When upgrading your kitchen, choosing the right material is key to balancing style, durability, and long-term value. At Superior Granite, we categorize our premium selections into distinct Stone Classes to help you find the perfect match for your home.
Total project costs include materials, countertop installation, and customizations like cutouts, edge details, or backsplashes. By understanding the characteristics of each stone class, homeowners in Pace, Fort Walton Beach, and Pensacola can make smart, informed choices for their spaces. Contact us today for an exact estimate on your project.
Factors Influencing Countertop Costs
Several factors impact the final price of a countertop in Florida:
- Stone Class / Rarity: Our natural stone selections are categorized into stone classes. Standard classes offer timeless durability, while exotic classes feature rarer colors and unique veining that make a custom statement.
- Edge Profiles: Simple eased edges are usually included, but decorative edges like Ogee, Bullnose, or Mitered require extra work and cost more.
- Cutouts: Any cutouts for sinks, stoves, or islands add $50–$150 per cutout due to the additional labor and precision required.
- Labor & Fabrication: Professional installation and fabrication depend entirely on the material type, slab layout, and the complexity of your custom cutouts.
- Size, Layout & Templating: Larger kitchens or multiple islands require more material, labor, and countertop templating (measuring and creating a precise pattern for your countertops), which increases the total cost.
- Shipping for Exotic Stones: Rare or imported materials may have higher shipping fees, adding to the overall price.
Understanding these factors helps homeowners plan their budgets and avoid unexpected expenses when installing countertops.
Superior Granite Stone Class Guide
Choosing the right stone depends on your lifestyle, aesthetic goals, and maintenance preferences. We only sell first-quality, 3cm thick materials and use book-matched slabs to provide a completely seamless look. Please contact our team for exact pricing and estimates.
Class 1: Premium Engineered Surfaces
- Quartz: Engineered stone surfaces made from roughly 90–93% crushed natural quartz crystals bound with resins and pigments. Highly durable, non-porous, and offer consistent patterns without requiring regular sealing. (Indoors only).
Class 2: Standard & Highly Durable Natural Stone
- Granite: Extracted from mines worldwide, granite is one of the hardest natural stones available. It is exceptionally scratch and heat-resistant, making it perfect for heavy-use family kitchens.
- Quartzite: A premium, natural metamorphic stone consisting of 90%–99% quartz crystals. Harder than granite, heat-resistant, and offers a luxurious marble-like appearance with incredible strength.
Class 3: Elegant & Classic Natural Stone
- Dolomite: A natural, sedimentary rock option offering the elegant veined look of marble but with greater resistance to scratching and etching.
- Marble: Highly valued for its luxurious, unique veining and cool, smooth texture. It is softer and more porous than granite, requiring careful maintenance to prevent acid etching.
Class 4: Specialized & Unique Materials
Limestone: Sedimentary rock composed of compressed marine fossils and shells. Offers a warm, matte, organic aesthetic in earthy tones.
Porcelain: Manufactured from clay, sand, and minerals fired at over 2,000°F. Extremely scratch, stain, and heat-resistant, non-porous, and completely UV-resistant for indoor or outdoor use.
Calcite: Beautiful natural stone featuring soft, creamy white colors and delicate veining. Prone to scratching and etching, making it ideal for low-traffic areas like bathrooms.
Soapstone: Non-porous surfaces composed primarily of talc, featuring a soft, milky feel and excellent heat resistance. Develops a deep, rustic patina over time.
High-Performance Countertop Choices
Porcelain Countertops
Porcelain countertops offer an incredibly high-end look similar to marble but come with superior durability, making them perfect for busy Florida kitchens. Because our porcelain slabs are 12mm thick, the edges are expertly mitered by our fabrication team to give the illusion of a thicker slab. Porcelain is completely non-porous, hygienically safe, and entirely heat and UV-resistant making it an exceptional choice for both indoor and outdoor applications. Please call us or visit one of our showrooms for exact pricing options.
