Concrete Countertops vs Granite Countertops
Finding the perfect material for your countertop is no hastily made decision. This step in your home remodel is much more of an emotional purchase, so finding the right material can take time. You’ll want to compare your options in terms of pricing and functionality, because there’s no worse feeling than pulling the trigger on one product only to realize a month later that you actually prefer something else.
That’s why we take the time to create these quick and easy comparison profiles on our blogs. Making the most informed decision when it comes to countertop purchases is vital, both to your budget and overall finished look.
In the past we’ve looked at granite slabs compared to other natural stone materials, like marble or quartzite – but in this particular piece we’ll look into a material that you may not have thought was all that popular or effective: Concrete Countertops.
Concrete Countertops
Any Shape or Design: Right off the bat, one of the defining features of concrete countertops is their ability to be cast into any shape or design. Starting as a liquid then solidifying once dried, concrete countertops are great options for those seeking slightly more complicated design for their countertops.
- This includes things like curves or a circular design – something that might be a bit more difficult to cut out of a rectangular slab of granite, whereas concrete is simply poured into the template-frame then smoothed out.
Countless Color Options: While granite has the potential to achieve almost any color scheme, concrete can as well. The beauty of concrete countertops is that they can be painted or stained to any color you desire so you can coordinate and match you décor and style exactly how you want it to.
- On the topic of coloring, Stamping Concrete is a coloring and patterning method that allows you to turn plain looking concrete into a piece that is full of life and character. Stamps come in a wide variety of patterns and styles, such as: bricks, tiles, stone or flagstone, river rocks and more. Contact your local countertop companies to see if any stamps are available for purchase or rent.
Edges: With concrete countertops, you can achieve countless edge designs. Granite countertops are similar in this case as they too can be fabricated in multiple ways to achieve a particular look. Generally, this will cost more as fabricators will charge a bit extra on labor costs for custom edge work.
- Rubber Edge Molds: These allow the concrete to be formed into shapes or designs that are not available in natural stone products.
- Plastic Forms: because concrete countertops are poured on site into their frame, this method involves a plastic frame that is used to form the edge while the concrete dries.
When Compared to Granite Countertops…
Concrete countertops are generally very similar to granite in the sense of functionality. While concrete allows for endless creative options due to its ability to be easily manipulated, both materials are dense, long lasting and require sealants to avoid stains.
Granite countertops may not provide as many options for you as the homeowner to be creative in the sense of custom designing your countertop’s color scheme and pattern, but the colors seen in our granite slabs won’t be seen anywhere else in the world.
Mother Nature creates these slabs through long, grueling processes of magma solidifying and cooling beneath the earth’s surface – resulting in the snowflake effect. Each slab is completely unique to itself. While others may look similar, they’re inherently different.
Concluding Thoughts
We haven’t seen many homes utilize this method, but surely if you are wanting to be completely unique and want to really showcase your creative side, then concrete can most certainly be an option for your project.
However, as a wholesaler and direct importer for nearly 40 years we’ve found that natural stone products – whether it be granite, marble, or quartzite – have remained the go to material for kitchen and bathroom projects. You can achieve the same unique look through granite as you would custom stamping your concrete, so neither option is truly “better” than the other. As always, determining the “right” countertop material is based solely on the homeowner’s preferences.