If you’ve never installed new countertops before, the process can feel weirdly mysterious. People imagine dust, chaos, and a week of living off takeout while strangers measure things.
In reality, a proper countertop install is pretty straightforward. There are a few key steps, a couple things you need to do to prep, and a few common mistakes that can slow things down. Here’s how it normally goes, start to finish.
This is the fun part. You pick your material (granite or quartz), colour, finish, and the overall look you want.
A few decisions usually happen here too:
• Edge style (clean and modern vs more detailed)
• Sink type (undermount vs drop-in)
• Any extras (waterfall edges, full-height backsplash, thicker edges)
If you want the final result to look intentional, don’t choose stone from a tiny sample only. Lighting changes everything. Seeing full slabs or large samples is the difference between “perfect” and “why does it look green now?”
Once your cabinets are installed and level, measurements get taken. Many shops use laser templating for accuracy, especially when there are angles, walls that aren’t perfectly straight, or large islands.
This step matters more than people realize because countertops are not forgiving. If something is off by even a little, you’ll notice it every day.
Important: templating usually happens after cabinets are in place. If cabinets aren’t finished yet, it’s too early.
This is where the stone gets cut and finished based on your template:
• Cuts are made for sinks and cooktops
• Edges are shaped and polished
• Seams are planned to be as clean and discreet as possible
• Pieces are prepped for installation
For quartz, the focus is clean lines and pattern consistency.
For granite, the focus is placing the best movement and natural features where they’ll look best.
Install day goes smoother when the space is ready. Before the crew arrives:
• Clear everything off your current counters
• Move small appliances (coffee makers, toaster, etc.)
• Empty the cabinet under the sink (access is needed)
• Make a path for the installers to carry stone safely
• Keep pets and kids out of the work area
If you’re keeping your existing backsplash, the installers will be extra careful, but it’s still worth expecting minor touch-ups in some situations. Homes are never as square as they pretend to be.
If old countertops need to come out, removal happens first. This can include removing sinks, disconnecting plumbing, and lifting the old surface carefully.
This is also where hidden issues can show up:
• Cabinets not level
• Water damage around the sink
• Walls that aren’t straight
• Old DIY surprises
If something needs fixing, it’s better to catch it now than force the new countertop to “fit anyway.”
On install day, the countertops are carried in and set in place. The crew will:
• Dry-fit the pieces
• Level and align everything
• Secure the countertop
• Finish seams if there are multiple pieces
• Install undermount sinks if included (depending on your package)
Most installs are done in a day. Larger kitchens and waterfall islands can take longer, but it’s still usually not a multi-day disaster.
Once everything is set:
• Seams are cleaned and finished
• Silicone/caulking is applied where needed
• The surface is wiped down and inspected
If an undermount sink is installed, there may be a short cure period before it’s ready for full use. Your installer will tell you what’s safe and when.
The timeline depends on how quickly you pick your stone and how busy the shop is, but typically:
• Selection: same day to a few days
• Templating: once cabinets are installed and level
• Fabrication: usually 1–3 weeks (varies by workload and complexity)
• Installation: typically one day
Quick Tips That Save You Headaches
• Don’t template before cabinets are installed and level.
• Confirm your sink and faucet choices early (last-minute changes cause delays).
• Expect seams on longer runs and large islands, they’re normal.
• If you choose quartz, take heat seriously: trivets always.
Bottom Line
A countertop install isn’t complicated. It’s a clean sequence: choose → template → fabricate → install → finish. If the space is ready and the decisions are locked in, it’s smooth and fast, and your kitchen instantly looks upgraded.
Your kitchen should match your life, not your mood board.
Choosing between granite and quartz isn’t about what’s “better.” It’s about what fits your life, your habits, and how much patience you have for maintenance. Your countertops will take daily abuse from coffee spills, hot pots, kids, dinner prep, and the occasional “why is this sticky” mystery. So let’s pick the right surface for you, not for Pinterest.
If You Want the Lowest Maintenance: Go Quartz
Quartz is the “set it and forget it” option.
Choose quartz if you:
• Don’t want to reseal countertops, ever
• Want a surface that’s easy to wipe down and move on
• Are worried about stains from coffee, wine, oils, and sauces
• Want a cleaner, more consistent look (especially modern whites and soft veining)
• Prefer predictable patterns and colour match across your kitchen
Real talk: Quartz is stain resistant, non-porous, and super consistent. It’s the best option for people who want their kitchen to look clean with minimal effort.
Watch-outs: Quartz doesn’t love heat. If you’re the type to pull a hot pan off the stove and slap it on the counter, quartz will punish you eventually. Trivets become non-negotiable.
If You Love Natural Stone and Don’t Mind Some Upkeep: Go Granite
Granite is for people who want real stone with personality.
