Granite Worktops

1.  Kitchen Design Considerations

Sinks

What ever style you select, the design of kitchen will influence your choice of sink, depending on the type of carcass, custom made cabinets, island or free standing units.      

When purchasing your sink, consideration should be given to the dimensions, which should allow room for taps, waste disposal switches and pull out sprays located to the back of the sink, you also need to consider if you require Upstands, as these will all impact on the space available.

If your sink is to be located on a standard kitchen cabinet the depth available will be in the region of 600mm.  Some sinks require a wider work surface than this.  We are happy to advise.

Square Cornered Sinks

A premium will be charged for sinks with a radius below 55mm due to the hand finishing required.  (Machine tooling is unable to cut these corners).

Undermount Sinks   Undermount Sinks are designed to fit below the granite worktop removing the requirement for a draining board. Grooves are cut directly into the granite. We offer several groove variations dependent on your sink choice..

Drop In Sinks (Sit On, Inset or Overmount)

Designed to fit on top of the granite worktop they come with or without draining boards but the design usually has a lip which sits on top of the granite.

Belfast Sinks / Ceramic Undermount Sinks

Standard Farmhouse style Belfast sinks sit on a modified kitchen cabinet, which has reduced height doors, therefore exposing the front face of the sink.

Ceramic undermount sinks require additional support under the worksurface (inside the kitchen cabinet) due to their weight.  This is turn reduces the useable space available inside the cabinet.

Cooking Appliances

When selecting your cooking appliances, consider the following: -

When measuring for your granite please be aware that you will need a cut out for the Hob. (Granite will be required to the front and rear).

If you are considering recessing the Hob it is essential to check with the manufacturer that the model you have selected is designed for that purpose.

If you will be using a Range Cooker or Free Standing Cooker then you will not need to allow for additional granite.

Island Sizes

Islands are very fashionable and versatile allowing you to select a range of sinks and appliance dimensions and styles that would be out of the question when using standard cabinets.

Granite is an ideal choice when selecting the worktop for your island allowing you the flexibility of non standard dimensions.  However there are limits to the size and manageability of granite.  A call to our office will confirm if your plans are feasible and if the granite of your choice can be provided in one section. 

Please also consider the access requirements, stone is a heavy material and as such needs careful handling and manipulation through narrow doorways, around corners and up stairs.

Breakfast Bars/Peninsular

Space permitting, granite can be used to create a Breakfast bar or Peninsular, enabling you to sit around a communal area and enjoy a coffee and a chat.

This is however dependent on the stability of the cabinets supporting the granite, we recommend that you only extend a maximum of 300mm beyond the carcass edge without additional support.  This can be in the form of Chrome legs or if preferred a custom made Granite leg.

Overhangs

Worktop Size / Overhangs
Because we cut your worktops from quarried slabs, this allows us the flexibility to be able to accommodate any depth of worktop up to the size of slab available.

This is particularly useful for accommodating corner mounted sinks or hobs and when allowing for carcasses to be brought forward to allow for access to service pipes.

We allow a standard 30mm overhang over any vertical surface, that’s 30mm beyond doors, draws and end panels.

Upstands

Upstands are Pieces of Granite which sit vertically to the worktops against the wall.  They are cut from 20mm thick granite from the same block as the worktops to ensure a perfect colour match.

In many cases Upstands have replaced wall tiles as they provide a neat waterproof finish between the worktop and the wall.

Upstands are also very useful when you are replacing existing worktops and wish to minimize on redecoration expenses.

Splashbacks

Splashbacks are usually made in 20mm thickness; they are normally placed behind hobs, sinks and high wear and tear areas.

Windowsills

Windowsills can be incorporated into your worktops design, this is particularly useful when placed behind sinks allowing the Upstands and windowsill to form a watertight bond, which is easily maintained with a simple wipe down at the same time as the kitchen worktops.