Go to a fabricator’s shop with your precise dimensions, and pick through the remnants. You can’t be picky if you’re going for cheap. Granite is no issue with sealing. Learn a little bit more about things before you go. If you want to be picky, you can have anything you want as long as you pay for it.

I'm slightly confused, you said you might do granite but your kitchen is too small, and then you said you didn't want granite because of sealing. If you want granite, do you have another space where you could potentially use another 6 sq ft to meet the minimum for the granite you wanted? Maybe there's a bathroom or something that also needs new counter?

Corian doesn't have to be flat white. They have plain white and cream, of course, but they have patterns, too ... they have a lot more options than they had back in the '80s.

19 sq ft is not even 4'x5'. That's asking for a remnant.

Beth H--

Are you saying that if someone has only countertop runs that are standard cabinet depth, purchasing a couple of those prefabricated countertops might work? The slabs are more aimed at people who are doing larger islands? I had never thought of this idea before.

I realize that, even if the entire kitchen consists of standard depth countertops, in some instances a larger slab may end up being a better idea since it can be cut into pieces to meet the kitchen's needs.

June, not entirely true. Most large stone yards carry the pre-fabs. Even floor and decor has a limited selection.

I mean, how do they get slabs? Majority of those come from China. If they can truck or train in the slabs, they can do the same w/pre-fabs.

I guess it would depend on the state, and the size of the stone yard and whether or not they choose to carry them.

A lot of them have the pre-fabs shipped in on freight just like they would regular slabs. Now whether or not the price diff would be diff, I don't know. Things are shipped by weight.

Julieste, I did an entire kitchen w/pre-fabs in my rental. It was a large L shape, and it had an island.

The pre-fabs come in 6', 8', 9' lengths and 24" depth. (they also have them for bathrooms w/22" depths)

The island size I believe was a 4x6. and they make pre-fabs for those too.

I got 2 prefabs and an island prefab for $900 ! It was a nice granite too. cost to install was another 1200 or so. however, it was 8 years ago. And I dealt directly w/a chinese importer company, and paid cash!

Depending on the granite or stone veining, yes, you could purchase two pre-fabs instead of a slab.

these are 2'X9'

I think these may be the bathroom vanity pre-fabs, but they could also be the short kitchen ones. I can't read the tags. These are quartz

This is Florida so I guess I will have to check things out. Thanks much.

Beth,

Thank you so much. Yes, the colors are similar to what you posted in the first two. In your post, I learned more than I ever did talking to the others. I did ask a granite place but I guess they are not a stone yard. I am waiting for a fabrication place to get back to me. I thought we could get a remnant and was surprised at not being able to for being too small.

Anyway. Will the granites you suggested hold up when something, say, falls out of a cabinet and hits hit hard? No chips?

Sorry for ignorance; I just don't know. And I don't want a problem. :)

June, yes of course the middle of america isn't going to have the same things that LA has. I don't consider 'the middle of america' most of the states. In any big, major city that have good sized stone yards, you'll more than likely find pre-fabs. Someone living in the boonies of Wyoming, prob isn't going to have the selection of someone in San Francisco. That goes without saying. But I'm pretty sure someone in DesMoines will have access to pre-fabs.

I just put the info out there. The people asking can take it from there. If I prefaced each of my comments with , "tell me where you live first...." it would take forever to get comments answered.

Ruby Jayne

Granite is granite, whether it comes in a large slab, or it's pre-cut in individual countertops. That's all pre-fab is. The stone is 'pre-fabricated' into ready to install countertops. These are done in bulk, usually in China, and are shipped to a distributer. Because they are done in bulk, prefabs are as much as 45% cheaper than buying/fabricating the same granite found in a slab.

With the prefab you will buy a 8' or 9' piece, and the installer/ fabricator you hire will pick them up, transport them to your house and measure for the sink/ stove cut out. (normally they will cut the holes in the granite in your yard or driveway.) Then they bring them inside and install. Sometimes they will be put over a plywood base, sometimes not. It depends on your cabinets.

check out MSI surfaces for instance. They are a larger countertop supplier and they carry over 50 diff kinds of prefabs. They also have the name listed next to the color/granite, so you can see what it looks like. (just keep in mind that many stone yards change the names, so a certain type of granite may be called 2-3 diff names)

https://www.msisurfaces.com/prefabricated-countertops/granite/

The granite names I listed are all well known types of granite, not expensive, and in the lighter color categories. if you google any of those granite names, click on images, you'll see pictures.

