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Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

Countertop replacement

tomfintosa | Posted in General Discussion on February 7, 2004 07:58am

Is anyone familiar with a product called Granite Transformations.  This company uses a a product called Rocksolid Granit.  It comes in 1/4 inch thick sheets and is fabricated into coverings that adhered to existing countertops.

According to the literature I’ve seen, the product is a combination of stone and polymer and comes ina range of colors that look very much like solid stone.  I just saw some of the material at a home improvement show here in Milwaukee.  The price is about 40% less than Corian or a similar solid surface material.

Any comments about the product or experiences you mifht have had with it?

Thanks.

Reply

Replies

  1. HeavyDuty | Feb 07, 2004 08:18am | #1

    Sounds interesting. Got a web address?

    1. tomfintosa | Feb 07, 2004 03:39pm | #2

      Yes there is a web address:  http://www.granitetransformations.com

      The person I spoike to at the show is a franchisee based in West Bend, Wisconsin.

      --Tom

      1. HeavyDuty | Feb 08, 2004 08:25am | #3

        Tom, sounds like a thin version of synthetic solid surface material. Corian has thinner sheets for back splash, couldn't remember the thickness and I don't think they are recommended for counter use.

        Is the installation done by factory trained technician? Probably the same kind of installation as with the other solid surface.

        Here is a place that makes reinforced real stone slabs from 1/4 to 3/8. I don't know if the pricing is comparable to the one you mentioned though.

        http://www.buystone.com

        Edited 2/8/2004 12:26:25 AM ET by TOMCHARK

        1. User avater
          BillHartmann | Feb 08, 2004 05:09pm | #4

          IT is not a solid surface material like Corian.

          I think that is is in an "engeineered stone" product. Same class as Zodiaq and Siletone.

          What what is interesting is that they are touting for use in overlaying existing countertops.

          There seems to be a big push on franachisees for this company. This is one in KC. From what I remembered in the newspaper the price was about the same as new one.

          1. tomfintosa | Feb 08, 2004 09:09pm | #5

            The literature I saw at the home improvement show states that the product is "95% natural stone combined with a specially formulated polymer made into slabs only 1/4 of an inch thick". 

            I did get a quote of around $3400 based on my sketch of the kitchen.  I have quote for Corian (also based on my sketch, but including a double sink of Corian) of $5500.

            We will have the sales person come and give us a formal quote based on their own measurements.  It sounds like a reasonale thing, but I'm concerned about long term performance. A 10 year guarantee is offered, but without knowing about product/company performance over the long term it's hard to evaluate that.

            --Tom

          2. User avater
            BillHartmann | Feb 09, 2004 12:24am | #6

            That "type" of product has been around a while in Europe.

            But I have no idea of this particular brand and the use of it in a veneer application.

          3. tomfintosa | Feb 09, 2004 12:38am | #7

            If you poke around on the granittransformations.com web site, you find links to a web site for an Italian compnay, Trend Group, S.p.a. which seems to be the actual manufacturer of the material.

          4. tomfintosa | Mar 12, 2004 05:21am | #8

            We went ahead with the GraniteTransformations installation in our kitchen.  It was installed over the existing plastic laminate counter.  We think the result is very much the look and feel of real stone.  Price was just under $3000 installed.  We had corian quotes in the $5500-6000 range.  Time will tell I guess, but right now we are very pleased.

          5. Wylcoyote | Sep 13, 2004 11:48pm | #9

            Tom -

            I found your post from several months ago on th Granite Transformations product.  I am considering it as well.  How is it working now that you have had it in place for a while?

            Thanks

            Wylie

            Wylie

            Success = Work+ Risk + Luck, in that order.  Muriel Seibert

          6. tomfintosa | Sep 15, 2004 07:02am | #10

            We have had no problems so far and it still looks as good as the day it went in.  Nothing but positive comments from friends who have seen it as well.

            I don't know your situation, but one aspect of this that really was good for us was the short period of time the kitchen was out of commission.  They came one day for measurements and to make a pattern for part of it.  Returned in a week and installed the material right over the existing top.  All I had to do was pull the sink and and the cooktop before they arrived.

            Good luck.

            --Tom

          7. Wylcoyote | Sep 15, 2004 06:03pm | #11

            Great - thanks for the feedback....very helpful

            Wylie

            Success = Work+ Risk + Luck, in that order.  Muriel Seibert

          8. JohnT8 | Sep 15, 2004 06:33pm | #12

            Pictures?

            jt8

          9. tomfintosa | Sep 16, 2004 02:48am | #13

            I've attached 3.  This is the first time I've posted pictures, so I'm not sure how they will look.

            Remember, the basic material is only about 1/4" thick, but the way the edges are fabricated makes it look like a thick slab.  You really can't see the seams in it al all, at least I can't.

            --Tom

          10. DougU | Sep 16, 2004 05:13am | #14

            tom

            Pictures are a bit large, try Irfanview, you can find it on here some where. Its free and easy to resize your photos.

            EDIT: Go to photo Gallery, click on the Irfanview thread, a lot of directions there if you need.

            Something in the 100kb's or under for the people with dial ups.

            Edited 9/15/2004 10:15 pm ET by [email protected]

          11. JohnT8 | Sep 16, 2004 11:35pm | #15

            Doug: The larger pics allow you better surface detail, but I went ahead and resized Tom's pics.

            Tom: You say they installed the 1/4" granite overtop your existing countertops?  What type of counter did they install over, flat edge? 

            Looks DARN nice!  I've always liked the look of granite countertops but typically started laughing when I saw the price tag.  This looks like it may offer a lower cost option.

            jt8

          12. tomfintosa | Sep 17, 2004 01:55pm | #16

            The existing countertop was a vintage 1962 plastic laminate with square edges except at the outside corners which had a small radius.  I think the material could have been fabricated with a similar outside corner radius, but I liked the complete square edge look for the new top.

            The material is about 1/4" thick and is a granite/polymer mix on a mat of some type.  I think there's more info on the material at the web site given in an earlier post.

            --Tom

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