What do I look for in a granite slab? What makes it "good" or "bad"?

Question

Getting granite countertops installed in a house I am building and I have been asked to select the slab from which they will make the countertops. What the heck do I look for? ie I don't want to show up and say "Hey that one looks good!" What makes a slab "good" or "bad"?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

you want to make sure you take into count the following:
length, width and thickness, surface finish e.g. cleft, honed or polished, edges e.g. quarry cut, fine hand cut or machine cut
thickness i.e. natural split thickness or calibrated thickness. ( I personally would select fine hand cut)

I think you have made a good choice right off just by selecting granite instead of prefabricated materials. Granite is excellent in regards to wear and tear, stains and so much more. You are going to love the look and feel. Make sure you select a look that is natural and will suit your entire decor. Good luck with your selection.

Jewel

Answer 2

If you go to a reputable place that sells granite they will only show you good stuff... just pick out something you like!

Also - I just had some put in as well - do yourself a favor & get the beveled edges it's well worth it & looks so much better..

Answer 3

Well, really it is a personal choice. Never select a granite countertop from just a small piece of granite: like the small pieces they have at the stores attached to some wall. Ask to be led out back to the yard to see the full selection of granite they have. It will come in large sections up to 8 feet by 8 feet sections. Select your counter tops from the pieces in the yard. The pieces out in the yard never look the same as the small pieces on the showroom floor. And since granite is a natural element the colors and striations of colors will vary.

Source(s):

Fiance: custom home builder

Answer 4

cracks bad. Look for a smooth chunk of Granite. Be weary of fillers & such.

Answer 5

Go for all that has previously been said. There are more granite yards than you can imagine, take your time and take your cabinet door to see what looks good with it. We went with a complete contrast, light oak cabinets with a dark granite. It's got to go with just about everything from your wall color to your appliances, and the floors. Get a nice sink and fixtures that will go with it also. If you have an island and enough room, extend it out to make a nice bar for extra guests. Go online and search "granite" and "images" they have tons of granite to look at. If you need 1 or 4 slabs to do the job, make sure they are all from the same batch of cut stone and also make sure all 4 look pretty much the same. The yard handlers will show you every slab that you are buying. Get slabs that are tall and wide enough so you don't have to have more than one area that is bonded together. We have an "L" shape on the cabinets that hold the sink on one side and a cook top on the other. The only line that is bonded is in the middle of the cook top (2" in front and 2" in back of the cook top) This keeps them from having to cut where the corner of the "L shape" intersects, either a straight line from the edge of slab to the wall or I have seen a 45 degree cut from the corner (front edge) all the way to the corner of the wall. That is the worst way to join two pieces of granite!! Also if you have some left over, do the vanity top in you bathrooms or a desk top or something similar. Sorry for the long winded advice but we just did ours 8 mo. ago and we are really happy that we did it. Two of our friends are just getting theirs finished. Also ask for references and see the work that they have done, make sure they are licensed and bonded. Good Luck!!

Source(s):

me and my beautiful wife! Slab yards will help to a certain extent. Before you buy the slab(s), call your contractor and give him the measurements of the slab.