Slabs of granite, marble, travertine, or quartz come in several thicknesses. We shorten the names from terms like ‘one centimeter’ to 1cm, 2cm, 3cm, 4cm, and 6cm, because it just gets too hard to say ‘centimeter’ over and over.
These thicknesses each work best in different situations. Here are a few basic guidelines; but keep in mind, these rules are not set in stone – a designer can help you determine which thickness works best for you.
1cm:
Single-centimeter thick slabs are too fragile to be used for countertops. Most often, smaller slabs of 1cm material are used for shower walls or other vertical surfaces.
2cm:
Vying with 3cm material as the most popular thickness, 2cm is perfect for most countertops and especially for areas that are going to use lamination up to a 4cm thickness on the edges. Sometimes 2cm can be laminated all the way up to 6cm, often with a contract strip in the middle.
3cm:
Currently the best-seller, 3cm materials do not usually get laminated. This size is useful for countertops as well. 3cm can also extend unsupported for a few more inches than 2cm materials can. Tables and commercial counters are also quite often made from 3cm granite or quartz.
Heidi Breton
Schumacher Tile & Stone
April 9th, 2009 at 6:54 am
3cm is almost all that is sold in the Northeast, but the 2cm market has become popular with vanity applications.
April 9th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
3cm is reportedly very popular along the Pacific coast, as well. I can see why 2cm is popular with vanities – it doesn’t give such a heavy appearance, which might overpower a bathroom!
Thanks for the insight into the Northeastern market – we appreciate learning more about the business from all over!
May 13th, 2009 at 3:42 am
I agree 3cm is far to overpoering 2cm is just right for a bathroom
February 26th, 2010 at 6:02 am
I think 2cm is just right for a bathroom
September 9th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Why is is that 90% of the US uses 3cm, but there are certain counties in Florida, California, and some southern states that use nothing but 2cm laminated??? Guess it just what you’re used to
October 1st, 2010 at 11:16 am
2cm Granite is mostly used through out the rest of the world. The US consumes mostly 3cm material. Both are equally as good. Granite Wilmington has mostly 3cm granite countertops.
I do agree that 2cm is a nice top for a wilmington granite countertop here! Not to thick and chunky looking for small spaces.
December 28th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
The laminated 2cm (to appear at 4cm) is big in the San Diego CA Market. We’ve chosen to go mainstream and stock the thicker 3cm slabs with no lamination line needed.
January 6th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
The 2cm vs 3cm argument appears to be impacted by what the prevailing wage is. A shop that cuts and polishes by hand and that has access to the cheapest labor forces appear to be choosing the slightly more affordable 2cm, spending a bit more time on the lamination (labor), but still feels that they’re able to provide a countertop for a lower overall cost.
January 25th, 2011 at 10:25 pm
Do people who have the laminated granite actually like it? We’ve always fabricated the thicker because we only have to measure and polish once. What’s the allure of having slightly thicker, but showing the lamination glue?
January 28th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Thanks for the comments!
Philadelphia: Many people are very pleased with 2cm granite laminated to 4cm. There are different edges that cannot be created with 3cm singles, such as ogee over full bullnose. As far as glue showing, if the fabrication is professionally done, the joint should be given away only by a pattern change in the granite, the glue should not be visible.
Some people avoid the horizontal line that can break up the pattern on the side by using a knife-mitre corner, which allows the glue to be polished along the outside corner of the edge, and is less noticeable in large-patterned granites.
June 24th, 2011 at 4:18 pm
As much as I love a nice stone, the 4cm just looks out of scale to me. Just what I grew up with I guess (and even that doesn’t make sense, because we all grew up with 1.5″ thick laminate)