HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON STONE CARE QUESTIONS:

HOW DO I REMOVE A STAIN?

Natural stone is a naturally porous material. Stains are easily removed by blotting the spill with a paper towel immediately. Do not wipe the spill as it will spread. Flush the area with plain water and mild soap. Dry the area thoroughly with a soft cloth and repeat as necessary.

DO I HAVE TO SEAL MY COUNTERTOPS?

We recommend that ALL natural stone products be sealed to help protect against staining. A quality water-based penetrating sealer should be used. Sealing should be done at least once annually and more often in high traffic areas. We suggest discussing this procedure with your fabricator.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MARBLE AND GRANITE

Marble and granite both add a polished sophistication and enhance any room. Both can be used for countertops, tile flooring, fireplace mantels, columns, vases and much more. However, even though marble and granite have a similar aesthetic, they can also be better suited for specific purposes.

Marble lasts as long as granite, but is typically best used for bathrooms. Marble's subtle color choices and veining patterns can create more unique and exquisite designs. Physically, marble is less dense and is often the preferred choice for fireplace mantels because more detailed designs can be carved. Marble largely composed of calcite and is sensitive to acidic foods including ketchup, lemon, vinegar and wine. In exposing marble to these acids, there is a risk of staining and dulling the polished finish.

Greater density and hardness help make granite resistant to scratches, acids, stains and heat. This makes granite a popular choice for kitchen countertops and outdoor pieces as it is the most durable natural stone and stands up well to inclement weather. Granite is long-lasting and creates a beautiful, unique ambiance in any environment.

I HAVE HEARD THAT GRANITE NEEDS TO BE SEALED FREQUENTLY. IS THAT TRUE?

Answer: Probably not! That is the short answer. However, this is a very complicated answer with many different possible answers. First, The Marble Institute of America’s position is that most granite does not need sealing. It is made of a dense enough material to be frost proof, or have a water absorption rate so low that it will not retain a damaging amount of water in case of a freezing temperature. Will sealing improve this status? Possibly, but only minimally so. Most granite is very stain resistant, so what are we trying to improve? With that being said, some granite will benefit from sealing. That is why we are here. We take a look at all of the stones and granite we fabricate. If it needs a sealer, we will seal it for you. The general rule we use is “if water darkens the stone”, we believe it needs a sealer.

A little bit of common sense goes a long way. Why not just seal everything? Well, the long explanation goes like this: “resin coating.” Resin coating is a process that slab fabricators have developed over the last 5 to 10 years. This process applies an epoxy coating over the slabs, and fills the voids, veins, and fissures. It was developed for stone that was normally so unstable that it would never reach the marketplace in good enough shape to be of any use. The more unstable stones they sold, the more they used resin. Resin coating has become such a part of slab fabrication that many of the fabricators decided to resin coat all of the colors to keep things simple. We do not know what kind of resins these fabricators are using. When you mix a sealer with an unknown resin, it may turn the resin “cloudy.” If you turn it “cloudy”, you have ruined the material. That is why this is best left for us to figure out.

DOES GRANITE HARBOR BACTERIA?

Answer: Absolutely not!! Dr. O. Peter Snyder of the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, using e-coli bacteria as his contaminating agent, found significant cleanability advantages of natural, unsealed, non-resin coated granite over all other commonly found countertop surfaces. Granite actually ranked #1 in cleanability when washed with a soap and water solution.

WILL HEAT DAMAGE MY GRANITE?

Answer: Not unless you subject it to a high heat source for a long period of time. If you take a casserole dish out of the oven, feel free to set it on your granite countertops. It will cool long before it will have any effect. If a frying pan gets too hot, you can set it on your granite tops without fear of damage. To get a little on the technical side, it takes an 80 to 90-degree difference within your granite countertops to cause enough thermal stress to cause a crack. Something like a heat lamp left on may do it. But, it will have to be left on for several hours to cause a problem. If you heat a piece of granite uniformly, it will take many hundreds of degrees before any problems arise. Please note granite tops will draw the heat from food dishes or a delivered pizza very quickly.

I HAVE HEARD GRANITE DOES NOT COME IN MANY COLORS. IS THIS TRUE?

Answer: This is one of the easiest myths to dispel. Come to our showroom. We have over 100 color samples (slabs) on display. Our suppliers have told us there are about 4000 - 5000 different colors available.

DOES GRANITE CONTAIN RADON GAS?

Answer: First let us examine the question: “what is radon?” Radon is a naturally occurring gas generated by the decay of trace amounts of uranium found in the Earth’s crust throughout the world. It is an unstable gas that quickly breaks down and dissipates in the air. Research has proven that a typical granite countertop produces less than one atom of radon in one year. We are exposed to more radon from concrete, cement, sheetrock, and the outdoor air we breathe everyday than from a granite countertop. The scientist, Maurizio Bertoli, who researched and wrote the article “RADON IN GRANITE…What a crock of cheap salesmanship”, suggested that if we wanted to reduce our exposure to radon, we should build an airtight house

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