topic Re: Soft Granite? in Home

Soft Granite?

IamMrsG — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 02:01:03 GMT

DH and I are having a bathroom built from scratch in our basement. If you remember, a week or so ago, I was here asking for your help on mixing metal finishes. Well, we're going with the oil rubbed bronze I initially wanted, but now there is a new hurdle:

We went to the stone yard today to choose granite for the vanity counter top.

As the man was pulling a piece out for us to get a better view, he cautioned that, "This one is soft." Soft granite?? I've never heard of such a thing! As he pointed out there is mesh applied to the back of it, he repeated, "Soft." "As in chip-able?," I asked. "Yes."

Then the sales rep returned to us. I asked her opinion about it, and she said, "It's fine." When I pressed further, asking what makes granite soft, she said, "more sand content."

The problem is this piece is gorgeous and the only one in the yard DH and I both really liked. So, here I am again, asking for your opinions and experiences. Does anyone out there have mesh-backed granite? If so, I'd really, really appreciate 'hearing' your guidance on the matter.

This is not a long expanse of granite, just 45," with one under-mount sink bowl. The bathroom is to be an auxiliary one, so will not get a lot of use. Am I trying to assuage unnecessary concern, or should my concern be real?

Thanks, Everyone! Y'all are a great bunch to be willing to come forward with guidance. --Mrs. G.

Re: Soft Granite?

Kachina624 — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 02:08:37 GMT

If you had a bunch of rough housing kids tossing baseballs in your bathrooms, I'd be concerned about breakage. If you and DH are more genteel, I'd go for what I like best.

Re: Soft Granite?

mousiegirl — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 02:11:02 GMT

@IamMrsG wrote:
DH and I are having a bathroom built from scratch in our basement. If you remember, a week or so ago, I was here asking for your help on mixing metal finishes. Well, we're going with the oil rubbed bronze I initially wanted, but now there is a new hurdle:

We went to the stone yard today to choose granite for the vanity counter top.

As the man was pulling a piece out for us to get a better view, he cautioned that, "This one is soft." Soft granite?? I've never heard of such a thing! As he pointed out there is mesh applied to the back of it, he repeated, "Soft." "As in chip-able?," I asked. "Yes."

Then the sales rep returned to us. I asked her opinion about it, and she said, "It's fine." When I pressed further, asking what makes granite soft, she said, "more sand content."

The problem is this piece is gorgeous and the only one in the yard DH and I both really liked. So, here I am again, asking for your opinions and experiences. Does anyone out there have mesh-backed granite? If so, I'd really, really appreciate 'hearing' your guidance on the matter.

This is not a long expanse of granite, just 45," with one under-mount sink bowl. The bathroom is to be an auxiliary one, so will not get a lot of use. Am I trying to assuage unnecessary concern, or should my concern be real?

Thanks, Everyone! Y'all are a great bunch to be willing to come forward with guidance. --Mrs. G.

@IamMrsG All I can say is that regular granite chips and can get scratches, so I use a cutting board, not the granite, and if soft is liable to chip more easily, I would forget it.

There is formica that looks exactly like granite. I had a counter in the rec room and in the pantry downstairs covered in this, and it is difficult to tell the differnce, unless I touch it. You may want to consider this, so much less expensive and very durable.

Re: Soft Granite?

CAMOGIRL — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 02:23:47 GMT

I have never heard of a granite being soft .. I find that odd. Soft granite (?), that makes no sense to me...

Re: Soft Granite?

ccassaday — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 02:24:45 GMT

Some granites are softer then others. Some need sealed every year some only once every ten years.

Re: Soft Granite?

sabatini — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 02:41:04 GMT

Hi G!

Would this happen to be the counter that you'd previously painted to look like marble? Just wondering...

As to your question about soft granite, I'm no help, as it's news to me too.

Depending on what others say, maybe you ought to harden your heart to it, even tho it'll be in a light usage bathroom.

Perhaps it's just a pretty face w/ no real substance?

