Stone countertops are one of the hottest things in modern home design right now. In fact, homeowners across the great state of Utah seem to love natural and engineered stone products. We work with them every day in our showrooms. On more than one occasion, a homeowner has asked us to explain the pros and cons of materials like marble and granite.
Rather than looking at it from a pros and cons perspective, we prefer to look at reasons for and against stone countertops. While we would love to see stone countertops in every house in Utah, we realize they aren’t the right choice for every project. We are happy to give both sides of the story and let customers make their own choices.
Top Reasons for Stone Countertops
We could list more than a dozen positives about marble, granite, and quartz countertops. But for the sake of saving space and not wearing out our welcome, we will confine our comments to the top two reasons for choosing stone. The first of those reasons is aesthetic distinctiveness.
Every quarried stone is different. Every slab cut from a quarried stone is different as well. Thanks to how nature works, there are always differences in colors, shades, and veining. Choosing a natural stone countertop guarantees something unique. No one else will have a countertop identical to yours.
Taking second place is nearly seamless installation. A skilled professional with years of experience and the right tools and techniques creates perfectly matched edges that fit together with absolutely no gap in between. Say goodbye to the grout-filled, dirt-collecting seams normally associated with wood and laminate countertops.
Top Reasons Against Stone Countertops
Every point has a counterpoint, right? Absolutely. The first counterpoint, or negative, to stone countertops is cost. Both natural and engineered stone are expensive because quarrying, transportation, and fabrication are all very costly. Stone countertops are among the most expensive in the industry.
When economic times are tough and homeowners are pinching pennies, the price tag of a stone countertop can seem overwhelming. We would never knowingly encourage customers to spend beyond their means. But if one can afford natural or engineered stone, there could be a potential financial payoff when it comes time to sell the house. It is something to think about.
The second reason against stone countertops is that they are not DIY friendly. If you are the type of homeowner who loves to do as many home improvement projects as possible by yourself, you might still struggle with marble and granite.
Stone countertops are not easy to work with. You need to know what you’re doing. Generally, it takes years for an installer’s helper to learn all the tricks of the trade. And that’s even working with the installer 40 hours per week.
As a side note, you also need special tools to install stone countertops safely and properly. Purchasing or renting the tools only adds to the expense.
Figuring Out What’s Right for You
There are certainly more reasons for and against installing stone countertops. Here at Bedrock Quartz, our priority is to help you figure out what is right for you and your home. We would love the opportunity to lend you a hand at any one of our Utah showrooms.
When you visit, feel free to ask any questions you might have about marble, granite, quartz, and quartzite. Our team would be more than happy to explain the differences between each of the materials. If you decide that stone is right for you, we can help you make it happen. Come visit one of our Utah showrooms and meet with one of our countertop experts to start designing your dream kitchen, bathroom, or outdoor kitchen today.