Countertop guides
Countertop guides
Straight answers about stone countertops from the people who stock them: what each stone is, what it costs, how to measure and install it, and how to keep it looking right.
Choosing a countertop
What each stone is, how they compare, and the words you’ll hear at the counter.
- Countertop materials comparedGranite, quartz, dolomite, quartzite, marble, solid surface, laminate and wood side by side: hardness, heat, stains, sealing and upkeep.
- Granite vs quartz countertopsGranite vs quartz compared on heat, stains, scratches, sealing, looks and price, with a quick way to decide which fits your kitchen.
- Dolomite vs quartzite vs marbleThree white, veined natural stones that are easy to mix up. How dolomite, quartzite and marble differ in hardness, etching and care, and how to tell them apart.
- Countertops that look like marbleThe stones that give you a white, veined marble look, from real marble to dolomite, quartzite and engineered quartz, and how each one holds up in a kitchen.
- Prefab vs custom stone countertopsWhat a prefab stone countertop is, how it differs from a slab cut for your kitchen, what sizes prefab comes in, and when each one makes sense.
- Countertop edge profiles explainedThe common stone countertop edges, eased, bevel, bullnose, half bullnose, ogee and mitered, what each looks like, and which are easiest to live with.
- Countertop and stone glossaryPlain definitions of the words you hear when buying stone countertops: slab, prefab, 2 cm and 3 cm, etching, honed, sealer, seam, template and more.
Costs and sizes
What a countertop costs and the measurements that decide how much you need.
- How much do countertops cost?What a stone countertop costs: today’s prices for prefab pieces, what fabrication and installation add, and how to keep the total down.
- Standard countertop dimensionsStandard countertop height, depth, overhang, seating space and thickness for kitchens, islands, bars and bathroom vanities, with the reasons behind each.
Planning and installing
Measuring, installing a prefab piece, and getting stone home in one piece.
- How to measure for countertopsMeasure your counters step by step, work out square footage, and figure out how many prefab pieces you need and where the seams will fall.
- How to install prefab stone countertopsThe steps to install a prefab stone countertop: preparing the base, cutting safely, sink cutouts, setting, seams and sealing, and when to hire it out.
- How to haul a stone countertop homeHow to pick up and haul a stone countertop safely: carry it on edge, use an A-frame, strap it down, and what kind of vehicle and help you need.
Care and cleaning
Everyday cleaning, sealing, stains and heat.
- How to clean stone countertopsDaily cleaning for granite, quartz, dolomite and marble countertops: what to use, what never to use, and habits that keep stone looking new.
- How to seal stone countertopsWhich countertops need sealing, the hot-water test that tells you when, and how to apply a penetrating sealer to granite, dolomite, marble and quartzite.
- How to remove stains from stone countertopsHow to draw oil, coffee, wine, rust and water marks out of granite, dolomite or marble with a poultice, and how to tell an etch from a stain.
- Can you put hot pans on stone countertops?Whether granite, quartz, quartzite, dolomite and marble can take a hot pan, why quartz scorches, what thermal shock is, and the habits that prevent damage.
Sinks and vanities
Choosing a sink and a bathroom vanity top.
- How to choose a kitchen sink for a stone countertopUndermount, drop-in and farmhouse sinks compared for stone countertops, plus sink materials, bowl layouts and what to check before the stone is cut.
- Choosing a stone bathroom vanity topHow to measure for a stone bathroom vanity top, common vanity sizes, which stones work best in a bathroom, and how to make one from a prefab countertop piece.