On the old Gardenweb forums (now Houzz) we discussed countertops constantly. And yes, there were reports of granite chipping and even fracturing. One of the biggest reasons for unhappy customers?
Bad installation.
People get fixated on the look of the slab they've fallen in love with* and forget that the
quality of installation is much more important. You want a company that will:
- Template the counters properly so that multiple slabs will be patched together as smoothly as possible. I can't tell you how many photos I've seen of unhappy owners posting photos of the ugly seam where two slabs were joined smack in the middle of their new sink, complete with a fat line of ugly white silicon caulking. Seams in granite are NEVER invisible, and they are weak points for chipping.
- Work with you so if you select a granite with "movement", that corners and seams will visually flow smoothly where the two slabs meet.
- Many people extend their counters to make an eating counter (for those 'eat-in' kitchens). Granite is heavy; it requires very strong support. A bad company will skimp on the steel supports needed to prevent slippage or twisting.
- Proper support is extremely important for an undermounted sink, regardless of material. It's unbelievable how some people posted photos of their sink actually crashing down into the cabinet because it wasn't supported properly. Not many, but there should not be ANY. Nobody with any sense would believe one could keep a sink undermounted just by running some caulking around the edge and "gluing" it to the countertop! But it's happened more than once - you see photos like that, you never forget them, believe me.
- Reserve your slab(s) in storage until you need them. Yes, people have reported their slabs being "accidentally" sold to someone else while their kitchen project was backed up due to unforeseen issues.
* Every granite or marble slab is unique; therefore, if you need more than one slab, it can be difficult to find perfect matches where seams won't be visually intrusive.
Granite is hard - 6.7 on the Mohs scale - but not invulnerable. Drop a heavy skillet or pot and you'll risk chipping the stone. And of all the hundreds of granites sold, there are actually only a few "true" granites. Many of the more colorful and exotic "granites" are not granites at all; some are marble, some have an abundance of semi-precious minerals that are much softer than granite and therefore, prone to chipping and breakage.
For a while people on Gardenweb were in love with "blue granites" but granite in nature is not blue. Blue granites usually have a high percentage of sodalite, which is a beautiful semi-precious stone but is only about 5.5 on the Mohs scale.
You should note that there is no legal naming for granites. What one company calls "Brazilian Rainforest" might be called "Tropical Waves" by another.
Many slabs now sold are permeated with a factory-infused urethane coating. This avoids the whole "once a year (or month, depending on type) sealing and re-sealing" process.
Anyway, HTH! Good luck with your decision.
Mind you white will match just fine I think. I’ll have to wing it and see.
