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Answers to common questions

Stone is a natural solid formation of one or many minerals. There are thousands of types of stone that have been quarried through the centuries. Quarries are located all around the world. A majority of natural stone comes from Italy, Spain, Turkey, United States, Mexico, China, Taiwan, India, Greece, Canada, France, and Brazil.

The minerals in stone came from the same liquid and gas minerals that formed the earth. The Earth developed as a massive body of gas and liquid minerals that slowly cooled and condensed to a solid core. Through pressure, the Earth’s crust began to form and heavy minerals were forced down to the core of the Earth where they were trapped. As the crust got thicker, it squeezed around the inner core which created intense pressure and heat from within the Earth. Crystals and other solid forms began to grow from the mineral vapors that were being released. As the Earth’s crust began to expand and erode, heat and pressure pushed the solid minerals up to the Earth’s surface which formed colossal rock beds. It took up to one-hundred million years to form some of these beds. Many of the beds are now used as quarries where the stone is mined.

Most of these minerals can be identified by their color, hardness, and crystal formation. Crystals come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The wide array of these minerals are often difficult to identify. Many stones look very similar to each other; however, they are all very different.

It is imperative to know the exact type of stone that is to be maintained. Stone is natural and may have adverse reactions to certain cleaning chemicals and procedures. Most stones are also natural alkalis and so are dirt and soil; therefore, stone and dirt are attracted to each other which often makes cleaning very difficult. This makes the proper selection of cleaning procedures and chemicals for stone very complex.

Marble is a relatively soft stone. On a measurement of hardness (MOHS), marble is approximately a three out of ten. Marble is made of calcium, just like your teeth. If you eat something too hard you will break your tooth. If you eat a lot of sugar you will get a cavity. Stone reacts the same way. If an improper chemical is applied to the surface, corrosion will begin to form cavities in stone.

Listed below is the famous Measurement of Hardness (MOH) Scale for stone. This is a guide developed in the 1800’s which helps evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the stone being used. For example, softer stones would require the use of a less active chemical and a more frequent dust mopping program.

Measurement of Hardness

10 Diamond
9 Corundum
8 Topaz
7 Quartz (Granite)
6 Feldspar (Granite)
5 Aparite
4 Fluorite
3 Calcite (Most marbles)
2 Gypsum
1 Talc

The objective of the MOH Scale is to measure stones resistance to hardness. When sediment and grit are harder then the surface, they will scratch and harm the stone. For example, a piece of hard plastic is about a 2.0. It will not scratch #3 Calcite (Marble). However, a piece of sand that measures a 6, will scratch #3 Calcite but will not scratch #7 Quartz which is Granite. The harder the stone, the more resistant it is to abrasion. Exterior sediment that is tracked in to buildings approximately measures from 3.0 to 7.0.

DO’s

  • Dust mop floor frequently.
  • Clean surfaces with mild detergent or stone soap (ask us).
  • Use coasters under all glasses, particularly those containing alcohol or citrus juices.
  • Use trivets or mats under hot dishes and placemats under china, ceramics, silver or other objects that can scratch the surface.
  • Thoroughly rinse and dry the surface after washing.
  • Blot up spills immediately.

DON’Ts

  • Use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids on marble, granite, limestone or onyx surfaces.
  • Place hot items directly on the stone surface.
  • Use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub & tile cleaners.
  • Use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.

Spill Removal
Blot the spill with a paper towel immediately. Don’t wipe the area, it will spread the spill. Flush the area with plain water and mild soap and rinse several times. Dry the area thoroughly with a soft cloth. Repeat as necessary if the stain remains.

Stain Removal
Identifying the type of stain on the stone surface is the key to removing it. If you don’t know what caused the stain, play detective. Where is the stain located? Is it near a plant, a load service area, an area where cosmetics are used? What color is it? What is the shape or pattern? What goes on in the area around the stain?

Surface stains can often be removed by cleaning product or household chemical. Deep-seated or stubborn stains may require using a poultice or calling a professional.

The answer to this really depends on where in the home you plan to get stone installed. For a bathroom vanity top, both marble and granite will be suitable. However, for kitchen countertops, granite is highly recommended due to the fact that it is harder and therefore more sturdy for kitchen related projects. Marble may more easily chip under the cut of a knife or the heavy plastic and metal of kitchen appliances.

In addition, marble is not recommended for kitchens because since it is a “softer” rock (see What is the hardness of Natural Stone?) and thus tends to be more permeable. It may capture liquids from foods and vegetables placed on it, causing stains. Granite is denser, and will not stain from non-citric foods, and is therefore more suitable for kitchens.

For floors, marble is preferable only because it is less expensive than granite, otherwise it does not make a difference which stone is used.

The first step is to call us anytime during business hours. Then, the customer may come to our showroom to see and choose from our selection of over 90 types of granite and marble.

After the stone has been picked, we will schedule a time that is suitable for the customer to measure the area in which the material will be installed. Once measurements are made, we can then provide you with a quote reflecting the cost of fabrication and installation. If the project is for kitchen or bathroom, the customer may select from our inventory of sinks and faucets as well, to be included in the price (we do not provide plumbing).

At this point, we require a deposit on the proposal contract. We will then fabricate the counter top/surround/vanity top carefully using the state-of-the-art machinery in our Fabrication Shop.

The final step is to schedule a good time for our customer to install the selected stone. This final process should take between an hour to five hours, dependent on job size. After your installation is complete, our lead install technician will compete a job quality assessment.  If your project passes this inspection, the balance of contract is due.  It is a good idea to remain present in your home or business as you will be responsible for signing off on the job quality inspection form was installation is complete.

Our turnaround time under most circumstances is 3 business days after your measurements are processed, programmed and in some cases, when you approve of your shop drawings.

The price depends on the amount of surface area, the type of stone, type of edge, type of finish, and if there are any special needs or requests, such us cook top, electrical outlet or sink cut-outs, and whether or not a sink will be included.

If you would like an estimate, please contact us using our Request Your Quote page or call us. We would be glad to answer any specific questions about your project.

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