Hints & Tips

Support

Most kitchens will take the weight of granite worktops but it will do no harm to take extra precautions such as extra support especially around the hob and sink cutouts.

The units should be fixed together where possible and secured to the walls. If you wanted to give maximum support you could put waterproof bonded plywood or waterproof MDF screwed to the tops of the units and use 20mm granite with a 20mm down stand to hide the edge of the wood.

Hob & Sink Cut Outs

Over-mount sink and hob cut outs can prove a problem. If the cut out is approximately 500/520mm and the worktop is only 600mm deep. It leaves the cut out very weak and extra support may be required with the cut out being cut on site after fixing. (Dusty) BUT with granite the worktops can be made to any depth i.e. 650mm, 700mm etc, so the units can be fixed away from the wall on brackets etc allowing for deeper worktops (also gives more workspace)

Level

Make sure the units are put in level, as it will avoid lots of packing.

Movement

If someone sits or stands on the worktops (which they shouldn’t do) and the wood units move or bend then the granite could break so make sure everything is rigid and you can even put extra legs under the 1000mm and 1200mm units to help against movement.

Staining

Have the granite sealed, as it will help even more against penetration of liquids. It is difficult to stain granite but sealing is an extra precaution.

Uneven Walls

The granite can be shaped to suit the walls or granite splash backs can be used to cover any gaps.

Things to consider before e-mailing us for a quote

Giving a m² price for worktops does not gives us any idea of your requirements or give you much of a price indication, as the manufacture and fixing usually costs more than the material and you can alter your price by changing thicknesses, details and type of granite. An overall price can be compared but a part price cannot. Some suppliers give cheaper m² rates on purpose so that you think they are cheaper and then they charge more for cutting and manufacture. (Like asking for the price of a car without the engine and wheels).

Help us to help you by giving as much of the following information as possible.

Plan or layout sketch showing sizes and any shaping (free hand will do).

Supply or supply and fix.

If fix, location of job

Type of material required, if not known give a colour as this would give us an idea (all types and colours can vary drastically in price)

Thickness of material required i.e. 20mm or 30mm (30mm is approximately 30% more expensive)

Edge detail required i.e. square polished, semi-bullnose, bullnose, mould etc. (basic square polished being the cheapest)

Number of internal corners for worktops. (with square polish the return stones butt, but with semi-bullnose etc. we have to return the edge detail, which is time consuming)

Edge detail to which edges of worktops.

Height required for splash back.

Splash back edge detail.

Splash back internal junctions (same applied as with work tops, if the edges are square they butt together, if not it would be mitres to internal junctions.

Number of tap holes required.

Number of sink cut outs required.

Are sink cut outs square polished to inside edge.

Number of sets of drainer flutes (1 set = 5 No.flutes x 450mm long) you can have more flutes at extra cost.

Detail of any shaping, notches, raked cutting etc.

Number of hob cut outs.

This would be heavy, so will access be straightforward.

Note You do not have to have 600mm deep worktops the same size as wood you can have any size i.e. 650mm, 700mm etc and this gives more workspace as well as giving more strength for overmount sink and hob cut outs; i.e. if a sink or hob cut out is 520mm deep and the worktop 600mm deep it leaves the worktop very fragile at the back and front. By making the tops deeper (bring units away from wall) you can avoid performing the cut out on site or doing around the cut out in 4 No. pieces. (Something to think about).