2cm, laminated edges
I guess with 3cm you dont need to build up the edge so you save on labor.

I did 2cm in my contemporary kitchen. No build-up, eased edge. Perfectly appropriate. Maybe less so in a more traditional design.

Seems to be a regional thing. In some parts of the country 2cm is standard, in others 3cm. I'm not even sure they usually ask you!

Mine is 3cm, no build-up, eased (pencil?) edge. I'm in CT.

3cm...no laminate edge needed. I'm in the Mid-Atlantic region and 3cm is standard (MD/VA).

3 cm, bullnose edge, no laminate. I'm in So. Calif.

Perception in my area is that 2cm in the kitchen is sort of the cheap option...not really sure why, and it seems to be totally accepted in bathrooms, but I see 3cm in about 90% of kitchens that have granite counters.

2cm: Looks great in modern kitchens AND inset, framed cabinets. Some fabricators offer this in my area with quartz. It's about the same price as acrylic solid surface (ie. Corian/Hi-Macs).

3cm: Is the most common in my area...looks good on all types of kitchens

2cm (laminated): My sister has this in Indiana....and I really love the thicker look!

4cm: available with Cambria but pricey!

3cm, no build up.

I'm in the South and I have a 3cm granite kitchen countertop.

I am in SC and it's nearly impossible here to even find a 3cm granite.

3cm bullnose edge. Fabricators/Installers seem to like the 2cm better, lighter and perhaps more labor content. I think 2cm w/laminated edge looks fine with the more uniform granite types, less so with the more heavily veined/exotics (edge seam is more visible).

were do you live?
Im in Dallas Texas
Also: to be honest: 2008: we installed 6 total out of 250 kitchens last year in 2cm vs. 3cm.
I don't see anything wrong with 2cm: No one has ever complained their granite cracked!

I believe you look at the price and compare. Our bids are $400-$600 less for 2cm.
*************we never use "blanks"

Good Example:
We installed December 2008: 2cm Blue Pearl Granite(Norway): couple in their 50's; one 22 year old living at home. 110 sf kitchen. She really wanted the blue pearl and because of the Special pricing I got on the 2cm : plus the slabs were 11x76 @ $800 per slab: @ $14 sf.
If I had to buy her 3cm Blue Pearl Granite: at the time the only blue pearl from out of 5 vendors that I could find in the 3cm would have cost her $2400.00! smaller slabs and bigger price!
So that is how she went with the 2cm vs 3cm in that situation.
Does that make sense.
We are honest installers and DO not UP charge on the granite! (trust me: I could have made up false info to try and make more money off her and tell her the better deal was the 3cm and don't get 2cm. or you know what I mean. She really wanted the blue pearl but didn't want to pay $8000 for her kitchen! Vs $5000.00 that she paid! Now that's a deal! $3000 savings!

I had never even heard of 2cm granite until recently. Here in NJ, 3 cm is most common. I think now more shops are advertising cheaper prices and I think it is 2cm. My friend just got 2cm and she didn't even know there were different thicknesses. SHe got a great price from the company doing her cabinets. I noticed how thick her edges were and she mentioned having plywood under it. I didn't need plywood, but the thinner kind does. After a closer look I could see where her edges were laminated to make a nice thick edge. It looks really nice and I'm sure it's fine. Make sure you have a granite where the seam for the edging doesn't show. I saw a thin granite without the laminated (thicker) edge and it looked flimsy compared to the 3cm. I have heard that laminating the edge adds to the cost and may make it more similar to the 3cm in the end. If you aren't having a giant island with lots of edging, it would probably be cost effective. If I could've gotten the color I dreamed of (price level 4) in the 2cm for the same price I got mine in the 3 cm, I sure would have. I had to settle for a color I only liked, not loved, due to cost.

I think that the thickness preference (in part) has to do with where you
are located.

Here in Phoenix AZ - Granite was always 2cm laminated on the outside edge
to a 1 1/2" thick profile. It was not until the last 10 years that 3CM has
started to become just as popular.

EITHER will work - I think it's just an aesthetic thing that people decide
for themselves. We are doing a lot of 6CM front edges - where we laminate the
3CM stone - just like we have always done with the 2CM... looks pretty cool too!

Just my .02 cents worth.........

