You pick the actual slab off a real Austin slab floor. Then our crew templates, fabricates and installs it, one crew start to finish.
A kitchen island countertop is a big piece of stone that has to do more than sit there. Overhangs need support or they break. Waterfall ends have to be seamed tight so the grain runs clean around the corner. Long islands get seamed because a single slab rarely covers the full length. And cooktop and prep sink cutouts have to be measured exact so the appliance drops in without a gap. This page walks through each of those jobs so you know what you are asking for when you call for a straight quote.
Leander has a lot of new construction homes, many built in the last ten to fifteen years. The kitchen islands in those houses tend to be long, often six to nine feet, and they sit open to the great room. That means the countertop is a focal point. A seam down the middle is visible, so the layout has to be planned to hide the seam in a sight line or run it along a cabinet break. The overhang on the seating side is usually twelve to fifteen inches, which calls for corbels or a steel bar so the stone does not crack.
The crew at ATX Granite King works with a direct importer slab floor in Austin that carries 299 lots across granite, quartzite, engineered quartz, marble, dolomite, soapstone, porcelain slabs and semi precious stone. For a rental property or a flip they can source a slab from their slab selection and fabrication partner so you are not paying for a showpiece. Sink cutout and sink set are included in the fabrication work. Call for a straight quote. The square foot rate is on this page, and the quote for your job comes from the crew.
An island overhang that sticks out more than ten inches needs something under it. Corbels, a steel bar, or a plywood sublayer carry the weight so the stone does not snap at the seam or at the cutout edge. The crew measures the actual overhang distance on site and adds the support before the slab is templated. That way the support is hidden and the stone sits solid.
A waterfall end runs the stone down the side of the island to the floor. The miter at the top corner has to be cut tight so the two pieces meet without a visible gap. The grain on the face piece has to match the top piece or the waterfall looks off. The crew lays out the slab to get the best grain match before they cut.
When the island is longer than the slab width, the seam is unavoidable. The crew positions the seam so it falls at a natural break, like a cabinet door line or a cooktop cutout. The seam is glued with color matched epoxy and polished flat. A good seam is hard to see but it is still a seam. The layout is decided at the template visit.
The process starts at the slab floor. You go to the direct importer yard in Austin and pick the actual slab you want. The crew does not pick for you. You see the veining, the color, the movement, and the size. The slab is tagged with your name and held until the template date. The crew can go with you if you want, but the choice is yours.
After you pick the slab, the crew comes to your Leander house to template. They measure the island, the overhang, the cooktop cutout, the prep sink cutout, and the waterfall ends if you are doing those. They mark where the seam will go. They also check the cabinet level and the subfloor. If the island is not level, the stone will rock or crack. The crew tells you what needs to be fixed before fabrication.
Fabrication happens at the shop. The slab is cut, edged, polished, and the cutouts are made. The waterfall miter is cut and dry fit. The seam is glued and cured. Then the crew brings the pieces to your house and installs them. One crew start to finish. Sink set is included. The crew cleans up and you have a countertop.
Granite is a natural igneous stone that is hard and heat tolerant but porous enough to want sealing. In a Leander new construction home where the island gets heavy use, granite holds up to hot pans and spills as long as it is sealed. The sealing has to be redone every year or two. Some granites are denser and need less sealing, but the crew recommends sealing all natural stone.
Engineered quartz is ground stone and resin. It is non porous and needs no sealing. It does not stain from wine or oil. But it can be damaged by direct heat from a hot pan or a slow cooker. It can also yellow or warp from long UV exposure, which matters if the island is near a south facing window. In most Leander homes the island is not in direct sun all day, so quartz is a common choice.
Quartzite is metamorphosed sandstone and is very hard. It resists heat and scratches. But some slabs sold as quartzite are softer and behave more like marble. Those softer slabs etch from acids like lemon and vinegar. The crew can help you tell the difference by looking at the slab and the supplier paperwork. If you want a hard natural stone that does not etch, true quartzite is the best option. If you want a soft look that will show wear, marble or dolomite is an option but you have to accept the etching.
An island overhang for seating usually runs twelve to fifteen inches. That much stone cantilevered without support will crack over time, especially if someone leans on it or sets a heavy bag of groceries on the edge. The crew installs corbels, a steel angle bar, or a plywood sublayer to carry the load. The support is hidden inside the cabinet or under the stone so it does not show.
