How to Choose Countertops: A Plain Guide

New countertops are one of the biggest choices in a kitchen or bath. Most people start by looking at colors. That is the fun part, but starting there is how people end up with a stone they love to look at and hate to live with.

Here is an order that works better.

Step 1: Start With How You Live

Before color, think about what your counters go through every day. Each stone handles daily life differently.

Do you set hot pans down without thinking? Granite has the highest published heat tolerance, about 480°F according to the Natural Stone Institute. Quartz has the lowest. MSI’s 2026 heat guide says quartz is “safe up to about 150°F,” which is cooler than boiling water.
Do spills sit for a while? Quartz never needs sealing. MSI calls it “a nonporous surface.” Natural stone like granite resists stains well, and we seal every natural stone slab before we install it.
Do you cook with lemon, vinegar and tomato? Marble reacts to acid. The Natural Stone Institute says its calcite “is vulnerable to attack by mild acids, including those commonly found in kitchen and bar settings.”
Does the counter get strong sun? MSI says “Most standard quartz is not recommended for outdoor use as UV exposure can discolor the resin.” That matters for outdoor kitchens and very sunny windows.
Is it a rental? Think about which stone forgives the most mistakes from people who will not baby it.

Our guides go deeper on each one: Which Stone Is the Most Durable?, Granite vs Quartz and Quartz vs Quartzite.

Step 2: Set a Real Budget

Prices change, and every kitchen is different, but you need a starting point. SlabWise, a company that makes software for countertop shops, published these installed Florida prices per square foot in July 2026:

Stone	Low	Typical	High
Granite	$50	$75	$130
Quartz	$55	$85	$140
Quartzite	$65	$100	$180
Marble	$75	$120	$200

SlabWise says a 45 square foot kitchen of granite or quartz “comes out to $2,925 to $4,050 before any add-ons.” Notice that granite and quartz overlap a lot. The exact stone you pick within each type often matters more than the type.

Set your budget before you fall in love with a slab. It is much easier than talking yourself out of one later. More detail in How Much Do Countertops Cost in Tallahassee?

Step 3: Choose the Look

Now the fun part. A few things to know:

Natural stone is one of a kind. Granite, quartzite and marble come out of the earth, so every slab is different, and samples are only a guide. Our own terms tell customers plainly that natural stone varies from samples.

Quartz is chosen by the maker. Because it is made, its look is planned by the maker rather than by nature.

Look at it in your own light. Your kitchen light is not a showroom’s light. If you can, look at a sample at home, morning and evening, next to your cabinets and floor.

Think about veins and seams together. A bold vein that runs across a long counter has to meet itself at any seam. More on that in the next step.

Step 4: Plan the Details

These small choices change the look, the price and how the counter works.

Edges. These are the edge styles we offer, in three groups:

Chart of 15 countertop edge styles in three groups: basic, premium and custom

Basic: straight, round top and bottom, 1/4 round, and bevel.
Premium: full bullnose, half bullnose, demi bullnose, and bevel top and bottom.
Custom: cove, ogee, ogee bull, cove dupont, cove ogee, flat ogee, and waterfall.

On price, SlabWise says “An eased or beveled edge is usually included,” while fancier edges such as ogee, waterfall or stacked edges add “$15 to $40 per linear foot.”

Sink. Choose your sink early, because the stone is cut to fit it. Your sink, faucet and cooktop need to be at the house on install day.

Backsplash. You can choose a short stone backsplash (we install 4 inch stone backsplashes), a full height stone backsplash, or tile. A backsplash does more than look nice: stone is cut in straight lines, few walls are truly square, and a backsplash covers the small gaps along a wall that bows.

Seams. Long or L-shaped counters often need more than one piece of stone, and the pieces meet at a seam. Seams are placed where the slabs allow. We work to line up the veins, but natural stone does not always cooperate, so we do not promise perfect alignment. Ask where the seams will go before anything is cut.

Step 5: Choose the Installer

The same slab can look great or poor depending on who measures, cuts and installs it. These are good questions to ask any countertop company, with our own answers so you can compare.

Who measures, and how? We build a wooden template right on your cabinets. In older homes, this matters: about half of Tallahassee’s homes were built before 1990, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, and walls in older homes are rarely straight.

Who installs it? At Tomahawk, Fernando does every step himself, from the first measurement to the final touches, with a small crew beside him on install day. Nothing is subbed out.

Is natural stone sealed? We seal every natural stone slab before we install it. Stone distributor Arizona Tile recommends sealing quartzite, and the Natural Stone Institute says sealing makes stone “more stain resistant,” not stain proof.

What happens to my old countertops? We remove and haul them away. Very heavy old tops, like concrete or tile, cost extra, which is rare. Old tops in good shape, we try to donate to groups like Big Bend Habitat for Humanity.

Who connects the plumbing? We mount the sink, but we do not connect water lines, gas or electrical. Your plumber hooks up the water. Ask any company this, so nothing surprises you on install day.

How long will it take? With us, once you choose your stone, it is usually 7 to 10 days from the wooden template to install day, and the install itself takes about one day.

What is in writing? Every job with us is covered by a written agreement you sign, and you get a copy. Read any company’s agreement before you sign it.

How do I pay? We take cash, check, and credit or debit cards. We do not offer financing.

Step 6: Get Ready for Install Day

A little preparation keeps install day smooth:

Before the template, clear everything off the counters. Cabinets need to be installed, square and level.
On install day, have your sink, faucet and cooktop at the house, and turn off the water.
Take down mirrors and wall art in the way, move rugs, put pets away, and clear a wide path from the door.
Keep the air conditioning on. Carrying stone is heavy work.
Afterward, wait 24 hours before using your new sink, so the epoxy can dry.

The whole path is on How It Works.

The Short Version

Pick the stone for how you live.
Set the budget before you see slabs.
Choose the look in your own light.
Decide the edge, sink, backsplash and seams early.
Choose an installer who measures carefully and answers plainly.
Prepare your kitchen for install day.

If you want to talk it through, call us. You will talk with Greylynne, and Fernando will come to your home to measure.

Sources

Fernando's Recent Work

Every photo is a job Fernando templated and installed himself. See all our work