Countertops
San Diego Natural Stone Countertops
The countertop makes the kitchen. It’s the work surface where you prepare food, eat casual family meals, perhaps even pay bills and help Junior with his homework. And of all the countertop materials you can buy, stone is the gold standard for both durability and character.
Every rock pulled from the earth has its own mineral color, veining, and speckles, brought vividly to life by stoneworkers’ saws and polishing wheels. So whether you select a solid burgundy quartzite, a sky-blue granite, or a beige travertine embedded with fossilized seashells, it will be as distinctive as an original work of art.
And as permanent, too. Unaffected by hot pans or water, a stone countertop will last as long as your house—maybe even longer. It needs only a little routine care and forethought to ward off water marks, stains, and etching typically caused by acidic foods. But even if the worst happens—a chipped edge, a red wine spill—most stones can be restored by a professional.
Natural Stone
Natural Stone Countertop Advantages
Distinctive: Every stone is different, so the pattern and color you choose is one of a kind.
Durable: Unlike laminate, wood, solid surfacing, or engineered stone, natural stone is unaffected by heat.
Virtually seamless: Stone slabs provide a smooth surface without the crumb-catching grout lines typical of ceramic tile tops.
Low maintenance: Just wipe up spills as they occur and reapply sealant when required.
Repairable: Cracks, chips, and scratches can be fixed on-site by a stone restorer. Remove most stains yourself using a poultice.
Impervious to water: Unlike butcher block—or a laminate’s chipboard substrate—stone stands up to splashes.
Quality
Natural Stone Countertops Quality
Even the darkest granites aren’t immune to stains. A stone’s resistance depends on its chemical makeup and microscopic fissures that formed millions of years ago. But you don’t need to be a geologist to determine whether your counter will stand up to a little spilled vino.
Just perform this simple test:
1. Get a sample piece (it’s okay if it’s not from the same slab, as long as it comes from the same source). Rub on a sealer.
2. Pour test dollops of ketchup, olive oil, red wine, and lemon juice. Leave them overnight.
3. Wipe the surface clean in the morning. You’ll see how well it stands up to untended spills.
Stone Ranking Guide: High to Low
Stain resistance
Vermont slate
Soapstone
Granite
Marble
Quartzite
Limestone
Travertine
Scratch resistance
Granite
Quartzite
Vermont slate
Marble
Limestone
Travertine
Soapstone
Note: Each stone type’s resistance varies with source and color.
Variety
Different Natural Stone Countertop Options For Your Home
Stone Tile
Using 12-inch-square floor tiles gets you an approximation of a slab for about one-third the cost. Cut them yourself with a wet saw. Cover the edges with thin tile strips, or wrap them in metal nosing or wood bands (shown at right). Joint lines will be visible.
Prefab
Prefabricated counters, sized to standard cabinet depth and finished with bullnose edges, can save you up to 30 percent. Typically sold as 96-inch-long solid slabs, they still require a fabricator to cut sink and faucet holes. No two slabs are exactly alike, so they’re best used on straight runs without seams.
Reclaimed
Save 50 to 80 percent off retail by prowling house-part recycling centers, such as Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, Craigslist, and kitchen cabinet outfits refreshing their displays. These tops are typically cut to someone else’s kitchen layout, so plan on adjusting yours to fit.
Remnants
Stone yards frequently offer clearance-sale prices of up to half off for small leftover slabs, which often work well for prep islands, pastry stations, and kitchen offices. Selection is limited, and you pay for any custom cuts.
Solid Surfacing
Moldable resins and special glues allow for a truly seamless counter, complete with an integrated sink. Nonporous; food can’t etch it, stains are easy to remove, sealers aren’t required. Hot pans can scorch or crack it; knives can nick it. About $40 to $80 per square foot
Concrete
Pour your own or buy custom slabs from local shops in the color and shape of your choice. Site-poured counters can be seamless. Sensitive to acids and requires frequent sealing. DIY: About $8 to $15 per square foot. Hire it out: About $75 to $100 per square foot.
Engineered Stone
A factory-made mix of 93 percent quartz granules held together with a resin binder, engineered slabs are impervious to acids and stains. Very hot pots may cause superficial damage. Comes in colors not found in quarried stone. About $50 to $90 per square foot.
Enameled Lava
Here’s a gorgeous stone hybrid you’ll probably never buy. Called Pyrolave, it’s a lightweight volcanic stone with a tough-as-nails glass enamel coating. It comes in 32 vibrant colors and is a heftier version of ceramic tile but without annoying grout lines. Perfect, except for the price: About $370 per square foot; Pyrolave.
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