granite vs granicrete (countertops, cabinets, color, light)

[nolagirl]

I have been thinking of replacing my counters with granite, but I saw something at a home show called granicrete. It is supposed to be lighter and doesn't require reglazing, etc.

Has anyone heard of this product? I had never heard of granicrete and I am still leaning towards granite, but wanted to see if anyone had heard of this.

[Cattknap]

Granite does not require reglazing - no "faux granite" compares to real stone in my mind.

[Kootr]

Have you considered soapstone counters?

[nolagirl]

I'm not familiar with Soapstone, can you explain?

A friend of mine has real granite and she was told she needs to re-coat/re-glaze every year.

[Kootr]

Originally Posted by nolagirl

I'm not familiar with Soapstone, can you explain?

A friend of mine has real granite and she was told she needs to re-coat/re-glaze every year.

Soapstone is a buttery smooth, basically black, natural stone. It's very expensive, but doesn't have some of the drawbacks that marble has.

Soapstone Countertops, Backsplashes and Islands (http://www.greenmountainsoapstone.com/kitchens_countertops.html - broken link)

[Cattknap]

Originally Posted by nolagirl

I'm not familiar with Soapstone, can you explain?

A friend of mine has real granite and she was told she needs to re-coat/re-glaze every year.

Some granite needs to be resealed once a year - Sealing takes very little time - about 30 minutes a year. Some granite types do not need to be sealed - absolute black for instance.

I would suggest going to a granite warehouse/fabricator and look at granite slabs and ask the experts there questions in order to clear up any confusion.

Soapstone is beautiful but you should note that over time soapstone inevitably develops a network of fine scratches. It is softer than granite and chips and stains more easily also.

[kcam213]

Interesting. Does granite especially absolute black ever develop fine scratches?

[Cattknap]

Granite is very very hard - I've had two kitchens with granite and I've never had a scratch - not even a little one.

[GloryB]

Wow nolagirl....you are all about that concrete decorating aren't ya?

All I can say is that if you lived in Florida, a hurricane wouldn't be able to MOVE your house. Maybe you are setting a well needed trend! It's amazing how good all these concrete application look. If I ever built a new house,I sure would use it. Affordable, sturdy and easy to clean.

[poconoproud]

Capital Decorative Concrete (http://www.capitaldecorativeconcrete.com/counter.html - broken link)

Countertop Material Comparison Chart - The Concrete Network