How To Choose The Right Granite Countertop

The favorite choice of countertop material for high-end homes is granite because it combines exquisite beauty and durability. These two qualities make granite very expensive with the price typically ranging from $60 to $200 per square foot. Only the well-off can really afford such a high-quality item. But this is money well spent because if you have a granite countertop, you can be sure that it will outlast any countertop that is made of less costly and lower quality materials.

Granite is a hard stone dug up deep in the earth’s surface where there is tremendous heat and pressure. This is the reason why granite is very strong and durable. All the attractive elements of granite are developed inside this extreme condition. Huge blocks of granite are dug up from mines and quarries and cut into slabs of different sizes and thicknesses. Special tools and machineries are used to process this hard stone. This is the main reason granite is very expensive.

Choosing the right granite countertop
Before you choose a granite countertop for your home, there are several things that you need to take into consideration. One of these factors is the overall décor of your home. This is to ensure that your countertop will blend well and not be in conflict with your existing home design. Granite is available in a wide variety of colors ranging from white to black. There are also varied vein patterns in the granite slabs. When choosing granite, keep in mind the following points:

•    If your house is traditionally designed, choose granite with lighter shades and less vein patterns. Traditional homes convey a stable and steady image. Granite slabs with less vein patterns and lighter shades will blend well with this image.
•    Darker shades of granite with more vein movements can work very well with more modern homes. This type of granite is suitable to the flexible image of a modern home.

Countertop Supports
Because of its heavy weight, granite countertops need to be supported. This support is oftne provided by the cabinet that it sits on. Additionally, when the countertop has from 10 to 12 inches of overhang, brackets should be installed underneath the countertop to support the overhang. If this is not done, your countertop overhang may break because of the unsupported weight.

A number of countertop brackets are available for this purpose. They are usually made of steel with various sizes and styles. There are three basic types of countertop brackets. One of them is the Standard Countertop Bracket, the most common among the three. The other two are the Floating Countertop Support and the Hidden Countertop Supports. Your choice among the three will depend on your preference and the functionality of the bracket.