Our Guide to Choosing Stone Countertops
Adding a stone countertop to your new kitchen or bathroom can add significant value to the price of your home. But with so many options available, it’s hard to know where to begin.
The stone you pick should be largely based on your own personal tastes, but there are other factors you need to take into account, for instance how frequently you will use the countertop. Since some countertops are more durable than others, the activities you’ll be using it for will help dictate your best option.
Consider these factors to help you determine which stone surface is right for you:
Maintenance
For the most part, homeowners choose stone countertops for their look, durability, and ease of care. While this is largely true, depending on the stone you choose, it might still require occasional maintenance.
Many stone countertops need regular sealing (about once or twice a year) for a variety of reasons. For one, stone that is porous might require a sealant to prevent it from harboring bacteria. Sealing can also help prevent staining and etching in softer materials.
It’s not uncommon for certain stones to chip or indent. To some, imperfections and patinas are desirable and add character, but others find it makes the surface uneven and unworkable, or visually unsightly. Some blemishes can be filled in or sanded down depending on the material, which will require professional care.
Durability
While some stones are harder, others are more heat resistant, or more stain resistant. Others still are quite soft, and require a little more preventative care.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s possible for stone to scrape, chip or blemish. While some of these issues are fixable, not all types of stone countertops can be repaired.
Although cosmetic blemishes are not uncommon, most quality slabs will last the lifetime of your house and in general, major damages (like the slab breaking in half) are rare.
Looks
To a lot of homeowners, this is the single most important factor when choosing a countertop. For every style, there is a stone countertop to compliment it.
While some people like consistent coloration, others enjoy specks of color and veining. There are also different finishes available depending on the material, allowing homeowners to chose between natural matte finishes, or more glossy ones.
Price
Prices will vary by type of stone, where it originated, the quality of the slab, its rareness, its beauty and pattern, and by its size. Even within the different types of stone prices will vary.
The price of installation also needs to be accounted for, since some stones are harder and more costly to cut, and more difficult to install.
Rarity
If you’re looking to make a statement, no run-of-the-mill countertop will do. Some homeowners will pick their countertops for the originality factor, and opt for stone they don’t normally see.
Now that you know a little more about what to consider, let’s take a closer look at the different types of stone countertops:

Granite
Granite is completely natural, meaning no chemicals or other materials are added before it reaches your counter. In recent years, granite has been the standard of luxury and is highly sought after, even among other stone countertops.
The Look
Granite comes in a variety of colors, usually in a blend of oranges, reds, browns, gold & black. Though lighter slabs are not uncommon, granite is usually prized for its darker and bolder colors. Patterns vary by slab, but usually showcase the stone’s characteristic graininess.
Pros
Installing granite countertops is a great way to increase the value of your house, and many buyers look for granite as a sign of quality when searching for a new home.
Granite is hard and resilient. Although it’s not quite as strong as quartz, it is more heat resistant.
Cons
Since its surface is porous, granite needs to be sealed every 6 months to a year. Vinegar, lemon juice and other acidic materials will discolor the stone and weaken your seal. Also, because it’s porous, regular sanitization is necessary. Otherwise standing water can seep into the stone and harbor bacteria.
7 Comments. Leave new
My husband and I have been looking for a new countertop, and have been considering marble. You wrote that marble is great because it’s heat resistant, very strong, and rarely chips. I love to cook and prepare fun meals, so having a durable countertop is very important to me. I’d love to not have to worry about chipping, so I’ll have to find a good service that can provide a nice marble countertop.
Marble is indeed a great option due to its heat resistance, Rachel! If you need help, just let us know your local market and we can see if any of our locations can help you our…or see if anyone in our FDW Family across the globe can provide some good leads for you to find that perfect countertop!
I agree that stone countertops are good because they are durable. It would be good to consider something durable because it would mean that it will last longer. My sister is looking for a new countertop, so she’ll have to consider something durable like stone.
Hi Hannah! That’s a great point about the durability of stone countertops. If your sister ever needs help with her search for stone or tile countertops, we’re always here to help!
I love that you talked about how the slate is nonporous which makes it low maintenance compared to the other types of stones for the countertops. It also got me when you said that it does not easily get stained or scratched. With my kids being kids, things inside our house easily get damage because they keep on playing. So this kind of information just made me want to have a slate countertop already. Actually, we need to have our kitchen remodel because almost everything in it is too old for us to use since this house is from my parents.
Thanks for the kind words, Millie – kids can be a destructive force. 😉 If you ever need help on your search for new countertops, know that Design Works is here to help you along the way!
Thanks for pointing out that a professional can usually fix blemishes by filling them or sanding them down. My husband and I have a marble countertop that has a few blemishes. We’ll have a professional take a look soon to see if it can be restored.