Choosing the right stone for your countertops. Whether for your bathroom or kitchen, there are a ton of options out there in terms of vanities and countertops – not just in type of stone but in patterns and colors as well. How can you possibly know which one is best for the long haul? What considerations should you look at? What factors will narrow it down?

Here are a few things to think about when choosing natural and engineered stone for you home.

Your Lifestyle

This is perhaps the most important consideration of all, even more so than style and budget. Before you even consider specific styles and colors, or allow money to come into the equation,  think long and hard about your lifestyle and that of your family. Are you a busy person who’s always coming and going, rushing about their day? Do you have a large family where someone is always in the kitchen at every hour of the day? Do you hate maintenance and cleaning? Or do you like to take your time in the kitchen, preparing and serving food and cleaning up afterwards?

There’s no right or wrong answer here! Just be honest with yourself. Because even though you love the look of marble, remember it’s a softer stone than others and can get stained or chipped more easily if not regularly sealed and cared for, as opposed to engineered quartz or natural quartzite which are harder and resist scratching, chipping, and staining.

Location

Next: where do you plan on putting this new countertop? Different stones are better for different applications. What works for a kitchen counter may not work as well for a bathroom vanity or shower surround. Different areas (think: counters, vanities, backsplashes, shower floors, wall features, etc.) are exposed to different levels of traffic, food and beverage, and moisture.

In general, you’ll want more durable stone for the kitchen countertops than for bathroom surrounds or backsplashes, for instance.

Budget

Ah, budget. This is where people get hung up. It’s important to create a realistic budget so you stick within it and don’t overextend yourself. Do this well before you visit a showroom or consult with a granite installer. No sense in looking at high-end stone when you can’t afford it in the end. In general, granite and marble are priced similarly, while travertine and limestone are more affordable. Quartzite tends to be on the pricier side because it’s not as easy to find and quarry.

Many things will determine how much you will pay for stone:

• Actual stone slab (i.e., transportation costs)
• Availability (i.e., rarity vs. abundance)
• Fabrication cost (i.e., how many cuts are needed, presence of seams, add-ons such as honed or leathered)
• Installation and labor costs

Contact Granite Guy

We know how difficult it can be to settle on the right stone for your countertops. Let our Boston stone installers help you make the right decision. To learn more about all our stone countertop options, contact us at 508-460-7900 or fill out our online form.

Visit our natural stone and engineered stone showroom in Southborough MA. Fabricators and installers of some of the finest granite in Massachusetts