You pick the actual slab off a real slab floor in Austin, a short drive from Leander down the 183A corridor. Then a single crew handles templating, fabrication and installation, start to finish.
Granite is a natural igneous stone that forms deep underground from slowly cooled magma. Over millions of years, the mix of minerals and the cooling process create the hard surface and distinctive patterns you see on a slab. Because it is quarried directly from the earth, no two slabs are alike. That means a granite countertop is always a one of a kind piece of geology in your kitchen.
Leander sits in Williamson County along the US 183A corridor, one of the fastest growing suburbs in the metro. Much of the housing stock here is new construction, with open floor plans and large islands that call for a durable, hard working surface. Granite fits that need. Whether you are building new or remodeling an older home, a slab you pick yourself can handle the traffic of a busy kitchen and still look like a solid piece of the house.
At ATX Granite King, we keep the process simple. You visit a direct importer slab floor in Austin with 299 lots on the ground, pick the exact slab you want, and we tag it for your job. Then our crew comes to Leander for the template, cuts the stone in our shop, and returns to install it. One crew handles it all, so there is no passing the buck between different hands. Just a straight process from selection to a finished countertop.
Granite is an igneous rock that generally handles heat well. You can set a hot pot or pan directly on the surface without damage to the stone itself. However, prolonged direct heat can weaken the sealant over time, so using a trivet is still a good practice. It is more heat friendly than quartz or solid surface in most cases.
Because granite forms naturally, every slab has its own movement, veining, and mineral deposits. The slab you see on the floor is the slab that gets installed, so you know exactly what you are getting. The color and pattern you pick will never be replicated elsewhere, giving your kitchen a look that is truly original.
Granite can be finished in several ways. A polished finish is glossy and deepens the color, honed is matte and softer to the touch, and leathered is textured with a slight sheen. Each finish changes how the stone handles daily smudges and how it looks under different lighting. The choice is made before fabrication.
Granite is a coarse grained igneous rock made mostly of quartz, feldspar, and mica, with small amounts of other minerals that give it color and flecks. It is quarried in large blocks, then sliced into slabs, polished, and shipped. The stone is hard, usually ranking around a six or seven on the Mohs scale, which means it resists scratching from knives and most everyday wear better than many other materials. However, it is not invincible. A heavy impact can chip an edge, and dragging a heavy cast iron pot across the surface can leave a mark if you are not careful. The hardness also means it can be noisy when you set down a plate or glass, though that is rarely a dealbreaker.
Because granite is a natural stone, it is porous. Microscopic spaces between the mineral grains can absorb liquids if left unsealed. That is why sealing is part of ownership. A good penetrating sealer fills those pores without creating a film on the surface, so the stone still looks and feels like stone. Sealing does not make the surface impervious, but it gives you time to wipe up a spill before it sinks in. Darker, denser granites tend to need less frequent sealing, while lighter or more porous slabs may need more attention. We recommend sealing granite countertops right after installation, and then periodically as needed, which is usually once a year in a busy kitchen.
The stone is heavy. A typical 3 cm slab can weigh over 15 pounds per square foot, so your cabinets and floor need to be able to support that weight. In most newer Leander homes, cabinets are built to standard spec and handle the load without issue. In older homes, we sometimes reinforce the cabinet base before installation. This is a step we check during the template visit, so there are no surprises on install day. We never leave you with a surface that is not properly supported.
Granite countertops are known for handling the daily grind of a kitchen well. They stand up to hot pans, hold up to chopping, and wipe clean with a damp cloth. The surface is cool to the touch, which makes it a good surface for rolling out dough, though most bakers still use a board. Because it is a natural stone, it does not harbor bacteria easily when sealed and cleaned regularly. However, it is not a cutting board. Using a knife directly on the stone will dull your knives and can eventually scratch the sealer, making the stone more prone to staining. A simple cutting board is all you need to avoid that.
One of the biggest advantages of granite is heat tolerance. You can pull a skillet from the stove and set it on the counter without worrying about a scorch mark. That is a real benefit for cooks who move fast. But the sealant is not as heat proof as the stone itself. Setting a 500 degree Dutch oven in the same spot every day can eventually degrade the sealer, and then a spill of oil or wine might leave a mark. The solution is simple: use a trivet for heavy, prolonged heat. It is a small habit that keeps the surface looking new for years. In most cases, the stone itself will not crack from thermal shock unless there is a sudden extreme temperature change, such as a hot pan on a cold stone that is already stressed.
Granite is also acid resistant in general, but it is not acid proof. Unlike marble, which etches immediately from lemon juice, granite stands up to mild acids like vinegar or citrus much better. However, some granites contain calcium based minerals that can be sensitive to strong acids over time. A quick wipe with a neutral cleaner or mild dish soap keeps the stone safe. We recommend avoiding harsh abrasives, bleach, or ammonia based cleaners, because they can break down the sealer. A simple routine of wiping up spills and cleaning with a stone safe cleaner goes a long way.
The finish on a granite slab changes how it looks, feels, and handles everyday smudges. The most common finish is polished. A polished surface is glossy and reflective, which brings out the depth of the colors and the movement in the stone. It is also the most stain resistant finish because the surface is tight and less porous. However, a polished finish shows fingerprints, water spots, and smears more easily, so it may need a quick wipe down to look its best. For a busy kitchen with kids, that can mean a little more maintenance on the appearance front.
