money from Granite Transformations. Google it and do your own due diligence. I did send them an email to their nearest Florida office to ask if they came to the TV and they said they would.
So, the minute we finally move to TV, I will call for an appointment.

Now, here is the big catch: It is not any cheaper than real granite, it costs almost the same (slightly cheaper). The real advantages are three fold: no messy construction, it is done in one day and you never have to seal it, so you do not have to worry about bacteria living inside unsealed granite. You simply clean it with windex. If I spill anything that may cause salmonella, like raw eggs or meat, I mix a little bit of bleach and water and wipe it up.

My secret is out.

[Boomer]

Ok, was going to keep this a secret...but here goes. There is a company called Granite Transformations that takes chips of granite and mixes it with polymers. They pound it into a thin sheet and it goes right over top of any countertop. You cannot tell it from "real" granite and it never needs to be sealed because of the polymers.

What does it look like? It is beautiful. I had it installed on my kitchen (Corian) countertops and fireplace (tile) surround this past autumn. It took them about 4 hours to complete the entire job with NO construction, removing old tops, etc. I got black galaxy because my current kitchen cabinets are white. Always wanted a black and white kitchen. I also had the entire backsplash done. It looks like an expensive, updated kitchen now in my 1950's rancher.

To update my bathrooms, bought the pre-cut granite with sink attached and put over existing vanities. Now that is real granite and frankly I find it to be a pain, it shows finger prints, water stains and I have to be very careful not to spill any rubbing alcohol or perfume on it.

No, I do not work or make any money from Granite Transformations. Google it and do your own due diligence. I did send them an email to their nearest Florida office to ask if they came to the TV and they said they would.
So, the minute we finally move to TV, I will call for an appointment.

Now, here is the big catch: It is not any cheaper than real granite, it costs almost the same (slightly cheaper). The real advantages are three fold: no messy construction, it is done in one day and you never have to seal it, so you do not have to worry about bacteria living inside unsealed granite. You simply clean it with windex. If I spill anything that may cause salmonella, like raw eggs or meat, I mix a little bit of bleach and water and wipe it up.

My secret is out.

Thank you for sharing your secret. I have heard of this but did not know much about it. It sounds good.

I am really liking this thread. There is so much good information in it.

- - - - - - -

pssst, now I have to tell a secret. I cannot resist telling. It is too good to not be shared.

If you have been reading this thread, you know that I have been asking Talk Host to show me his drawers. Wellllll, he did. There is a thread here that says it is for Boomer Only. There are lots of pictures in that thread of TH's drawers. And they look great. And I think everybody should get to see them. And so, if you want to, sneak over there and have a look. It is worth it. TH's pictures are stunning. Too good to be shown to just me. (Well, some people have peeked already.) If you get caught looking and get into trouble, just say, "Boomer sent me." I've got you covered. But....is TH covered? Maybe go have a look and find out.

Boomer

[Pturner]

Hey! TH! You're on. I was so busy talking to Linda in my last post that I missed your promise to show me your drawers up close on Friday.

Your picture in that other thread about under-cabinet lighting looks really good. But I can't see your drawers well enough.

I must know if your handle will work in my kitchen.

Seeya Friday.

Boomer

Oh my, now you not only want to see his drawers up close, you want to know if his handle will work in your kitchen!

This swilling and spilling
Is a little too thrilling.
Is Boomer of Cinni a lush?
My prurient interest in this personal tempest
Is excessive, I admit with a blush!

[Mintjulep]

We had granite in our house in NC ( Santa Cecelia- cream, black, brown mixture). I LOVED it, never babied it, spilled everything on it, never sealed it and it looked like new when we sold the house.

So we put it in our TV house. Different color this time, Typhoon in the kitchen and guest bath, Green Butterfly in the M.bath. The Butterfly is dark and does get dusty. But I especially LOVE the kitchen color!

I always use a soapy cloth to clean with then follow with a micro-fiber cloth to dry. Looks shiny new.
And on our black granite fireplace hearth in NC., someone put a drink on there one time that left an etched looking ring. I used Gel Gloss (bought at Lowes) and it took it right off.


http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii280/gwenniewoo/101_1274.jpg


http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii280/gwenniewoo/101_1267.jpg

[Boomer]

Oh my, now you not only want to see his drawers up close, you want to know if his handle will work in your kitchen!

This swilling and spilling
Is a little too thrilling.
Is Boomer of Cinni a lush?
My prurient interest in this personal tempest
Is excessive, I admit with a blush!




Oh, Pt, have a heart,
This is how stories start,
What will they think of me - Boomer?

They could think that I tipple,
Or that I swill Ripple,
Pt, have you started a rumor?

