Can anyone recommend: Marble or granite kitchen worktops

http://marmolesrebollo.com

Good quick service, English speaking. They are on the Santa Anna industrial estate in Guardamar, parallel to N332. 

Hi CP. When I look at my phone the link appears to be there! Here it is again. 

http://marmolesrebollo.com

When we bought our house, it had granite worktops fitted, but if I ever have both time and motivation, I going to change them to another type of stone, possibly marble.

The plus point about granite is that it's very hard. The disadvantages are that it's dark and made up of a variety of colours, so it's difficult to see properly whether or not it's clean; it's granular, and even after polishing there are small pits in it which can hold food particles; it doesn't take a high polish; and if it does get damaged, because it's so hard, it's an absolute swine to repair.

My recommendation is to go for a uniformly coloured pale stone that has a good polish on it.

There are a lot of marmoles suppliers around, so you shouldn't have to look far.

JCT they will come to you measure and give a price Jose speaks excellent English and they are great fitters.

https://www.facebook.com/JCT-Kitchen-Worktops-1493286840964672/

Jim, I am sorry to have to disagree with you about granite/marble. For much of my life I was involved with the expensive side of the kitchen industry in UK. Granite does take a high polish if treated correctly and there aren’t many which have ‘pits’. If done correctly it should also be sealed with a specialised finish which helps to repel stains of oil and so forth. It’s advantage is, as you say, it’s hardness and its resistance to thermal shock - ie you can dump your Le Creuset on it direct from the hob. The polished surface can degrade over many years, especially in areas where pots are susally dragged over it, but it can be resuscitated. Would from choice not advise the use of marble for kitchen worktops - although I am aware that it is used here - because ti stains/scratches/chips and so forth.

Worth considering are the - mainly Spanish - synthetic surfaces - ie Silestone and similar. They are very hard although not as heat resistant as granite, they can mark it anything really really hot put on them. However, the surface is completely flat with no small recesses at all. Usually they are dearer than granite.

There are many many types and colours of granite, but unfortunately usually the cheaper ones of not such high quality are usually installed, which may lead to not so satisfactory results.

Thanks, Stephanie, it's nice to have the expert view. I agree that our granite worktops weren't ground as well as they should be, but nearly all the marmoles yards I've browsed around have had granite in a similar condition. If I could fine a pale granite with fine granules, properly polished, I'd certainly go for that. When I was young I used to do lapidary, turning rough semi-precious stone into polished jewellery. I did try some granite at one time, and produced a high gloss which was quite attractive, but it didn't sell as well as other stones like rhodochrosite, malachite, tiger's eye etc.

I'd also forgotten about how marble stains - thanks for reminding me.

I fully agree about Silestone, and will probably go for that if I finally bite the bullet. I know that the epoxy or whatever it is they use to bind it all together can suffer at high temperatures, but that's just a matter of exercising a bit of care. It's much better than the Corian that is used in the UK, although that can be formed to shape and is easy to cut. I like to use it on my scrollsaw, but delivery charges, even in the UK, are prohibitive. (If anyone has any thin Corian offcuts, please let me know).

Thanks for your kind comments, Jim. 

Again, Corian itself comes in various colours and qualities dependant upon the proposed application; I think between it and the Silestone type of product - you pays your money and you takes your pick. 

I have been faintly disappointed here, having had Silestone sinks installed - flush - into the Silestone worktops, to find that, unlike Corian sinks which are moulded in one piece with soft curved side/base - similar to a s/steel sink - the Silestone ones are made up of the sides with a right angle joint to the flat base, ie attached instead of moulded in one piece. 

We used to have a business relationship with a small granite specialist in UK - now retired! - who used to travel the world and buy unusual and rare granites for his clients - the work he did was a wonder to behold!!!! It’s worth looking at the Levantina website - they are the major granite importer/supplier in the Alicante region - with a huge variety of stone. They also have a showroom, by appt I believe.

Thanks Silestobe sounds interesting- if anyone can recommend a supplier and installer???

most of the specialised kitchen companies would be able to organise this - or, alternatively, the majority of the ‘marmolistas’ are likely to offer it as well as their natural stone. The working processes and installation procedures are very similar to stone, so suggest you visit any stonemason yards in your area. Usually situated on trading estates or thereabouts.