BTW - Out of curiousity - Teppy - where are you loctaed?

kevin

kevin-i am in louisiana. I spoke with a builder today who told me that a few years ago here the 2CM was what people were using, and that the 3CM was not as plentiful around here. But now most people use 3CM. I am definitely doing the 3CM, but was just curious about it since my granite fabricator told me that most of the houses he's been doing were 2CM because of the cost. Maybe its because of the economy? I just feel like I am doing this kitchen one time and have already spent so much money on high end appliances, lighting, solid wood flooring, details, etc.. that I would regret not going all out on my granite. It is a very important part of my kitchen look that I want.

kevin-i am in louisiana. I spoke with a builder today who told me that a few years ago here the 2CM was what people were using, and that the 3CM was not as plentiful around here. But now most people use 3CM. I am definitely doing the 3CM, but was just curious about it since my granite fabricator told me that most of the houses he's been doing were 2CM because of the cost. Maybe its because of the economy? I just feel like I am doing this kitchen one time and have already spent so much money on high end appliances, lighting, solid wood flooring, details, etc.. that I would regret not going all out on my granite. It is a very important part of my kitchen look that I want.

I agree with other posters in that it depends on where you live. I live in Texas and I usually see 3 cm. I remember someone on this site not being happy with their 2 cm countertops because the product they had on their island only came in 3 cm and she didn't like the difference. I think that's how the story went. Anyhow, just beware if you are using different materials.

I had never, ever even HEARD that there was a difference until yesterday actually when we went to pick out our slab. I stopped by a HD to get some paint samples and went to their KD department to find my granite (they aren't doing my kitchen) and the KD there told us that they didn't have "Santa Cecilia" anymore because they are going with a new company that only has 3cm and I guess the names are different and they wanted to be "ahead of the industry" by offering the 3cm. Since I didn't even know about this, this post has educated me...except, what does "laminate" it mean? Take a thin layer of the granite and add it at the edges? Thanks!
Also, I know we're getting 2 cm as they are applying plywood...also, I live in Aliso Viejo, So. California.

If you want an Exotic and don't want to pay a crap load of money for the 3cm to get the exotic you want: I would get the 2cm.
Othere than that: 3cm is way to go: because of resale! Buyers may notice and not buy your house. You never know.

Also: The 2cm installs we did in 2008: non of them got a laminant edge: except one customer : who wanted her bar top to have the lamnant 1 1/2" edge with ogee in her 2cm kitchen. Customers who got the 2cm installed were single Females and retired couples for their kitchen and one customer who actually sold her house before we installed!!!

I'm in Colorado. 2cm "was" cheaper than 3cm when we had ours installed. So...we installed 2cm for the backsplash and 3cm on the counters, no build up. My brother in 1991, built his enormous kitchen using 2cm, eased edge, no build up. I doubt either of our kitchens suffers in value because of the granite thickness we each used. :0)

I just came to know about 2 cm and 3 cm. When we bought the house last July, I didn't even know to look at it. Now after Ike, we found out that it is 2 cm with plywood. When I visited few warehouses, I was told that 2 cm is what they stock here in Houston. I am thinking of Costa esmeralda, and several people told me that only 2 cm is possible in CE. Who knows! All these things to confuse us and charge more, I am sure.

I'm in Houston, and 99% of what's in the granite yards here is 2cm. I think 2cm with a laminate edge is most popular here.

I'm in the Seattle, WA area. 3CM is most prevalent here. In the granite yards I looked at there wasn't much available in 2CM. I was told many fabricators here will only work with 3CM due to lower chance of breakage. I was also told the cost tends to be about the same in the end when factoring the extra labor involved with 2CM.

I'm in Ontario, Canada, and from what I've seen the majority is 2cm. Edging, so the thickness is 3cm (is that called a laminate edge?) is quite a lot extra $$ per linear foot.

I had to seriously shop around to find a company who does 3cm, and they don't charge extra for any edge finishes, unless you're doing a laminate edge on 3cm stone.

After getting quotes, the 3cm works out MUCH cheaper in the end.

i'm in new orleans. it's not regional. it's about your personal style, more than anything. kompy's right, in general, 2 cm looks right for a modern kitchen. that's what i have and what was specified by my cabinet maker.
check out henrybuilt's website and you can see it's about an aesthetic, not economy.

Spent a bit of time granite shopping here in Ottawa, ON and found both. One shop only did 3cm while others did more 2cm but could get 3cm if you wanted it. Extra labour costs often equalized the price.

We are getting 2 cm with a laminate edge and we're in Western Canada (Vancouver area)

My brother has 2cm no laminated edge in Calif. I have 3cm beveled edge in Colo. DH hates the look of a laminate edge on movement granite ....so that may be a determining factor. You can't see the laminated edge seam on uba tuba or black granite for instance. My fabracator told me the price was the same for 2cm with a lam edge or 3cm without.

New York and Conn. here. Both kitchens have 3cm granite.