Choose granite if you:
• Want a slab that’s genuinely one-of-a-kind
• Love movement, depth, and natural variation
• Want to handle heat better (hot pots are usually fine)
• Need fewer seams (granite slabs can be larger)
• Want an option that can work outdoors (BBQ areas, outdoor kitchens)
Real talk: Granite looks rich because it is real. If you want natural beauty that doesn’t look manufactured, granite wins.
Watch-outs: Granite is porous, so it needs sealing every 2–5 years. It’s not hard, but it’s still a chore. Also, some granite patterns can feel “busy,” and edges can chip if something heavy drops at the wrong angle.
Pick Based on Your Personality (No, Seriously)
You’re a “wipe it once and walk away” person
Quartz. Non-porous. No sealing. Easy clean.
You cook a lot and abuse your counters with hot stuff
Granite. Better heat tolerance and less stress around hot cookware.
You want calm, consistent, modern design
Quartz. Predictable pattern, controlled veining, cleaner lines.
You want natural beauty and don’t care if it’s imperfect
Granite. Unique slabs, real movement, character.
You have a huge island and hate seams
Granite often gives you bigger slab options, so fewer seams.
You’re building an outdoor kitchen
Granite. Quartz can fade/discolour in sunlight and isn’t made for long-term outdoor exposure.
Budget Reality Check
• Quartz is usually more expensive than granite.
• Granite gives you more price flexibility, and sometimes you can get a high-end granite for the same price as entry-level quartz.
So if budget matters and you still want something that looks premium, granite can be the smarter play.
The Best Way to Decide (Because Samples Lie)
A small sample in a showroom is cute, but it doesn’t tell the truth. Lighting, cabinet colour, flooring, and backsplash can change everything.
The smart move is comparing full slabs in person so you can see:
• movement and veining
• undertones (warm vs cool)
• how busy or calm it actually feels
Bottom Line
Pick quartz if you want low maintenance, clean design, and predictable patterns.
Pick granite if you want natural stone beauty, better heat tolerance, and fewer seams, and you’re okay with sealing once in a while.
Your kitchen should match your life, not your mood board.
Quartz is one of the easiest countertop surfaces to live with, but “easy” doesn’t mean “bulletproof.” Follow these simple guidelines to keep your quartz looking clean, consistent, and brand new for years.
Daily Cleaning
Use warm water, a small amount of mild dish soap, and a soft cloth (microfiber works best). For most day-to-day messes, that’s all you need.
Wipe Spills Quickly
Quartz is stain-resistant, not stain-proof. Clean up spills as soon as you notice them, especially coffee, wine, oils, sauces, and makeup products.
Avoid Harsh Cleaners
Do not use ammonia or bleach-based products (such as Windex, Comet, Fantastic, or Mr. Clean) or acidic cleaners like vinegar. These can dull the surface over time and may affect the finish.
Skip Abrasive Scrub Pads
Never use scrub pads like Scotch-Brite or S.O.S. They contain abrasives that can scratch the surface. Quartz is scratch resistant, not scratch proof. Use a soft cloth or non-abrasive sponge instead.
Heat Protection Matters
Quartz can be damaged by sudden, excessive heat or direct/sustained heat. Always use hot pads or trivets under:
• Hot pots and pans
• Electric frying pans
• Slow cookers
• Roaster ovens
If it stays hot and sits there for a while, it needs a barrier.
No Sealing, No Polishing, No “Treatments”
Quartz requires no sealing or polishing. Do not apply sealants, penetrants, or topical treatments. These products can make the surface look dull, streaky, and uneven.
Contrary to popular belief, granite is easy to maintain. You only need a few good habits to keep your countertops looking glossy, clean, and stain-free for years.
Daily Cleaning
Use warm water with a small amount of mild dish soap, or a pH-neutral stone cleaner, and wipe with a soft cloth.
We also carry a range of stone care products in our showroom if you want the right stuff from the start.
Avoid Harsh Cleaners
Do not use ammonia or bleach-based products (like Windex, Comet, Fantastic, Mr. Clean) or acidic cleaners (like vinegar). These can slowly strip the sealer and make your granite more vulnerable to staining over time.
Skip Abrasive Scrub Pads
Never use scrub pads like Scotch-Brite or S.O.S. They contain abrasives that can scratch the surface and dull the finish.
Clean Spills Quickly
Granite is durable, but it’s still a natural stone. Wipe up spills as soon as you notice them, especially coffee, wine, oils, and sauces.
Don’t Treat Your Countertops Like Furniture
Avoid standing, sitting, kneeling, or putting body weight on countertops. Stone is strong, but seams and overhangs aren’t designed for that kind of stress.
Lift, Don’t Drag
When moving items (small appliances, pots, décor), lift them instead of sliding. Granite can scratch like any other surface if grit gets trapped underneath.