Now I would be lying,
If I started denying,
That I sometimes enjoy a nice red.

But the posts that you see,
Well...that's just me,
And the narrator who lives in my head.

Boomer

Now, indulge yourself and go over to that thread with my name in the title and have a look at TH's drawers. They look really good.

(But be careful, Pt. I am starting to suspect you might be an English major. And Mr. Tony torments English majors. And he besmirches them. Yes, he does. I do not understand why he has such issues with English majors. I have actually thought that perhaps he is actually an English major in denial.)

And now, I am going to have to get out of here. This is fun on a cold, snowy morning. EEK! What did I just say? Perhaps I really am an English major. :22yikes:

[Boomer]

We had granite in our house in NC ( Santa Cecelia- cream, black, brown mixture). I LOVED it, never babied it, spilled everything on it, never sealed it and it looked like new when we sold the house.

So we put it in our TV house. Different color this time, Typhoon in the kitchen and guest bath, Green Butterfly in the M.bath. The Butterfly is dark and does get dusty. But I especially LOVE the kitchen color!

I always use a soapy cloth to clean with then follow with a micro-fiber cloth to dry. Looks shiny new.
And on our black granite fireplace hearth in NC., someone put a drink on there one time that left an etched looking ring. I used Gel Gloss (bought at Lowes) and it took it right off.


http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii280/gwenniewoo/101_1274.jpg


http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii280/gwenniewoo/101_1267.jpg

Hi Mintjulep,

I missed these pictures because I was busy digressing and going off topic here, but back to topic....I really can do that sometimes....Really I can.

These counters are beautiful and the words about the care are encouraging. My counters are supposed to be installed next week. And when I started this thread, I was really having some doubts about what I had gotten myself into from a care standpoint. I had not intended to choose granite. But there it was. And it sounds like it is going to work out fine.

Thanks everybody.

Boomer

[graciegirl]

We had granite in our house in NC ( Santa Cecelia- cream, black, brown mixture). I LOVED it, never babied it, spilled everything on it, never sealed it and it looked like new when we sold the house.

So we put it in our TV house. Different color this time, Typhoon in the kitchen and guest bath, Green Butterfly in the M.bath. The Butterfly is dark and does get dusty. But I especially LOVE the kitchen color!

I always use a soapy cloth to clean with then follow with a micro-fiber cloth to dry. Looks shiny new.
And on our black granite fireplace hearth in NC., someone put a drink on there one time that left an etched looking ring. I used Gel Gloss (bought at Lowes) and it took it right off.


http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii280/gwenniewoo/101_1274.jpg


http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii280/gwenniewoo/101_1267.jpg

This granite is gorgeous. It is like a piece of art! It is the prettiest I have seen and makes me want to try again if we ever move down there permanently.

I adore your poem PT. Please tell me now if you lean more toward English Major..strongly suspected or...no..not a dumb ole' cheerleader like me???

That Boomer. She doesn't dangle her participles for everyone to see like some people. Don't believe everything you hear about girls from Cincinnati. There's a little bit of bad in the best of us and a little bit of good in the worst of us.

[Pturner]

Oh, Pt, have a heart,
This is how stories start,
What will they think of me - Boomer?

They could think that I tipple,
Or that I swill Ripple,
Pt, have you started a rumor?

Now I would be lying,
If I started denying,
That I sometimes enjoy a nice red.

But the posts that you see,
Well...that's just me,
And the narrator who lives in my head.

Boomer

Now, indulge yourself and go over to that thread with my name in the title and have a look at TH's drawers. They look really good.

(But be careful, Pt. I am starting to suspect you might be an English major. And Mr. Tony torments English majors. And he besmirches them. Yes, he does. I do not understand why he has such issues with English majors. I have actually thought that perhaps he is actually an English major in denial.)

And now, I am going to have to get out of here. This is fun on a cold, snowy morning. EEK! What did I just say? Perhaps I really am an English major. :22yikes:

Hey Boomer, we have something in common. Situations remind me of songs too! This one reminds of of a Billy Joel song with a few of the words changed thus:

"I didn't start the fire. It was always burning since this post has been churning." And I hate to fan the "flames" of said rumor, but didn't TH send out a personal, private message, exposing his drawers and handle for your eyes only. Hmmm.

Now, to launch a quick pre-emptive defense against torment by Tony:

Tony, won't you spare me from criticism?
My major wasn't English, but Journalism!

:024:

[The Great Fumar]

BUT SOMETIMES ITS TAKEN FOR GRANITE !!!

And come to think of it , so am I ...

Fumar

[graciegirl]

BUT SOMETIMES ITS TAKEN FOR GRANITE !!!

And come to think of it , so am I ...

Fumar

Boy Howdy.