Chipping. It's a rock. Does rock chip? sometimes. if you hit it at the right angle with an iron skillet, it may chip. If you drop a plate or glass from the cab onto the surface, your plate or glass will shatter, the granite will smile at it.

you can place a hot pan on granite. You can cut on it. (but you'll ruin your knives). you can spill wine on it. you can wash it with just about anything, and it won't hurt it. That's granite.

what does your kitchen look like? can you post a pic so I can see your cabinets?

where do you live? (what major city is nearby?)

here's a few I mentioned earlier. This is White Ice (aka Dallas White)

this is Alaska White (or Delicatus White) in a prefab

prefab River White (aka Kashmir White, and something else!)

Prefab Black River (Maybe Black Horse granite??)

this was a prefab (very inexpensive. a 9' prefab of this probably costs $400 on the west coast. it's a very cheap granite maybe Bala White or China White granite) where the hole for the under mount sink was cut on site. if you have a drop in sink, it's even easier for them to do.

make sure you have the sink ready to go, as well as your faucet and plumbing lines, (if you're replacing those)

At 19SF, I'd shop some fabricators with a dimensioned drawing and cash in my hand. If you're not too fussy about color and edge detail, they've got a screw-up leaning against the wall that they'd love to trade for your cash.

Beth,

I don't have the cabinets installed yet. Do you still want to see the crap cabinets?

The cabinets and counter are all in a run against one wall of the kitchen, with the stove on one wall and the fridge on the other. The sink is in the middle.

The nice cabinets come in 3 weeks.

I live in northeastern PA. Closest major city might be Lancaster, or Allentown. Smaller one would be Reading. Or Collegeville. I didn't find any stone yards, but I found people who perhaps could help. (I miss the days of Yellow Pages. I get the right category when I open the book. Google is a pain returning irrelevant results. #amold #butnotthatold)

Thanks to your encouragement ... I called two places today. Already, I have quotes for 1k and 1400 installed, undermount double sink included. White ice and Alaska white are two definite possibilities for me. I think they'll look nice but I'm not stuck on either one. I'm open to whatever I can find. I do think a lighter background with the darker cabinets are a good idea so it doesn't look too dark.

I was on the MSI site you mentioned earlier today. When I click that I want to see a dealer, the first one they list is Home Depot. The others are a bit farther away, but I'll give them a try.

Joseph,

I called a fabricator today. They wanted $1400 installed. I'll keep looking. Thanks!

“I didn't want maintenance like sealing granite”

There are a number of granites that never need to be sealed. And the majority of granites that do need to be sealed need it once a year, a 10-minute process. If you can wipe, you can seal. 10 minutes once a year doesn’t seem like much maintenance.

However I will say that the Kashmir White that Beth H pictured is one of the few granites that behave more like marble, and can stain and need sealing 3-4 times a year. Luckily, Kashmir White is found rarely these days at stoneyards because it is such a problem and many stoneyards have stopped selling it. The other granites that Beth H pictured will need sealing once a year.

When you see granites you like, you can look on the internet for what kind of maintenance they need, or post pics here for feedback.

Ruby, patterns for quartz today are alot more then the fleck look. Like JuneKnow said, visit other places, see what they have and how they price it. The same product can be more or less. What will your backsplash be?...that adds to needed amount. Do you have a bathroom counter you may like done....to help meet the sqf minimums?

I frequently do small budget baths using remnants for vanity tops. One of the first things that happens after the space plan is that I furnish the client with a drawing for the needed pieces cut, and the client goes to a fabricators shop in some sturdy shoes, and starts digging. Once they locate a counter remnant they can live with, it gets pulled out, paid for, and tagged. We build the design around what is available, not what is theoretically ideal.

When we are ready for the counter, I double check the measurements again, and they cut it, without a template trip, and without delivering it or installing. It’s treated like a stock vanity top that you’d buy, and that cuts down on the cost. You or your designer or contractor do have to know what you’re doing for the measurements and be able to deal with transporting and installing. But it’s usually around $100 a foot for a vanity top done this way. You can get some very nice tops this way. You just have to be flexible, and not want a full service experience for the budget price.

Never ever phone a business as a means of shopping anything.

I have been using polished granite in my clients kitchens forever and never sealed one yet.IMO polished granite is pretty close to bullet proof .IMO a 20sq ft island is not going to be remnant since that would be usually a 10’ long piece 24” deep give or take. You don’t show us the layout you might need 25 sq ft anyway I need to see the space

JuneKnow,

Well, if people do business like that, or like you, then they lose. Because I just got four more quotes by phone based on some of what i wanted, and they were HALF of what the others were going to charge. I had the names of the granites I wanted.

Yes, I'm going to go in person with my drawing and samples and pick it out in person . But there was no need to act like all I do is sit on the phone to get the job done.