A honed finish is matte and smooth, with no shine. It gives the stone a softer, more organic look that many homeowners prefer for a rustic or contemporary kitchen. The lack of reflection hides scratches and wear better than polished, but it is more porous because the polishing process also closes some of the surface pores. A honed slab will need sealing more often and can show oil marks from cooking or fingerprints more readily, especially on darker stones. Some people love the patina a honed finish develops over time, while others prefer the crisp look of polished. It is a personal choice, and we can show you samples of both during the slab selection.
Leathered is a finish that has a textured, slightly pebbled surface with a soft sheen. It is created by brushing the stone with diamond tipped brushes, which removes the mirror shine but leaves a tactile feel. Leathered granite hides smudges, water spots, and dust better than either polished or honed, making it a popular choice for homeowners who want low maintenance looks. The texture also gives some grip, so dishes and glasses are less likely to slide. However, the uneven surface can collect crumbs in the crevices, so wiping it down requires a little more attention to the grain. It is not a finish for every stone, but when it works, it is a real workhorse finish.
The way we do granite is different from a big box store or a shop that shows you a four inch square sample. You come to a direct importer slab floor in Austin, where there are 299 lots of stone on the floor at any given time. You walk through the rows of full slabs, see them standing up in natural light, and pick the exact one that will be cut for your kitchen. There is no guessing whether the veining will match the sample or whether the color will be right. The slab you tag is the slab that gets templated, cut, and installed. This is an important step, especially for granite, because the variation from slab to slab can be dramatic.
When you visit the slab floor, we encourage you to take your time. Bring a cabinet door, a paint swatch, or a tile sample. See how the stone looks next to your own materials. Check the layout of the slab with the fabricator to see how the cuts will fall. The fabricator can mark the slab to show where the island piece will come from and how the seams will run. This is your chance to make sure the movement of the stone flows the way you want. For Leander residents, the slab floor is a short drive down the 183A corridor into Austin, so it is an easy trip to make. We can also meet you there if you want guidance.
The slab floor carries a full range of stones, from showpiece slabs with dramatic movement to more uniform, budget friendly options. For rental properties or flip jobs in the Leander area, we can also work with a slab selection and fabrication partner that stocks rental grade and flip grade stone. That way, a landlord does not have to pay for a premium slab when a clean, serviceable surface is all that is needed. The process is the same: you pick the slab, we template, fabricate, and install it. The quality of the work does not change, just the tier of stone.
Once you have selected your slab, the next step is templating. A crew member comes to your home in Leander and takes precise measurements of your cabinets. We use a digital templating system that captures every corner, bump, and out of square wall. This is critical because the stone will be cut exactly to those measurements. If you have a sink, we also take the template of the sink cutout at that time. The sink set is included in the fabrication work, so we handle the mounting and the silicone seal. You do not need to bring in a separate contractor for that step.
After templating, the slab goes into fabrication. The stone is cut on a CNC saw and waterjet, then the edges are profiled and polished. The whole process happens in our shop with the same crew that did the template. This keeps the work consistent. We do not farm out the cutting to a third party. When the fabrication is done, the crew delivers the finished pieces to your home and installs them. They check the seam joins, level the pieces, and secure them to the cabinets. The job is not complete until you walk the countertops with us and everything looks right.
We do not promise a specific number of days from start to finish, because every job is different and we do not rush the work. Instead, when we give you a quote, we also give you a firm installation date in writing. That date is based on the slab availability, the fabrication schedule, and the crew's workload. You know exactly when the crew will be in your home, and you can plan around it. There is no open ended timeline. If you need to know when the job can be done, call us at (512) 297-7493 for a straight quote and a date.
$38 per square foot, cut, measure, and install included. Jobs over 1,000 square feet: $30 per square foot.
Sink cutout and sink set are included in the fabrication work. Non standard work is still quoted before work begins. Send the rough square footage and the rooms involved, or call (512) 297-7493 for a straight quote.
Yes, granite is porous and needs a penetrating sealer to slow down the absorption of liquids. We seal the stone after installation, and you should reseal it about once a year, depending on use. Darker, denser granites may need less frequent sealing, but lighter stones usually need more. Sealing is not a permanent barrier; it just buys you time to clean up a spill before it becomes a stain.
In most cases, yes. Granite is heat tolerant and will not scorch from a hot pan. However, prolonged, repeated direct heat can degrade the sealant, which might lead to staining if a spill occurs. We recommend using a trivet or a pad for heavy pots and pans, especially if you are cooking with high heat for a long time. The stone itself is unlikely to crack from normal cooking heat.
Granite is hard and resists scratching from knives and everyday use, but it is not scratch proof. Dragging a heavy cast iron pan or cutting directly on the stone can dull the surface over time. Staining is possible if the sealer has worn off and an oily or acidic liquid sits on the stone. Using a cutting board and wiping up spills promptly keeps the surface in good shape. Some lighter granites can show oil marks more than darker ones, even with sealer.
Use a pH neutral cleaner or a few drops of mild dish soap in warm water. Wipe with a soft cloth or sponge. Avoid harsh cleaners like bleach, ammonia, vinegar, or abrasive powders, because they can break down the sealer and dull the finish. Do not use scouring pads. For daily cleaning, a damp microfiber cloth is usually enough. If you want a stone safe cleaner, we can recommend one when you pick up your slab.
We do not give a generic number of days because every job is different. When we quote your job, we give you a firm installation date in writing based on the slab availability, fabrication schedule, and crew capacity. That way you know exactly when the crew will be in your home. There is no vague window. Call us at (512) 297-7493 for a straight quote and a specific date for your project.
Tell us the rooms, the rough square footage and what you have in mind for granite countertops in leander. You get a number for the whole job, in writing, before anyone cuts anything.