I hate when that happens.

Not...NEVER to The Great Fumar!!:wave:

[Pturner]

This granite is gorgeous. It is like a piece of art! It is the prettiest I have seen and makes me want to try again if we ever move down there permanently.

I adore your poem PT. Please tell me now if you lean more toward English Major..strongly suspected or...no..not a dumb ole' cheerleader like me???

That Boomer. She doesn't dangle her participles for everyone to see like some people. Don't believe everything you hear about girls from Cincinnati. There's a little bit of bad in the best of us and a little bit of good in the worst of us.

Oh gg, thank you. If I were a dumb ole' anything-- I wouldn't be anything like you. "Cheers!"

Yeah, I know someone will leave a "barf" for this. For that person: 3 Cheers.

[nomoresnow48]

We are just starting some remodeling of our Amarillo ranch and have not yet gotten bids for replacing our counters with granite. Could some of you share what you paid to have the conversion done to your kitchens and baths? I know there will be some variations, but I am wanting to get an idea of what to expect. Thank you in advance for sharing.

[Ohiogirl]

was part of a whole kitchen remodel 3-1/2 yrs ago - small kitchen - took only 1 slab of granite - I am recalling $2600 installed. This is for an L-shaped counter with a sink cutout and a small (maybe 5 feet) breakfast bar. About 3 feet of counter on each side of the small sink and an 18 inch piece on the other side of the stove. Also 2 window sills to make it match, but I don't think that was extra.

One of my neighbors in TV got granite almost 1 yr ago - bigger kitchen, both bathrooms, included 3 bathroom sinks and kitchen sink and window sill and I'm thinking she said it was $3400 - but I think business was slow then, sales were down. Am sure they needed more than 1 slab, which I think is what makes most of the price difference, plus the grade/color of granite. We picked one of the reasonable priced ones. A friend of mine who did a similar size kitchen (1 slab) paid more than twice as much to get an unusual color with blue in it.

[villagerjack]

Stainless Steel Sink...get some steel wool from HD or Lowes...that will do the trick. Not Brillo, steel wool, the finest guage.

[jblum8156]

I have to put my 2 cents in about granite. We made a complete new kitchen in our home in NY including the most beautiful Brazilian granite - it was black with green and cream swirls, cost a fortune.
To keep it shining, not just clean, it had to be vigorously polished every day, and not just the the part that had been used for food prep. All of it. It became my obsession. Never had a problem with stains, and it's lovely to be able to set hot pots on it, but otherwise, no thanks. I would polish it all before I went to bed and the next day have to do it all over again.
There are so many new products now, and also different kinds of natural stone (hint: don't even consider marble. Everything stains marble, even water). Another problem is that granite is so hard that it breaks things. If you tip over, not drop, just knock over a glass, it will shatter. Taking things out of the dishwasher, if it hits the edge of the granite, goodbye.
Shop around before you decide.

[graciegirl]

I have to put my 2 cents in about granite. We made a complete new kitchen in our home in NY including the most beautiful Brazilian granite - it was black with green and cream swirls, cost a fortune.
To keep it shining, not just clean, it had to be vigorously polished every day, and not just the the part that had been used for food prep. All of it. It became my obsession. Never had a problem with stains, and it's lovely to be able to set hot pots on it, but otherwise, no thanks. I would polish it all before I went to bed and the next day have to do it all over again.
There are so many new products now, and also different kinds of natural stone (hint: don't even consider marble. Everything stains marble, even water). Another problem is that granite is so hard that it breaks things. If you tip over, not drop, just knock over a glass, it will shatter. Taking things out of the dishwasher, if it hits the edge of the granite, goodbye.
Shop around before you decide.

OH I do so understand. I had the same experience. I thought that it was just because it was black galaxy. If I wiped it off once a day, I wiped it off four times, all of it not just the food prep. It seemed like acres. And the breaking part...you are right on, I had chips in everything. It was beautiful, gorgeous, but not if it was smudged. No stains, and sitting hot pots was great and just looking at it knowing it was eons old was something. I love to come here to my formica. It is a vacation from the granite.

[Ohiogirl]

Mintjulep - your granite - Typhoon - is absolutely gorgeous.

Boomer - now that yours is installed, what do you think?

and about sinks - I have an undermount stainless steel that I discussed before - by the way, Barkeepers Friend worked well, thanks for that tip. Does anyone have the manufactured granite type (solid color)? A friend of mine here in Columbus just got one with her kitchen remodel and says it looks clean all the time - she got a dark brown color, loves it. Anyone else try this? Not sure of price compared to stainless steel.

I have seen undermount Corian sinks with granite countertops, but I had some staining issues with my bisque (light-colored) Corian sink in previous home.

