Granite worktops

[gingerg]

On the verge of buying granite worktops for new kitchen when someone mentioned to me that they can stain - she used the example of blackcurrant juice. No-one has mentioned this to me before, and I had been under the impression that granite was tough, long-lasting and low maintenance. Can anyone advise whether I am completely naive to think that granite is a miracle product?! And, if I am, whether there is a miracle product out there??!

I think granite is fantastic and I haven't known it to stain (haven't got it myself but used to live in a house that did and know lots of friends who have), but haven't spilt blackcurrent juice on it to see . Another idea though - have you heard of granite transformations? - instead of getting a slab of granite which can't be repaired they put a composite granite over your existing worksurface and it can be repaired if anything awful happens. It is about 3/4 the price of normal granite and I know people who have gone for this option and think it's brilliant. www.granite-transformations.co.uk/

ok.... the only thing thatmarks the granite work top where i work is the hard water marks from our extreamly hard water...

just a few splashes by the sink on the built in drainer grooves

howevre if you drop stuff on it it smashes.... like the microwave plate did for me on monday!

have had laods of ribena spilt on in the past and not a mark!

Think it only stains if you're a slovenly bitch and spill red wine on it and then leave to seep in for several hours. Have had our black granite for 6 years now and it's lovely. Get the special cleaner from Lakeland to keep it shiny....

I'm convinced - granite it is! I'm prepared to lose a few glasses and plates when DDs (and hubby) are clumsy, but I didn't want to find myself allowing them to drink only clear fluids to prevent staining!!

We have granite workstops & they are fab - we just wash them with diluted ecover washing up liquid, in fact we don't do it that often.

Apparently the e-cloths are fab. You mustn't use harsh chemicals though...

We have a ceramic sink, so we don't have the problem with the grooves as we don't have any !

I have gorgeous black sparkly granite work surfaces, the only downside to them is that they are GLOSS, they are stunning when properly clean and dry, but they look hideous with even just a bit of water on them. They have to be dried really thoroughly to avoid the watermarks.

I've heard fab things about composite stone recently, half the price of granite, looks gorgeous, comes in loads of colours/finishes and can be moulded to any shape (so you could have your kitchen sink moulded into your worktop - all from this composite stone).

I think you can get stains on honed granite, that is the non-polished type with the mat finish, very chic but a pita according to a mate. We had the glossy kind in our flat and it's fab, even after 2 years of a tenant being in there, it still looks great.