While we pride ourselves on educating our customers completely on the entire process from selection through to installation, here are some commonly asked questions and answers about natural stone. We look forward to servicing all your natural stone needs!
A. Granite is the best choice for a kitchen countertop, it's beauty and durability are un-touched by any other countertop option in the market today. Marble is a softer stone than granite, making it more suitable for vanity tops, fireplace surrounds, etc. Although each is better suited for different areas, both granite & marble can be used in either the kitchen or bathroom areas, provided proper care and maintenance is taken. Depending on the applications, slate, limestone or travertine are also options to be considered.
The best way to decide which stone is optimum for your project, is to stop by our showroom and work with any of our design professionals. Our highly trained staff will be able to assist you in making all your selections from countertop surface, backsplash options, sinks, faucets, etc. as well as helping to educate you on your natural stone purchase step by step.
A. If you are remodeling: You can access of our estimating sheets to help you to gather the information that would be required for us to provide you with a more accurate estimate. First, locate the layout that most resembles your kitchen or bath layout and fill in the measurements where indicated. Then, bring in those measurements and we’ll be happy to provide you with an estimate and the square footage of material needed to complete your project.
If you have ordered new cabinetry or have new construction: You can provide us with a copy of your plans from your contractor, builder or kitchen cabinetry supplier.
A. REMODELING: Once you have the material, edge and sink selected, you will need to come in and sign a contract. After the contract is signed, we will have the slabs you have chosen delivered to our shop (if the material is not already in stock or you have selected material at one of our suppliers). We will then be able to schedule for our templater to come out to the home and make the template to be used for fabrication of the countertop. We ask that you clean off all small appliances from your countertop for the template appointment. (microwave, toaster, coffee maker, etc) Also we require that all sinks, faucets & appliance delivered and on site. Once the template has been completed the finished template will be brought back to our shop to start the fabrication process. If you have requested to layout the templates with us, you will be asked to do this once the template has been completed. We will then begin to cut, polish and fabricate the stone for your particular project. We will work with you as best we can to schedule installation dates around hectic schedules, both for you and for us. The day of installation, our installers will arrive at the home to complete the final stage of the process. We will then ask that you remove your existing drawers, clean out your sink base cabinet and clean out all base cabinets if desired. If you have decided to have our workers remove your existing countertops, this will be done the day of installation. Please keep in mind that this is a remodel and there will be some dust created during this process. Our installers strive at all times to minimize the mess and also complete the job to your satisfaction. The countertop will then be installed and we will provide you with a Stone Tech Revitalizer cleaner for proper cleaning and preservation of the finish.
A. NEW CONSTRUCTION: Once you have the material, edge and sink selected, you will need to come in and sign a contract. After the contract is signed, we will have the slabs you have chosen delivered to our shop (if the material is not already in stock or you have selected material at one of our suppliers). Once all your base cabinets have been installed and sink, faucet & appliance delivered and on site, we will be able to schedule for our templater to come out to the home and make the template to be used for fabrication of the countertop. When the template has been completed the finished template will be brought back to our shop to start the fabrication process. If you have requested to layout the templates with us, you will be asked to do this once the template has been completed. We will then begin to cut, polish and fabricate the stone for your particular project. We will work with you as best we can to schedule installation dates around hectic schedules, both for you and for us. The day of installation, our installers will arrive at the home to complete the final stage of the process. Again we ask that all appliances, stove, dishwasher, sink, etc have been delivered and are on site. The countertop will be installed and we will provide you with a Stone Tech Revitalizer cleaner for proper cleaning and preservation of the finish.
A. Under normal circumstances, granite will not burn, therefore you could place a hot pot on the surface without harm. However you should avoid prolonged exposure to excessive heat as this may impact the effectiveness of the surface sealant. Granite is a very hard durable surface, you can cut directly on the stone, however doing so will quickly dull your knives!
A. While it is commonly recommended that you reseal your stone countertop once every year to improve the stone’s ability to resist stains, this varies depending on the stone which you have selected. Also, the Stone Tech products that we use during the fabrication and installation process can increase the time required between applications significantly and continued use of our Stone Tech Revitalizer may eliminate the re-sealing indefinitely.