But gee, don't you just hate it when the one thing you're drawn to comes w/ a caveat?!

I hope you'll get some solid advise here. Good luck!

Re: Soft Granite?

sandraskates — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 03:13:55 GMT

I don't have any granite but my thoughts are this:

If you love it and you said that it's not going to be in a high-traffic area, then I think you should buy it.

And when you get this bathroom done, post a photo because what you're buying sounds fabulous!

Re: Soft Granite?

Sooner — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 03:44:19 GMT

When you look at granite in a stone yard, some are true granites, some are not. Especially some of the lighter colors are more "sandy" and not as hard.

You can feel the back (not polished) side of the stone and it will tell you a lot about the texture. You can also take a penknife and scratch the back. Does it scratch easily? Does it peel off little sandy grains? Is it tighter grained and therefore harder?

We have had dark granite counter tops for almost 25 years and have hardly ever sealed them. We LOVE them. They are as beautiful as when we put them in. A friend has light granite and it is one of the "sandy" ones. Water sitting around the faucets will soak in a little but it does dry fine after awhile. It would take a stain where our dark one is hard, slick and wouldn't.

I would put in granite in a heartbeat again.

Re: Soft Granite?

Junker2327 — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 03:51:24 GMT

My son is a granite fabricator. He has been doing this for 13 years. When I first got my granite he had never heard of that. I went in, picked thee most beautiful slab of granite in the place (also high dollar). ANother couple bought the matching piece for the same reasons. My granite was installed in my kitchen. It is darker in color, lots of crystally sparkle in it. It is what I would call soft. It has chipped all the way down the edge. Not on top but just down the edges. Im ashamed of it. We have since learned that some are softer than others and more prone to chip. I also had a different granite put in my bathroom at the same time and it is absolutely still perfect to this day. Not even so much as a nick. Do not touch that granite if they say its soft. Go pick out another slab. Mine was a gift from my son and at the time he had no clue, otherwise I would have tried to replace it at their cost. I would have 100% faith that a good piece of granite will last a lifetime. My slab was considered exotic which made it expensive and not very available. It was brought in for a home show. I want mine replaced now. It is still very beautiful but I can't handle to edges feeling chipped. You can also have the edges purposely chisled to feel that way. Maybe thats what I need to do. Hope this helps

Beckyblu

Re: Soft Granite?

NicksmomESQ — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 04:14:24 GMT

When I redid my kitchen I wanted a granite countertop.But my son was young & both he & DH were not the careful type.With the kitchen being the gathering spot in our home I decided to go for a laminate countertop that looks like granite.

It came out gorgeous!! It looks just like the real thing.It wears like iron.Everyone who has been in my kitchen mistakes the countertop for granite!! A few of my friends replaced their chipped/scratched granite countertops with the laminate imitation.

Re: Soft Granite?

Zsazsa — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 05:45:14 GMT

@IamMrsG

We did a big addition and remodel on our former home in 2003, including creating a whole new kitchen space. We chose a chocolate brown granite ...it was a beautiful, hue with some sparkle to it.

A nurse who was helping to care for my Mom, dropped a large milk bottle on the edge of the granite surrounding the sink. It was an accident, but it took a big chunk...not a chip, but a chunk, our of the granite. It also slivered near the seams.

That granite also chipped...chips that looked like slivers... along the seams.

In our current home we have a yellow and cream granite with cholate brown flecks...I like it, but I probably wouldn't have chosen it. It looks like chocolate chip cookie dough! though I still like the look of the one I chose myself, this one doesn't have a single chip or flaw.

Re: Soft Granite?

Katluver925 — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 06:05:41 GMT

I would highly recommend quartz. It's very durable and many styles look like granite without the upkeep. I have it in my kitchen and bathrooms. Many times they have left over pieces from large slabs that you can get at a discount for bathroom countertops.

Re: Soft Granite?

Bri36 — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 15:06:50 GMT

Go with what you love.

