STONE 101
At RE Marble & Granite we are passionate about stone. We may even take for granted some of the things we have learned over the years about stone, and forget to pass the pertinent ones on to you when we speak to you, so here is a basic primer about stone, the selection process and other FAQ's.
"What kind of stone is it and how do I take care of it?”
There are basically three types of natural stone used for countertops:
Granite – This is by far the most common, because of its abundance in the natural world and its scratch-resistance. Granite or ‘granitic’ (granite-like) stones are mostly Quartz, Feldspar, and Mica, making them quite hard (around a 7 on a 1-10 scale). They are igneous rocks, which are formed when hot molten lava cools into various crystalline forms. Granite is the most popular stone countertop material by far because it withstands heat better than other products, is stain resistant when sealed, is very hard (resists scratches) , and comes in literally hundreds of spectacular colors.
Care and Maintenance: We seal EVERY top we install at our fabrication shop using a premanent sealer called "Stainproof". It requires no maintenance.For daily cleaning use soap and water, or spray-cleaners that DO NOT contain ammonia, citrus, vinegar, bleach or any acidic ingredients, as these will compromise your seal over time. We recommend and sell StoneTech Professional’s Revitalizer or Granquartz 3 in 1 spray.
For stone products that you own now, without a permanent sealer, you should re-seal every 1-5 years as needed. To determine this, sprinkle a few drops of water on your countertop. Wait a few minutes then wipe them up– if the stone is darker where the water was, reseal it! Otherwise, enjoy it.
Limestone, Marble, and Travertine – These three stones arise from different circumstances in nature, but all are composed of mostly Calcium Carbonate (think of very dense Tums). Limestone formed in ancient sea beds as the shells from microscopic organisms accumulated and were compressed. If that limestone were subjected to heat and even more pressure underground, it would eventually re-crystallize into Marble, which is why limestone may include fossils but marble never does. Travertine forms as dissolved minerals at and around hot springs are deposited over time similar to the formations at ‘Old Faithful’. All of these stones are softer than granite (a 3 on 1-10 scale), and are susceptible to ‘etching’ from even weak acids (Who spilled this Margarita?) so we recommend a ‘honed’ finish (more about Finishes later) where acids may be present.
Care and maintenance: Care of these stones is similar to granite, but it may require more frequent sealing due to its porosity. These stones can be scratched by cutlery or unfinished ceramic (mug-bottoms) and polished finishes can be etched (surface layer of molecules dissolved) by lemon juice, cola, or coffee, so more care is required. Diligence is needed when using acidic products – wipe them up before they can do any damage.
Soapstone – Soapstone was once the standard for New England kitchens, and its virtues are becoming re-appreciated by the public. It is predominantly Talc, like the powder, and is quite soft (1.5 on 1-10 scale). However, it is non-reactive and non-porous (remember those tables in chem. lab in high school?), so it will survive almost anything. It is virtually impossible to stain soapstone because of its density.
Care and Maintenance: Soapstone never needs to be sealed because it is inherently non-porous. It is easy to scratch, but a few swipes with 80 grit sandpaper will bring it back to its original state. Most people choose to apply mineral oil to the surface to neutralize the tonal differences and hide minor scratches, while bringing out the depth of the stone. Un-oiled stone looks more rustic, and work areas will quickly develop a patina. Oiling the entire top will eliminate this. We can also apply Tiger Ager which will give you a maintenance free dark look for up to 5 years without frequent re-oiling.
Other stone products used for countertops include:
Quartz - These materials are made of natural quartz chips encased in a resin base. They typically are very consistent in their colors because they are made in factories, of specific mixtures of material. They do not require resealing. You can buy quartz under the following names: Cambria, Caesarstone, Technistone, Compaq.
Care and Maintenance: Quartz products are typically cleaned with simple soap and water or mild household cleaners.
IceStone - This 'green' product is made from 100% recycled glass and concrete and comes in over 2 dozen colors. It performs very much like natural stone and is sealed like granite or marble.
"What do you mean, each slab is different?”
Here are some variations you might encounter in natural stone:
Veining - ALL types of stone can have veining; one slab may have none while the next looks like a metropolitan roadmap. This simply indicates the presence of a different mineral than the background composition.
Inclusions – This is just a fancy way of saying a portion of the slab which looks different from the rest. They can be small, medium or large. Barely noticeable or quite obvious – and beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Fissures – These look like hair-line cracks in the stone, but are most often just surface features, and will not widen or grow over time. They do NOT affect the structural integrity of the stone. Usually if you can’t feel it, it’s a fissure. If you can, it’s cracked. Fissures are not something to be repaired; cracks can often be repaired if necessary.