Not that it's any of your business but I'm carrying a massive load personally, don't have many people to help, don't live near any of these places, and need to use the phone to figure out who I can deal with.

You can tell a lot about people for how they treat inquiries.

As for the questions about backsplash, I have no idea. That will depend on the granite I get.

For those who asked can I do a bathroom to meet minimums, the answer is no. And I don't have to because thanks to the info here, I found that I can get a piece that's OK for what I need.

Glad to hear you found some places that will work with you and still get what you want!

Thanks, everyone! I loved visiting the slab yard and wish I could take more of them home with me!

I really liked Brown Fantasy, though every piece looked different. Now I feel so excited ... and that's how I know it's right.

@Ruby Jayne please inquire about Fantasy Brown. I sold marble, granite and quartz and we marked Fantasy Brown as a marble! It will etch and scratch so take that into consideration. Where I worked we carried the high end materials and fabricated on site so there was a remnant yard where you could get a piece to fit your size kitchen. We also sold Corian QUARTZ which is different than Corian. I know you said you don't like quartz but it's come a long long way and there are so many beautiful ones to choose from. Sealing granite is a piece of cake and it's not something that requires a lot of work. The only thing I will caution you with is if you choose quartz you cannot put hot items directly on the material like you can with granite. And if you are planning on doing a tile backsplash make sure you do NOT get the 4inch splash of the granite/quartz. You want to tile from the counter up to the cabinets!! Just some extra food for thought.

Lisa,

I did ask about that regarding Brown Fantasy not being a true granite but a marble. Today I was told at a slab yard (which turned out not to have what I liked) that it was definitely a granite. IDK what to think. While I like it, I like other things also that are actually granites, so I'm trying to stick with some of what Beth recommended above. Thank you for the heads-up!

If anyone else has a granite they like that hasn't been mentioned for dark cabinets, let me know. I've made appointments for two more places to go in person this week. (Thanks to COVID, I have to call to visit the slab yards. So yeah, I do have to use the phone.)

Rubyjayne, fantasy brown is a marble, not a granite.

It's prob not as delicate as a Carrara marble, but it can still stain and etch. You can always search it here on Houzz to see how other people like it.

But, if you can find a good price on a remnant (and always deal in cash to get a lower price) it may be worth it. just depends. but it's not a granite! (and if they insist, take some lemon juice w/you and drop some on a corner of the stone. let it sit for 5-10 mins. if it etches, you have you proof.

Beth is 100% right. We used to call it a granite but there were so many issues we had to reclassify it as a marble. Just do your research :)

How can there be confusion whether a rock is granite or marble? The rock is either igneous or metamorphic ... If it's granite, it's igneous; if it's metamorphic, it's not granite. I understand the confusion between quartzites and marbles, as those are a matter of what exactly transformed, but granite's prior form should have been molten, not another type of rock. Is the countertop world using a different definition of granite and/or marble than geology?

It’s a combination of marble and quartzite so it’s a difficult one to classify. Technically it’s marble but it’s not as sensitive as other marbles. Calling it granite is wrong but many places call it granite. I’m seeing it in every house we’ve gone into in Florida on the gulf side and everyone has it listed as granite. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Again today I was told by a granite dealer that Fantasy Brown is a granite, and that they've installed it for six years with no problem. *sigh* So glad for this site!

@Ruby Jayne I've seen this all over the gulf side of Florida. Almost every builder had fantasy brown on their counters. Truth is, you may never have an issue with it. However, it really is a marble so there's always the possibility of etching and scratching. I think the one suggestion of testing with some lemon juice is a great idea. That could ease your worry or confirm that you don't want it.

@Lisa The slab yard I went to yesterday said that's most of what they are installing right now.

It’s pretty, but now is much too common to choose is the other side of this coin. Like Uba Tuba in 2004. or Venetian Gold in 2112. It’s everywhere, and pretty soon the fad followers will see it as “dated”., simply because it’s overused.

first off, there is no such thing as a combo of marble and quartzite. I was schooled on this issue last year by a geologist that pops in every now and then. It's either a marble, or a quartzite. no in-between. ( since marble and quartzite are two very differently formed minerals) If it etches or stains at all, or it scratches w/a shard of glass, it's not quartzite. (quartzite will turn a glass shard into powder) marble is a 3 on the mohs scale, and quartzite is up in the 8 range. Completely different compositions.

glass is harder than marble, but softer than granite/quartzite. this is prob the easiest test to do w/a scrap piece of whatever stone you're considering

secondly, stone salesmen aren't geologists. You'd think they'd have basic knowledge of what they're selling, but sadly it's not the case. If they are telling you Fantasy Brown is a granite, they're clueless. (or more likely they know people don't want marble so they tell you it's 'granite' so that you'll buy it)

Fantasy Brown is classified as Dolomite, (like Super White, that they all confuse as a Quartzite) which is marble's first cousin. Dolomite is a bit heartier than a marble like carrara. It takes a little longer for etching or staining to occur, which is prob why sellers think it's a granite. It's 'slightly' harder than calcite(marble)., but it will still scratch like marble. However, it's porous and will need to be sealed. You will have a bit longer to wipe up spills that stain, then those on marble.