Best Countertop Materials for Modern Florida Homes
Luxury High-End Countertop Selections
Marble Countertops
Marble countertops remain a timeless symbol of luxury, prized for their unique veining and smooth texture. Because marble is a naturally softer, metamorphic rock, it requires dedicated care and regular sealing to preserve its classic finish against acidic items.
Quartzite Countertops
Quartzite is a magnificent natural stone known for its incredible strength and striking, marble-like movement. Formed under extreme heat and pressure, it is harder than granite and highly heat-resistant, making it a spectacular focal point for high-traffic kitchens.
Exotic Granite
Exotic granite offers a premium aesthetic combined with ultimate durability. Rare colors and rich, dramatic patterns create a completely unique statement in your home while significantly boosting your property’s long-term visual appeal. Reach out to our showrooms to check our current inventory of exotic slabs.
Countertop Care & Long-Term Maintenance
To keep your premium countertops looking brand new for years to come, keep these essential care guidelines in mind:
- Natural Stone Sealing: We recommend sealing granite annually, and quartzite, dolomite, calcite, and marble semi-annually. For new quartzite, we recommend a water-based sealer once a month for the first three months, followed by a silicone-based sealer semi-annually.
- Daily Cleaning: Always clean surfaces with a gentle cleanser like warm, soapy water (such as non-citrus Dawn dish soap) and a microfiber cloth. Never use harsh chemicals, bleach, ammonia, vinegar, or abrasive scrub pads.
- Stain & Etch Prevention: Wipe up spills immediately. Naturally porous stones like marble, calcite, limestone, and dolomite can experience surface etching from alcoholic drinks, essential oils, and citrus extracts.
- Heat and Scratch Protection: Always use cutting boards. Do not place hot pans directly on quartz, marble, calcite, or dolomite surfaces always use a trivet or hot pad. (You can safely place hot items directly onto granite).
Budget Tips for Florida Homeowners
Homeowners in Florida can save money without sacrificing style:
- Focus higher-end exotic stones on prominent accent spaces like a central kitchen island or bar area.
- Select clean, simple edge profiles.
- Opt for porcelain to achieve a premium marble aesthetic with zero risk of acid etching.
Conclusion
Choosing the ideal countertop for your Florida home depends on your unique lifestyle, aesthetic goals, and maintenance preferences. Whether you are drawn to the classic luxury of natural marble, the intense durability of granite and quartzite, or the modern engineering of porcelain, investing in high-quality 3cm stone elevates both your space and your home’s long-term value.
Pensacola, FL
Visit Us: 7011 Pine Forest Road, Pensacola, FL 32526
Call Us: (850) 941-0270
Hours: Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Pace, FL
Visit Us: 4590 Jernigan Road, Pace, Florida 32571
Call Us: (850) 994-1872
Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Fort Walton Beach, FL
Visit Us: 35 Miracle Strip Pkwy SW, Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32548
Call Us: (850) 301-0716
Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Get quotes now and start your project!
FAQs
Q1: What materials does Superior Granite offer?
We feature an extensive inventory of first-quality 3cm materials including Granite, Quartz, Quartzite, Marble, Dolomite, Porcelain, Calcite, Soapstone, and Limestone.
Q2: How do I get an exact price for my countertop project? Because every kitchen layout and stone choice is unique, we recommend visiting one of our showrooms or calling our team to get an accurate estimate tailored to your space.
Q3: Does quartz require annual sealing?
No. Quartz is an engineered, non-porous surface that resists staining and scratching without ever needing to be sealed.
Q4: How often do natural stone countertops need to be sealed? We recommend sealing granite annually, and stones like marble, dolomite, quartzite, and calcite semi-annually to protect them from stains.
Q5: Can I cut directly on my natural stone countertops?
While granite and quartzite are tough enough to withstand knives (though they will dull your blades), softer stones like marble and calcite can scratch. We always recommend using a cutting board.
Q6: Can I install these countertops myself?
No. Premium natural stone and quartz are incredibly heavy and require advanced precision machinery for templating and fabrication. Superior Granite provides professional, expert installation crews to ensure a perfect fit.