Pits – The word ‘Granite’ derives from the root for ‘grain’, and because of its granular nature, it may include tiny pits on the surface. Here is the explanation from the industry referenece manual, the Marble Institute of America's Design Manual: " Granites are made up of several different minerals, each having a different hardness. ..... Biotites, the black minerals throughout the slab, are by contrast very soft and flake easily. All true granites have biotite in their composition. Because biotites are soft and flaky, the first few layers are removed during the polishing process, causing pits. Some granites have more biotites throughout their composition than others. The higher the biotite content of the stone, the more pits it will have. All polished igneous/metamorphic rock will have varying degrees of pits, depending on the amount of bitotites ....... Pitting does not make the granite less durable or of inferior quality. Pits exist in all granites and should be expected when dealing with a natural, polished stone containing several types of minerals with different hardnesses."
at time of install or shortly there after. This does not affect the integrity of the stone, and often doesn’t happen at all. It is important to ‘feel’ your slab when choosing stone so you will not be surprised uipon close inspection after installaion.
Fill – When slabs are cut from the large chunks of stone at the quarry, there are often voids in the surface. The softer stones, travertines and limestones, sometimes have so many voids they look like a dense sponge. The quarries will fill these voids and then polish the surface smooth. Sometimes these voids are evident on the cut edges of the slabs. You may find slabs where the fill is not particularly well color matched.
All of these characteristics of natural stone, although they add to its charm and uniqueness, illustrate why we suggest everyone view their slabs prior to fabrication. You can even place your template on your slab to maximize or avoid specific areas.
“What is a Template?”
A template is a life-sized replica of your new counter top which we create in your home using thin strips of wood to outline shapes. In order for us to template for your new countertop, the existing one must be removed in nearly every instance. This is something you are responsible for. You should also be aware that you will be without a functional kitchen from template until installation With RE, that’s about a week. With other companies you may wait 2-3 weeks or more!
At the time of the template we need anything that will touch the stone on site – Sink(s), Faucet(s), Appliances. Without these items we may not be able to proceed.
You may determine the following items when we template your project:
Overhangs – 1 1/2” is standard in the front of cabinets, but stone can overhang up to 10”, provided there is at least 20” of counter-balanced stone to act as a cantilever. Longer overhangs or shorter supports require further support.
Corners – We produce corners with a ¼” radius unless otherwise specified, but your imagination is the limit! We can do fancy curves, clipped corners or odd angles, just let us know.
Edges – We offer many different edges, from slightly eased to ‘roped’ to chiseled. This is a nice way to customize your design scheme.
Seams – We will work with your design to produce a top with as few seems as possible (or none!), while keeping in mind slab size and weight, and things like stairways and low ceilings that affect our installation crews. When we do have to seam material, we use multiple colors of epoxy to distract the eye from seeing a straight line: this minimizes their appearance.
Finish – While polished is still the most popular, there are many finishes available for your counter top. See below …..
“What is the difference between finishes?”
The differences are aesthetic as well as functional. Some more common finishes are:
Polished – This is the mirror-gloss you are most likely familiar with. In granite it is low maintenance, but it is not always appropriate for Marble, especially in the kitchen, and Soapstone will not take a full polish. This is attained using increasingly finer flexible diamond-grit pads.
Honed – This is smooth to the touch, like polished, but lacks the shine. There are degrees of Honed, from dusty looking to just off-polished, and we recommend this finish for marble in kitchens. However, most granite and darker marble will show fingerprints and rings from glasses if honed, so we suggest against it in these materials. Soapstone is almost always honed. This is achieved using the aforementioned pads, but stopping on a coarser grit than polished.
Brushed, Antiqued, Leathered – All of these terms are interchangeable. They signify a ‘rumpley’ feel and moderate shine without gloss. The size of the ‘rumples’ depend on the size of the crystals in the given stone. This finish gives a one of a kind look that is more understatedly elegant than polished and requires less maintenance than honed. This is achieved using pads with flexible fingers of plastic and diamond grit.
Flamed – This is a rough, sand-paper like finish more suited for exterior applications, but works great inside on vertical surfaces like fireplace surrounds. It is achieved using a liquid-oxygen torch to re-align the crystals that make up the stone.
“How does the installation work?”
We will do the following things:
- Schedule An Installation about a week before your template.
- Conduct Ourselves Professionally and with courtesy, efficiency and clear communication on site.
- Install The Stone you chose a few weeks ago.
- Install Your Sink(s) if they are apron-front or undermount.
- Glue Your Seem(s) and fill gaps at walls and cabinets.
- Make Minor Structural Adjustments to your cabinets if necessary.
- Clean Up After Ourselves, including trash removal and polishing the stone.
We will NOT do any of the following:
- Attach Your Faucet, soap dispenser, or any other accessories.
- Plumb Anything – sink, faucet, or otherwise. We are not insured or licensed for this.
- Touch Electrical Or Gas, disconnect or reconnect. Same reason!
- Attach Your Dishwasher, as designs vary greatly among manufacturers.
We need you to do the following:
- IMPORTANT!!! Make sure there is clear, unobstructed and safe path for us to carry the stone into your home. If there is construction, or ice and snow it MUST be cleared before we arrive. Keep in mind that each piece of stone can weigh up to several hundred pounds! Our installers are instructed to return to the shop if they cannot proceed safely and this results in unnecessary additional charges.
- Remove All Contents of your base cabinets and sink base, as we will need access to them.
- Allow A Few Hours for the install to take place.
- Expect To Fall In Love with your new countertop!
We would like to thank you for choosing RE Marble & Granite, and for considering us for your project. If you have any questions or concerns, please email or call!