Geologically speaking:

Dolomite is a sedimentary rock containing more than 50 percent of the mineral dolomite by weight

Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock which is composed of recrystallized carbonate which is formed when limestone is exposed to high temperatures and pressures over a long time

I believe there is a test you can do to verify if it's marble or dolomite. stones the 'bubble vigorously' or release carbon dioxide gas, are marble (since it reacts w/the calcite) . With dolomite, you won't get that bubbling gas release like it does on marble (unless it's heated or the stone is powdered)

Dolomite effervesces with dilute hydrochloric acid, but slowly rather than vigorously as calcite does; in general, it appears to smolder slowly, and in some cases it does so only after the rock has been powdered or the acid warmed, or both.

since this hydrochloric acid is highly dangerous, perhaps using vinegar to test on sample stones would be safer!

Vinegar is a dilute acetic acid solution (about 5% to 10%) that produces a weak effervescent reaction with calcite and dolomite. It can be used instead of hydrochloric acid for introducing students to the acid test. Vinegar is easy to obtain, inexpensive, and safer to use than hydrochloric acid.
The effervescence using vinegar usually requires a hand lens for clear observation and is only observable with carbonate minerals that have a strong reaction with hydrochloric acid.

This is a sample marble piece at one of my stone yards. the guy used vinegar, ketchup, oil, lemon juice, and something else. They all etched or stained almost immediately.

With fantasy brown, it won't happen as quickly. and that's the main diff between dolomite and marble.

So, there is your geology lesson for the day. you can inform the sales guy to quit marketing his Fantasy Brown as a granite, and tell people the truth that it's Dolomite.

Damn skippy!

Dolomite or dolomitic marble? Dolomite is similar to limestone, except it's base compound has magnesium in it. It can undergo metamorphism to become dolomitic marble (like limestone becomes marble and quartz-heavy sandstone becomes quartzite).

"Dolomite" is a word that is used by geologists in two different ways: 1) as the name of the mineral dolomite; and, 2) as the name of a rock known as dolomite, dolostone, or dolomite rock.

Dolomite and Limestone are very similar rocks.

When heat and pressure are applied to Limestone, the result is 'marble'

Under the conditions of metamorphism, the calcite in the limestone recrystallizes to form a rock that is a mass of interlocking calcite crystals.

A related rock, dolomitic marble, is produced when dolostone is subjected to heat and pressure.

But both marble and dolomite started off first as limestone. depending on the amount of dolomite in the limestone, will determine if you get strictly calcite (marble) or the Dolomite (dolomitic marble). Magnesium plays the part in limestone converting the calcite into Dolomite.

aka, Dolomitization

That's pretty much the easiest way to explain the two.

Dolomitization

Dolomite is very common in the rock record, but the mineral dolomite is rarely observed forming in sedimentary environments. For this reason it is believed that most dolomites form when lime muds or limestones are modified by postdepositional chemical change.

Dolomite originates in the same sedimentary environments as limestone - warm, shallow, marine environments where calcium carbonate mud accumulates in the form of shell debris, fecal material, coral fragments, and carbonate precipitates. Dolomite is thought to form when the calcite (CaCO3) in carbonate mud or limestone is modified by magnesium-rich groundwater. The available magnesium facilitates the conversion of calcite into dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2). This chemical change is known as "dolomitization." Dolomitization can completely alter a limestone into a dolomite, or it can partially alter the rock to form a "dolomitic limestone."

Prefab sounds great but I’ve read many warnings that it’s thin and fragile and that the front of the counter is faked out to look thicker by adding wood and is not under warranty. Not true?

artsfan, not true. I'm sure there are some sellers who may try and sell something like that, but regular prefabs are the same granite/quartz/marble that come in slabs. they just cut them in bulk in these prefab sizes, hence the lower prices

prefabs stacked in a row at the bottom of the page^

this is an older pic, but granite prefabs, all 9', leaning against the wall.

@User I think you're right. That's often what I see for remnants because they have so much of it.