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Putting in high quality countertops is an excellent way to do a kitchen or bathroom upgrade without paying an arm and a leg for it. Fortunately, you have many options when it comes to bathroom or kitchen countertops that will last you a long time such as granite, marble, and quartz. If you want natural stones for your home, granite or marble are the top choices. If you want something more consistent and available, quartz countertops is the ones for you.
You might have heard of something new in the stone genre for kitchen countertops, however. That is concrete countertops, which seems ridiculous at first, as concrete is what you use to pave your driveway and build your house, not kitchen countertops. Surprisingly, this ancient building material has garnered a very new popularity as kitchen countertops with the help of advanced technology for colorization, staining, and polishing.
Granite has a much longer history as a building and dimension stone material as concrete. However, this does not automatically mean it is a better choice. This presents you with a conundrum: which should you choose for your own kitchen? Here is a concrete versus granite countertops comparison to help you decide.
Price
People have a budget when considering a major renovation project. While some lucky ones might have a flexible one, most people have to keep a sharp eye on theirs. Price is therefore a good place to start when comparing concrete and granite countertops.
On average, you can expect to pay about $60 per square foot for granite countertops including installation, although this can go as low as $35 and as high as $200. The price variation is due to the type of granite you choose.
More readily available granite types are typically most affordable, although the source can also affect the cost. If your budget is tight, go for the least expensive granite, which are just as beautiful and durable as the more expensive ones. Alternatively, you can choose granite tiles at between $5 and $15 per square foot and install it yourself if your budget is miniscule and you have the DIY skills to do it. It will not look as good as granite slabs, but it has its own charm.
Concrete countertops are actually pricier than granite countertops in general. Prices per square foot start at $65 for the simplest concrete countertops, and that does not include installation costs, which ranges between $30 and $90 per hour. To give you an idea of the total cost, a 50 square foot countertop, precast, takes about 8 hours to install. Onsite countertops take about 24 hours to pour and set.
Everything else being equal, you will see that a 50 square foot granite countertop will cost about $1,750, while similar-sized concrete countertops will cost about $3,500. Generally, concrete countertops will cost more than granite countertops.
Hardiness
The reason concrete is such a popular building material is that it is extremely stable, hardy, and heat resistant. It can take a lot of wear, and while it will show some damage, most people don’t have a problem with it when it comes to driveways. However, when it comes to kitchen countertops, marks, cracks, and chips are major issues.
The fact is concrete countertops have a tendency to develop hairline cracks over time even with regular, particularly along the cutouts for precast products. Concrete is very heavy, and the crack could develop as it settles, especially if there are some flaws in the support structure. These hairline cracks are easy to repair, but they can still be an issue for many homeowners.
Granite countertops, on the other hand, will not easily crack when installed by professionals. It will not settle, and requires much less support than concrete countertops do. You can cause cracks in them if you hit it hard enough, but under reasonable use, hairline cracks would not be a problem. Additionally, granite is also heat resistant, and mostly impervious to scratches. If they do sustain minor damage, they are also easy to repair.
When it comes to hardiness over time, granite counters trumps it over concrete countertops.
Maintenance
Granite has a small level of porosity as with most natural stones, so sealing is a good idea. That said, most people with granite countertops agree they do not stain easily at all even without regular sealing.
Concrete, on the other hand, is much more porous than granite, so it requires a heavier and more regular coating to protect it from stains. In addition, concrete countertops are more likely to encourage bacterial growth, so it is not as food safe as granite.
Maintaining granite is much less onerous than maintaining concrete countertops. If you are a busy homeowner, this is definitely an important consideration.
Conclusion
The popularity and attractiveness of concrete countertops is undeniable. However, price and long-term issues make it much less desirable than granite as an option for kitchen countertops. Homeowners that gave in to the trend has found this out much too late. If you are considering updating your kitchen by replacing your kitchen countertops, and it boils down to granite or concrete, the safer choice is granite countertops.
At Granite ASAP, we know everything there is to know about granite and other stones, and can help you choose the right one for your kitchen countertop.
We carry a wide range of natural stone slabs as well as the top brands in engineered quartz in the country. Over 100 colors of granite and marble slabs are available for inspection at our Chantilly, Virginia showroom. . You can choose what you want and we will deliver it ASAP!
If you prefer engineered stone, we can offer you products from the Cambria, Caesarstone, Silestone, and MSI brands, each one carrying the manufacturer’s warranty.
We service the state of Virginia, including the cities of Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Fairfax, Chantilly, Herndon, Centreville, Tysons, and Washington DC.
You can check out the website and chat with us online, or give us a call to request a free estimate!