[Boomer]

Mintjulep - your granite - Typhoon - is absolutely gorgeous.

Boomer - now that yours is installed, what do you think?

and about sinks - I have an undermount stainless steel that I discussed before - by the way, Barkeepers Friend worked well, thanks for that tip. Does anyone have the manufactured granite type (solid color)? A friend of mine here in Columbus just got one with her kitchen remodel and says it looks clean all the time - she got a dark brown color, loves it. Anyone else try this? Not sure of price compared to stainless steel.

I have seen undermount Corian sinks with granite countertops, but I had some staining issues with my bisque (light-colored) Corian sink in previous home.

Good morning fellow Ohiogirl,

I am completely inept with posting pictures here. I have done it a couple of times -- of my dog Annie and once a really long time ago a picture that showed Boomer at her desk. It drives me crazy to try to get pictures on. I spent a lot less time in labor when Boomette was born than it takes me to get a picture on here. But I will try again sometime. I really do feel like I should post a picture of the granite. Everybody helped me so much in this thread. I will get to it in the next couple of days. I hope.

I really like to look at the granite. Kind of like a little piece of art. I also know that today's granite is tomorrow's harvest gold appliances and orange shag carpet. But that's OK. I am choosing to embrace the trend because I like to look at this stuff, and I think it will be around for quite a while. Besides, I am already hopelessly out of style and some people still like me.

My granite is relatively light in color - kind of butterscotchy with some chocolate thrown in. But the pictures make it look a little darker than it really is.

At certain angles, if I look too closely, the spots and smears can be seen. But if I pile up the mail on the counter top, I can't see that part so much.

A home in TV would be a second home for us. We are keeping this one. And that is what helped with the granite decision. I really do like looking at it. It's kind of artsy or something. I like how the pattern is so varied. Some advice though for anybody who does not already know this -- always go to see the actual slab and show them where you want them to make the cuts. -- There is a story behind that one. --But not for here. (And it was NOT my imagination! Everybody sees it right away when I show them the picture of that slab.)

But I gotta tellya, for all around easy care, Formica does it best. And also, Formica is the stuff that has been around forever and it looks like it always will be. Our very first house had that old Formica pattern with the boomerangs on it, and I think that pattern has even returned.

Anyway, someday a picture may appear in this thread -- but not today.

Boomerang Boomer

[Aceskaters]

Be very careful taking dishes and glasses out of your upper cabinets...if they fall on the granite, they will NOT bounce!

[rdhdleo]

We have lived in our Amarillo for 6 years and I was so sick of the beige/brown formica, it looked and was cheap. I would have loved to replace our cabinets also but that just wasn't in our budget. I did lots of research on different solid surface countertops and decided on granite because the price has come down a lot in recent years and for its durability. Use a company that can show you lots of slabs to choose from (a warning this will make your choice harder) LOL we chose Madera Gold we were looking for a "Tuscan" feel to our decor.
It was an upgraded color and that is where prices will vary. The more movement to the pattern the more expensive. I figured this was a once in a lifetime upgrade for me and went with what I fell in love with and have no regrets. Yes I can see a fingerprint now and then but I always wipe down my countertops anyway. I used Wildwood Kitchen and Baths and they were great. My cabinets even look richer with the granite and the new pulls we put on them! I went with a black granite composite sink under the counter mount and love it and a Huge Kohler faucet with sprayer all in one (that was a huge splurge) but worth it! I extended the granite behind the sink up to the window and they also replaced that ugly marble window sill with the granite. I smile now every time I enter the kitchen. The granite is easy to take care of which was paramount to me as I hate house cleaning since I still work part time. Someone mentioned granite is heavy and wow yes it is, I asked how much the piece for our island weighed and was told 600 lbs that thing will never move LOL So yes I love my granite I have had no worries about stains or anything. One thing you cannot use anything with ammonia to clean it. Hence none of the wipes they sell. I use soap and water polish maybe once a month is that. Sealing is a breeze but it came sealed I will repeat it in a year. Hope this helps. It's a piece of natural art and I love it!

[jaspal]

I have granite in my present home in Michigan. I had it installed shortly after I moved into my ,then,new home. I LOVE it now as much as I did 14 years ago.
I am careful not to put lemon-oil on it as it stains.
I have never taken any other precaution to care for it. I too, never have had it sealed. It's looks as good as it did the day I put it in.
I want granite in my home when we build in TV (see, I'm using the right wording)....I'm new at this. I also assume for resale that it is best to have granite (your opinions welcomed).

Question, is it best to have them put it in or have it installed after I move in? I'm referring to the quality and price. We will probably go with the Lily or Lantana. If anyone has the square feet needed for these two models I'd appreciate the info.