What Every First Time Granite Buyer Should Know

In an increasingly plastic society, the occasional natural touches can prove immensely popular. In home decor, natural stones such as marble and granite have seen a renewed surge of popularity in recent years. Toughness and long lasting durability of granite combined with a timeless aesthetic appeal means that granite countertops never go out of style.

Many first buyers or homeowners looking to refurbish their kitchens are looking buy granite countertops for their kitchens or bathrooms. While getting to grips with the finer points of granite slab classification and fabrication methods may seem a little intimidating at first, a little research can help. With just a little information, you too can become knowledgeable enough to order a granite kitchen countertop with confidence.

The first thing people learn about granite is how hard it is. In fact, granite is the second hardest naturally occurring material known to man, second only to the diamond. Such is the legendary toughness of granite that it can only be cut with the use of diamond encrusted blades. As you can imagine this extreme toughness makes cutting and shaping granite difficult and labor intensive, thus affecting its price.

The cost of granite largely depends on where it was quarried. While there are granite quarries in the US, the high cost of labor in the county makes the granite extracted this way too expensive for the majority of consumers. Granite quarries have largely moved overseas where lower labor prices make it more economically feasible to quarry and import the finished granite slabs to the US. India, China and Brazil rank amongst the top granite producers in the world, and a huge amount of decorative granite tiles from these countries can be found in dealers all over the US. Thanks to the dominance of overseas quarries and the rise of cheap international shipping routes, the coveted granite kitchen countertop is now within the budgets of many homeowners.

There are huge price disparities between raw granite and the finished product. A raw slab of granite from the quarry will cost far less than the fully fabricated countertop ready for installation in your kitchen. Obviously this price difference reflects the time and effort put into the fabrication process, but as there is no central authority determining global granite prices it pays to be aware of the relative cost of the piece you are interested in. Often times a sudden increase in demand for a certain type of granite can cause the price to skyrocket without warning.

Granite is graded to determine quality and price. First time buyers unfamiliar with the grading process should educate themselves on it before shelling out their hard earned money. The best granite tops will always be graded. Grading is done on a range of factors; the most common way granite is graded is by its appearance. Imperfections or inconsistencies in a slab of granite will get a lower grade, compared to slabs that are judged to be "perfect". Thickness of the slab also affects the grading, with thicker slabs getting the higher grade. All these factors play a role in the final price of the slab.

It should be pointed out that each slab of granite has its unique characteristics and qualities. This uniqueness is a result of the stone's natural formation process, and is a huge reason why granite has remained a popular material for home decoration purposes throughout the centuries. Whatever your personality and preferences, chances are that there is a granite counter color that appeals to you.