Granite Tiles: A Cheaper Alternative to Granite Countertops

Granite countertops are among the most popular kitchen and bathroom surface choices today. There are many reasons for granite's popularity as a countertop - from its sheer beauty to its durability and ease of maintenance. More and more homeowners and interior designers choose granite for remodeling jobs.

Granite is in vogue, and people are looking to replace their old ceramic tile counters with something sturdy and beautiful, like granite. The one thing that can be a disincentive to buying granite is its price. Large granite slabs can be quite expensive for the average homeowner, especially when compared to cheaper man-made materials.

Luckily, there is a way in which you can enjoy the benefits of granite without paying the big bucks. Marble granite is an inexpensive alternative for those looking for the benefits of regular granite in their kitchen or bathroom. Marble granite tiles cost significantly less than large slabs of granite - the only difference being is that marble granite tiles are cut into ready to install standard sizes.

Marble granite tiles originate from granite quarries where large slabs of granite boulders are mined. These slabs are shipped to processing plants in Italy where they are refined, polished and cut into large tiles of standard size ready to be delivered into stores and warehouses around the world.

The attraction of marble granite tiles are mainly their lower cost, these tiles are significantly cheaper than large granite slabs. However when it comes to the installation process of your kitchen countertop, marble granite tiles are actually more expensive to install than a single slab of granite. The large slabs are generally easy to install since they are one or two pieces that can be made to fit an existing countertop, but the tiled pieces have to be individually glued on with a special adhesive, making the whole process time consuming and labor intensive.

The nature of tiled marble may also limit it to adapt to existing kitchen counter designs, since they are already precut in specific shapes and sizes. Granite is an extremely tough material, making re-cutting individual tiles to fit around pipes and corners no easy task.

A number of factors go into the choice of buying tiled granite or a large granite slab for your kitchen countertop. First and foremost is your budget - you have to weigh the pros and cons of both methods and decide on one which matches your wallet and personal preferences. The design of the granite and shape of your kitchen counter will also play a role in which type of granite you select.

Regardless of the type of granite you choose, you will benefit from the stone's legendary durability and resilience. If properly cared for, a kitchen countertop made from granite tiles can last as long as one made from a granite slab.