As a granite support guide, in designs where your countertop s supports, the length of the (side to side as your facing it) should be limited to 24″ for ¾” (2CM) thick stone and 36″ for 1¼” (3 CM) stone thicknesses.
So, regularly using dish soap for cleaning granite countertops is not recommended. Again, granite won’t etch and using coasters on dense and/or properly sealed granite is not an absolute necessity like with marble, but using coasters is just a good practice to protect all bath and kitchen countertop surfaces.
Standard Sealing Recommendations Many professionals recommend sealing granite countertops at least once each year. If you cook frequently in your kitchen and use the countertops daily, you might need to reseal the granite even more frequently. This used to be the advice from stone professionals over the years.
Frequency of Sealing and Why It’s Important Because granite is a natural stone and is generally penetrable within its porous surface, sealants are an easy and effective way to protect granite countertops. Some people seal their granite countertops once every six months to a year, though stone can never be oversealed.
How often you polish your granite is completely a matter of its appearance. Most granite surfaces require polishing every five to 15 years, depending on the traffic or use they receive.
Frequency of Sealing and Why It’s Important Some people seal their granite countertops once every six months to a year, though stone can never be oversealed. The best way to tell when you need to seal your stone is to test it.
The Water Test: Know If You Need To Seal Your Granite Countertops Immediate absorption: Apply a couple layers of sealer annually and wipe spills quickly. 4-5 minutes: Multiple layers of sealer needed, but only redo every 3-5 years. 10 minutes: Apply a single layer of sealer; may be many years before reapplication is needed. 30
A standard kitchen granite backsplash comes prefabricated with a height of 6 inches, while those designed for bathrooms are 4 inches high. The length is typically 96 inches for a kitchen counter backsplash to as short as 20 inches for a bathroom vanity counter.
One of those is what countertop thickness to choose. In the stone industry, there are 2 primary options, 2cm (3/4”) or 3cm (1-1/4”). Traditionally, 2cm has been used in bathrooms, where strength demands are lower than in kitchens, which have generally been the domain of 3cm.