Granite work top overlays

Hello Galen, I have just had a new kitchen fitted, our worktops are made of something called "silestone" which is a quartz like material very like granite which we were originally going to go for but opted for this instead as apparently it doesn't mark as much. By overlay do you mean a piece that juts out from the work top to make a breakfast bar so you can perch on a stool and get your knees underneath? If so, yes we had that done and are happy with it. I believe if heavy stone like worktops jut out too far, some sort of pillar like support has to be put in, but we opted to make our bar slightly narrower than it previously was to avoid this but this adjustment has not impeded us in getting our knees under the worktop in any way.

No, it's very thin tops in silestone, that fit over existing work tops. It is a much cheaper option. The length I'm looking at in total is over 11 metres.

I know what you mean Galen but don't know anyone who has had them. I'd be interested to know too!!

Yes GalenI have these granite overlays. They do look fine but they don't look like granite. They cost me circa £3k.

It's sort of put me off redesigning my kitchen because I think...I've spent £3000 on worktops and those will be ripped out..

The estimate for mine is £2800 I'm wondering what the comparative cost of solid ones would be? My units are fine as they were custom made carcasse built ones.

What about just new work tops in Coriander?

Do you meN corian stansgran, coriander might be a bit flimsy!

All I want is new work tops! Everything else is fine!

I was told granite or indeed corian would be way more expensive..but £3000 isn't cheap for the quite small area I did. It does transform your worktops but it isn't granite and that shows.

It isn't a small area! The total 'run is over 11 metres and over 1/2 metre wide.

Don't want granite. I like the composite quartz stuff

I would be interested to know what people on here with black granite think of it. I always liked it until DD bought a house with these work tops. Are there different grades? The tops she has are difficult to get what I would think of as an acceptable appearance unless polished each time they are wiped. I would now not have them at all but would go for a lighter coloured quartz.

I'm looking at what is called 'Bianca ciela' it's a very light colour with bluish flecks

I DO NOT WANT BLACK !!!!!!!!!!!.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have seen a love multicoloured one, but basically I suppose yellows and stone coloured, in a kitchen display in Ikea. Much warmer a d I think prettier Han the black.

I have Corian and it is fantastic, big long stretches of worktop and you can't see the joins at all. It was quite expensive, £600+ a metre but worth every penny in looks. Not sure about overlays, I am in favour of stripping back and starting anew.

We've just had a new kitchen, and I went with granite work tops. They look wonderful, but as others have said, they do need to be kept clean, or they mark. I am currently fanatically wiping them down with a weak solution of washing up liquid and water. they then need to be polished dry, I usually pick up the tea cloth and rub that over the worktops. 2 months in, I love them, but I do feel a bit Stepford wives as I wash down and polish. My sister also has a new kitchen, and went for granite, before reading about the need to wipe up any spilled stuff immediately. Our kitchen fitter says they are always cleanable if spills have been left. He suggested putting a pile of something like blue tack around a coffee stain, then putting a damp, clean cloth over the stain. He assures me This Will Work. I'm too thrilled with my new kitchen to let my obsessive wiping and drying go - yet!

I love the look of granite, but polishing? Really? Personally, I only go for cheap and cheerful work top - that way it can be changed without a second thought when it goes out of style / I go off the colour / just get fed up with it!

I will ask my SiL what mine are & cost! I like them..they are light-coloured with sparkly bits in but you can get it in a range of colours!

Quartz! price depends on quality and thickness!

I have dark granite and mine certainly doesn't stain or need constant polishing.

Sunseeker, what a positive post to read with my morning coffee. Thanks for that - I'll relax a bit on the cleaning front (with huge relief). I begin to wonder if our kitchen designer and maker and fitter is a bit OCD. He is a real craftsman, and did a brilliant job. He was very very tidy throughout, and seemed to think that "ladies" were constant cleaners..... so perhaps I misunderstood his instructions. I do hope so

I clean mine with a normal kitchen cleaner, then dry with kitchen towel and they have a lovely shine.