The type of support depends on the stone thickness and the overhang distance. A three centimeter slab with a twelve inch overhang can often be supported with corbels every twenty four to thirty inches. A two centimeter slab with a fourteen inch overhang needs a steel bar. The crew tells you what your island needs at the template visit. If the cabinet builder did not plan for support, the crew can add it, but it is easier if the support is built into the cabinet frame from the start.
In Leander new construction, many builders frame the island with a flat plywood top that the stone sits on. That plywood carries the overhang load. If the island has a finished end panel, the corbels can be mounted to the panel. If the island is open on the seating side, the corbels are mounted to the cabinet side. The crew works with whatever the island has and adjusts the support plan to match.
A long island in a Leander home is often eight to ten feet. A standard slab is about six and a half feet wide and nine to ten feet long. If the island is longer than the slab length, the seam runs across the island. If the island is wider than the slab width, the seam runs along the length. The crew positions the seam to fall at a natural break, such as a cabinet door line, a cooktop cutout, or a prep sink cutout.
The seam is cut with a diamond blade, glued with color matched epoxy, and clamped until the epoxy cures. Then the seam is polished flat with diamond pads. A good seam is hard to see but it is not invisible. The epoxy can yellow over time if the stone is light colored and the epoxy is not UV stable. The crew uses epoxy that is rated for the stone color and the light exposure. If the island is in direct sun, they use a UV stable epoxy.
The seam is also a weak point. If the island takes a heavy impact near the seam, the stone can crack along the seam line. That is rare but it happens. The crew does not put the seam in a high stress area like the middle of the seating overhang. They put it where the stone is supported by the cabinet below. The seam location is marked on the template and you see it before the slab is cut.
A cooktop cutout is a hole in the stone that has to match the cooktop exactly. The crew needs the actual cooktop or the manufacturer template to template the cutout. If you have not bought the cooktop yet, the crew can use the specs from the appliance model, but the safest way is to have the physical cooktop or the template. The cutout is cut with a CNC machine or a handheld router with a diamond bit. The edges are polished.
The cutout location has to clear the island seam, the overhang support, and the prep sink if you are adding one. The crew lays out all three at the template visit. If the cooktop is near the edge of the island, the cutout can weaken the stone. The crew checks the distance from the cutout to the edge and to the seam. If the distance is too short, they recommend moving the cooktop or adding a support bar.
A prep sink cutout is smaller but the same process. The crew needs the actual sink or the template. The sink location has to clear the dishwasher door swing and the cooktop controls. The crew measures the cabinet interior to make sure the sink fits. Sink set is included in the fabrication work. The crew installs the sink with clips and silicone. The sink is set before the stone is installed. Call for a straight quote.
$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, but the cutouts have to be spaced so the stone does not crack between them. The minimum distance between two cutouts is about four inches, but it depends on the stone type and the thickness. The crew checks the layout at the template visit. If the island is narrow, the cooktop and sink may not both fit. The crew will tell you before they cut.
Granite is porous and will absorb liquids if it is not sealed. Sealing reduces the absorption but does not stop it completely. Most granites need to be sealed every one to two years. The crew can seal the stone at installation. If you do not seal it, oil and wine can stain the stone. Sealing is not difficult, but it is a recurring job.
Waterfall ends look clean but they add cost and complexity. The miter at the top corner has to be cut and polished, and the grain has to match. If the stone is thin or brittle, the miter can chip. The waterfall also makes the island harder to move or replace later. If the stone cracks or stains, you have to replace both the top and the face piece.
Yes, if you pick two slabs from the same lot, the color and veining will be close. If you pick from different lots, the match may be off. The crew can help you find two slabs that work together. If you want the island to be a different stone than the perimeter, that is common and the crew can do that too.
Call (512) 297-7493 or email info@atxgraniteking.com. The crew answers seven days a week. Tell them you want island countertops in Leander. They will set up a time for you to go to the slab floor in Austin and pick your slab. After you pick, they come to your house to template. They give you the timeline in writing with the quote.
Tell us the rooms, the rough square footage and what you have in mind for kitchen island countertops in leander. You get a number for the whole job, in writing, before anyone cuts anything.