It's a small bathroom that isn't going to get a lot of wear and tear.

If this was going in a busy kitchen, I might hesitate.

Re: Soft Granite?

ScrapHappy — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 15:23:02 GMT

I'm in the process of remodeling a third bathroom, starting with the Master in May. This process began because very shortly after moving into our new home, our tub had a major leak (thank goodness master bath is located over garage). Since we had to remove the garage ceiling due to that leak, we also found out the shower was leaking too. With the start of that project to now, I'm all about doing it right and using materials that will last. If someone told me if one of the vanities I picked out were soft/ more easily to chip...that would be it. I would be done with that and find something. I don't want to worry about it or worse, have to fix it after it was just put in. I don't think 45" is that small. It's just under 4 feet. I'm doing two 4 feet vanities in a bathroom right now. I went with quartz. I put marble in my master (very creamy/light beige) and in my 2nd bathroom (classic grey/white carrera). From what I've seen and heard, people think granite is dated. But I'm all for "get what you want/love." But, for me, if it breaks easily, that's a deal breaker.

Re: Soft Granite?

novamc1 — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 17:01:11 GMT

I don't know much about granite, because I've never shopped for or owned it. I chose quartz over granite for the kitchen in our new home, thinking the maintenance would be easier with no routine resealing or treatments needed and the availability of many beautiful styles in quartz.

Also, my son and DIL live near us in a five-year-old home, and she had shown me some chipping around her granite countertop/sink area. Probably in a bathroom, you might not run much of this risk.

I know I could tear up a kitchen sink area in a heartbeat, just trying to wash a big bowl or pan.

Re: Soft Granite?

ID2 — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 17:13:41 GMT

I'm a granite girl. I love that is a real product from the earth. Not a fan of quartz. It is manufactured to make it look the way it does. I don't know what cost is in anyone elses area but when building my home (3 years ago) I thought I'd give quartz a chance and priced out a small slab for the counter in my laundry room. Yikes! It was outrageous! I took that quartz sample and found a piece of granite that looks pretty much the same for a fraction of the price! It always makes me laugh when I read here why women don't like granite because "you have to seal it". Huh? Sealing granite is exactly like wiping your counters. I hope you all wipe your counters, right? Oh and I guess I have "soft granite" because mine has the netting on the reverse side. I've never, ever had a problem with anything chipping or breaking. Never.

Re: Soft Granite?

Lipstickdiva — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 18:30:32 GMT

I've never heard of soft granite either.

When we re-did our kitchen counters, we went with granite. Everyplace we looked at told us that the more "movement" a piece has, the more likely it will be to crack or get fissures. The less movement, less chance of problems.

One thing we were told was to run our hands all over the granite slab. If you can feel a lot of "scratches" or rough patches, those are more areas that you may have to be careful with as far as chipping or cracking.

As @Bri36said, it's only going in a bathroom so the piece isn't going to be that big and it's not a room that gets heavy use like the kitchen so I wouldn't worry about it.

Re: Soft Granite?

Regal Bee — Wed, 23 Aug 2017 20:11:11 GMT

If your vanity will require lots of wear....I suggest Quartz.

Re: Soft Granite?

persiflage — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 04:54:24 GMT

It would mean that specific slab has more of the softer minerals in it. It should easily be durable enough for a guest bath.

Re: Soft Granite?

IamMrsG — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 17:43:20 GMT

@persiflage Our contractor just said the same thing, i.e., would not be suitable for a kitchen, but is fine for a bath. That is good news for us, 'cause the slab is beautiful. To the point I think I would have changed our floor and cabinet choices to make it 'go' if it had not worked well with them. Fortunately, it looks good with everything else, so I guess we got lucky. I asked for the name of it, but was just told, "it's exotic."

Contrastly, the fabricator for our kitchen granite told me it's the most dense granite he had ever tried to cut, that I might not ever have to seal it. It's only two years old, time will tell.

Edited to fix a typo. It would be so nice if I could see them before clicking "Post."