Colonial White Granite?

10 years ago

I posted yesterday about picking Shadow Storm quartzite for a rental property and the fabricator refusing to warranty it due to etching and the softness of it. My husband put his foot down and became adamant about not using it so I was back to the granite yard today. This property needs to be finished ASAP and we can possibly template Thursday if I get my act together. Anyway I picked Colonial White granite and it is absolutely gorgeous. The problem? Although it's a granite and we will certainly seal it well, I am still worried about staining. (This is a beach property we intend to rent out weekly). THe other issue is that it costs more than quartzite. We only need about 20 sq. ft. and have to buy a whole slab. Thoughts?

Featured Answer

annac54

10 years ago

Since it's a rental and you don't need much, have you looked at prefab counters? There's fewer colors to choose from, but it is far cheaper than buying a slab. Here in SoCal, both Kashmire white and River white are available as well as several other common colors. Obviously a trade off between looks and price, but it might work for you.

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Comments (9)

eld6161
10 years ago
When you research the whites, they do say they are more porous. That said, I think if you are diligent in sealing it, you should be fine.

Is the property close enough that you can check it periodically?

Personally for a rental, I would go with a something more bullet proof. The Giallos. Black Absolute etc.
barncatz
10 years ago
I just installed Colonial White, sealed prior to install, and everything is wiping right up. My fabricator told me to keep an eye on the "water beading up" test to figure out when to reseal. I did feel paranoid after reading the OMG White Granite threads and obviously it's early but really, it seems the sealer sealed it. Can't help you with the other issue, we didn't get any quartzite estimates. :)
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weezel
10 years ago
You should see if you can get a sample to play with....think like an irresponsible/I don't care cause it's not mine renter with your tests. Leave a puddle of red wine and lemon juice on there for a day and see what happens. I was also wondering if any fabricators have remnants so that you wouldn't have to buy a whole slab...your options would be limited but you'd save some cash for something fun!
Matthew Rieger
10 years ago
I am surprised granite costs more than quartzite. Quartzite is super hard, more so than granite. It is very expensive. Engineered stone referred to as "quartz" is harder than granite also. If I had a rental, cost would be a big factor. You should look around for remnants. I would not buy an entire slab for 20 square feet. When I did my small bathroom vanity top, I was able to find a place that sold me only what I needed.
karin_mt
10 years ago
That list says laminate is 1.0 on the hardness scale? That's not correct. Laminate resists scratching very well and if I were to estimate where it falls on Moh's scale I'd put it in the 4-ish range.

The advise to look for remnants is spot on though. No need to use a full slab for a small area.
Sapphire0905
10 years ago
would you please post some pictures of your colonial white granite kitchen please?
annac54
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I second the suggestion to look into prefab since you don't need that much. We used Kashmir White in one rental and Golden River in another.
practigal
10 years ago
Are you stuck with that stoneyard? Did you check that stoneyard remnant pile? Will your fabricator warranty it?