— Natural stone · Bayswater, Melbourne
Granite benchtops.
Granite benchtops in Melbourne, cut and installed from our Bayswater workshop. The hardest and least porous natural stone we cut, and the one that asks the least of you.
— 01 · From slab to install
How your granite benchtop gets made
The short version, for granite: four steps from choosing a colour to a bench that works inside or out.
- Step 1 of 4
Pick the colour and the finish
Blacks, greys, golds and greens, glossy or leathered with a soft grip. Titanium Gold, black with gold and white movement, is on our floor leathered.
- Step 2 of 4
Match the pair
An island can be bookmatched from two consecutive slabs so the pattern mirrors across the join. The layout shows it on the real slabs before you approve.
- Step 3 of 4
See it inside or out
Granite is the natural stone we put outdoors. Kitchen or barbecue bench, the 3D render shows the finished job before cutting.
- Step 4 of 4
Cut wet, edges stay sharp
Wet cutting keeps the dust down and leaves a sharp edge on whichever profile you choose. Plan on a seal at install, then another every few years.
See the full process, from your drawings to install →
— 02 · Edges, thickness, fluting
Granite edge profiles and outdoor finishes
Granite takes every profile we cut, polishes to a deep gloss and holds a crisp arris. Leathered and honed finishes suit it outdoors. Try each edge on a granite sample in 3D, then open a live quote.
Bookmatched slabs
Two consecutive slabs opened like a book, so the veining mirrors across the join.
Granite comes polished, honed or leathered, and a leathered finish keeps the colour deep with a soft, textured feel.
See how your pieces are laid out on the slab →
Where granite works
- Kitchen benchtopsIdealThe hardest natural stone we cut; knives and pans do not mark it.
- Islands and waterfall endsIdealHolds a crisp mitred edge.
- Bathroom vanitiesIdealEasy to keep, sealed once installed.
- SplashbacksIdealMatched to the top from the same slab.
- Feature wallsIdealHard-wearing, and polished or leathered it shows the crystal.
- FireplacesIdealTakes heat and knocks, ideal for a hearth.
- Outdoor kitchensIdealThe natural stone we put outdoors.
- BarsIdealHard-wearing for a busy bar.
- Edge profiles and flutingIdealTakes every profile and holds a crisp arris; fluting is slow work in it.
Living with granite
Hardness
The hardest of the natural stones. Knives, keys and dragged pans do not mark it.
Acids and stains
Lemon and wine do not etch it. Sealed, oil does not soak in. It is the natural stone for a kitchen that gets used hard.
Sealing
Sealed when it goes in, then every few years, depending on the stone. The test is simple: splash a little water on it. If it beads, the seal is holding. If it soaks in and darkens the stone, it is time to reseal.
Heat
A hot pan straight from the hob is fine. Granite formed under far more heat than a kitchen can make, and it does not scorch or discolour.
Outdoors
Sun and rain do not trouble it. Granite is the natural stone we put outdoors.
Colours
Blacks, greys, golds and greens with speckle or movement. True white granite is rare, and most stones sold as white granite are quartzite or dolomite. Ask, and we will say which.
In the workshop
Hard and predictable. Cut wet at a measured pace, polished to a deep gloss or leathered for a matte grip, and it holds a crisp arris on every profile.
The names people ask for
Titanium Gold
Black with gold and white movement. Dramatic, and on our floor in a leathered finish.
Black granite
The plain blacks, honed or polished. The quiet workhorse of outdoor kitchens.
White granite
Rare as a true granite. Most are quartzite, and we tell you which.
— 03 · Before you buy
Granite benchtop questions: pros and cons, colours, outdoor use and cost
01Is granite banned in Australia?
No. Granite is natural rock and the July 2024 ban is about resin-bound engineered stone, which granite is not. Its dust carries silica, so it is cut wet in our workshop, never dry.
02Are granite benchtops good?
For a kitchen that gets used hard, granite is the honest natural stone. Hot pans, lemons, knives and knocks do not mark it, and it needs sealing only every few years. What it does not give you is marble's veining.
03Does granite need sealing?
Yes, at install and then every few years, because granite is the least porous natural stone. Water soaking in rather than beading is the sign.
04Is there a white granite?
True white granite is rare. Most stones sold as white granite are quartzite or dolomite, which behave differently. We tell you which before you buy.
05Granite vs quartzite
Both are hard and take heat. Quartzite has marble-like veining and costs more to cut. Granite has speckle or movement, cuts faster and is usually the cheaper slab.
06What does a granite benchtop cost?
Usually the least costly natural stone for the slab, and the fabrication is quicker than quartzite. Slab count, edge and cutouts set the price, and the quote shows all three on your slab layout rather than as a rate per metre.
07Can granite go outside?
Yes. Sun and rain do not trouble it. Pick a leathered or honed finish outdoors so water marks do not show.
08Granite or engineered stone?
Granite is natural rock: harder, happy with heat and sun, and every slab is different. Engineered stone is man-made and uniform; the kind we cut is specified by its makers as containing less than 1% crystalline silica. For outdoors and near heat, granite wins.
09How do you clean a granite benchtop?
Warm water and a pH-neutral stone cleaner or a mild detergent. Keep bleach and vinegar off sealed stone, and reseal when water stops beading.
10Is granite good for a bathroom vanity?
Yes. It is hard, easy to keep and handles water and bathroom products well. Seal it once it is installed.
— Come and see it
See the granite colours in person.
Factory 4, 15 Ramage St, Bayswater. Monday to Friday, 9 to 4, weekends by appointment. Bring your plans and we will show your job on the slab you like.
— 04 · Against the others
Granite against the other stones
Granite is the hardest natural stone we cut. Beside it, the three man-made slabs: what each is, and the places it does better or worse than granite.
Granite
Igneous rock, cooled slowly from molten stone, which is why it is the hardest and least porous stone we cut. Speckle or movement rather than veins.
In the workshop
Cut wet at a measured pace, polished to a deep gloss or leathered, and it holds a crisp arris on every profile.
Where each one differs from granite: green is better, red is worse.
Porcelain Large-format porcelain slabs
A large-format ceramic slab, fired from clay and minerals, with the pattern printed on the face. Thin, light and colour-fast.
Sintered stone Smartstone · Dekton · Neolith
Natural minerals pressed and fired into a dense slab with no resin, coloured through the body. Made for heat, sun and hard use.
Reconstituted stone Quartz-look engineered surfaces, zero-silica
Crushed mineral bound in resin and cured into a uniform slab. The same colour and pattern every time. The reconstituted slabs we cut are specified by their manufacturers as containing less than 1% crystalline silica and fall outside the engineered stone prohibition. Safe Work Australia: the engineered stone ban