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If you want stone countertops for your kitchen, you probably want to look at many slabs so you can compare different types of stone and different colors. The best place to do that is at a countertop distributor. This is like a large warehouse of stone slabs bought directly from the manufacturers. You'll have a huge selection when you go to a countertop distributor's store. Here's a little more information about how choosing your slab and getting stone countertops works.

How To Buy Stone Countertops 

You can buy stone countertops at a specialty store or big box store. You can also buy them directly from a stone countertop fabricator. A fabricator is different from a countertop distributor. It's the place that turns slabs into countertops, and they can sell countertops to the public and retail shops. You might find it's cheaper to buy your countertops directly from a fabricator.

When To Visit The Countertop Distributor

A countertop distributor services both retail stores and individuals, but you may not be able to buy a slab directly from a distributor. Instead, you work with a fabricator or a retail store first. The store or fabricator will send you to the countertop distributor so you can select the slab you want for your countertop. This saves having to move a heavy slab from place to place until it's sold and ready to be cut into a countertop.

What A Countertop Distributor Is Like

A distributor usually has rows of big stone slabs. These come from different quarries, so there will be different kinds of stone. By the time you go to a distributor, you'll probably know if you want granite, marble, or quartz. You can confine your search to the specific type of stone you want to save time.

Each slab in the warehouse is unique. They look similar but since each slab of granite or marble is cut from the earth, the veins will usually be somewhat different. This is important to know if you have long countertops and need to seam two slabs together. Be sure to look for two slabs that would look good next to each other so the veins line up. This helps the seam be barely noticeable.

Once you've chosen your slab, it goes to the fabricator who will cut it in a customized shape after taking measurements at your home. The fabricator uses the measurements to create a template that's used to cut the stone precisely so a sink will slide right in. When the slab is ready, the installers will put your new stone countertops in place.

Getting stone countertops is a little more involved than buying other countertop material, but the extra work is worth it once the work is done and you can admire your beautiful new countertops.