Heat is Fine, With One Rare Exception
Granite handles heat well, and hot pots can usually go directly on the surface. That said, rare “thermal shock” cracking can happen with sudden extreme temperature changes. Using a trivet for very hot cookware is a simple extra precaution.
Reseal When Needed
Granite is porous, and sealing helps block liquids from soaking into the stone. Resealing frequency depends on:
• Stone colour and density (dark stones typically need sealing less often than lighter stones)
• How the countertop is used
• Cleaning products used (harsh chemicals wear sealant faster)
Following these simple steps will help protect your granite and keep it looking beautiful long-term.
Granite is one of those materials that’s been around forever for a reason. It looks premium, it performs well, and it gives your kitchen that “real stone” vibe that engineered surfaces try really hard to imitate. But granite also comes with a few quirks, because nature doesn’t do “perfectly uniform.”
It’s real stone, and every slab is different.
Granite is a natural material, so no two slabs are the same. If you want something that feels one-of-a-kind instead of mass-produced, granite delivers that in a big way.
It can be more affordable than quartz.
In many cases, granite is cheaper than quartz. Entry-level granite can be around $30 per square foot less, which adds up fast in a larger kitchen.
Bigger slabs = fewer seams.
Granite often comes in larger slab sizes than quartz, meaning you can reduce seams. And fewer seams usually means a cleaner, more high-end look.
It works outdoors.
Granite is a strong option for BBQ areas, outdoor kitchens, and bars because it handles the elements well and won’t fade in direct sunlight like some other surfaces can.
It handles heat like a champ.
Granite can withstand high temperatures, so putting a hot pot on it isn’t a panic moment. It’s one of the more forgiving countertop materials when it comes to heat.
It’s porous, so it needs sealing.
Granite should be resealed every 2–5 years depending on the stone and how hard you use it. The good news: sealing is easy, and yes, regular people can do it without summoning a contractor.
The pattern can be “too much” for some people.
Granite often has movement, veining, swirls, and speckles. Some homeowners love that natural drama. Others just want calm, consistent counters and find granite visually busy.
It can have natural texture and imperfections.
Because it’s real stone, you might see small pits or fissures. Sometimes you’ll feel them when cleaning. It’s not “damage,” it’s character, but if you want perfectly smooth and uniform, this can annoy you.
It can chip on edges more easily than quartz.
Granite is durable, but it’s not as tough as quartz at the edges. Drop something heavy in the wrong spot and you can chip it, especially on sharp corners.
Granite is a solid choice if you want natural beauty, heat resistance, fewer seams, and a price point that can beat quartz. Just accept the trade-offs: you’ll need occasional sealing, and you’re choosing a material that looks and behaves like a natural product, not a factory-perfect surface.
It’s engineered for consistency.
Quartz is man-made, so the surface is perfectly smooth and the pattern is predictable. No surprise swirls, no random blotches, no “why does this slab look different than the sample” heartbreak.
Low maintenance, easy living.
Quartz is easy to clean and never needs sealing. Wipe it down and move on with your life.
Non-porous and more hygienic.
Because it’s engineered and non-porous, it doesn’t absorb liquids and it’s less likely to harbour bacteria. It’s one of the most sanitary countertop choices out there.
Strong and reliable during install.
Quartz is tough. It’s less likely to break during installation compared to many natural stones, and it chips infrequently under normal use.
Scratch and stain resistant.
Quartz resists scratches and stains really well, though it’s not indestructible. You can still scuff it with rough materials or stain it if you leave certain messes sitting too long.
It’s trendy for a reason.
Quartz is popular right now because design is leaning hard into whites, neutrals, and clean lines. If you want that modern or contemporary look, quartz makes it easy.
It usually costs more than granite.
Quartz is generally more expensive. You can sometimes get high-end, exotic granite for the same price as entry-level quartz, which feels slightly insulting.
Natural stone still wins on “real” beauty.
Even with fancy manufacturing, quartz doesn’t always capture the depth and natural veining you get in granite. Some patterns look amazing, others look… printed.
Smaller slabs can mean more seams.
Quartz slabs are typically smaller than granite. Many are around 56” high, and jumbo slabs can go up to 65”. Depending on your layout, that can mean more seams and can limit how large your island can be in one clean run.
Not for outdoors.
Quartz isn’t a great choice for outdoor kitchens or BBQ areas because long-term sun exposure can fade or discolour the surface.
Every slab looks the same.
This is either a flex or a dealbreaker. Quartz is consistent, but that also means your slab won’t be unique. If you want something one-of-a-kind, quartz isn’t trying to be that.
Quartz is perfect if you want a clean, modern look with low maintenance and strong day-to-day performance. You’re paying extra for consistency, hygiene, and convenience. If you want natural uniqueness, dramatic movement, or an outdoor surface, quartz is the wrong hill to die on.
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