Granite

NATURAL STONE CHARACTERISTICS

Thank you for choosing natural stone for your countertops or other areas in your home. We pride ourselves on the quality tops we provide you. We would like to help you better understand the product(s) you are purchasing. Please take a moment to read the following information regarding some of the inherent characteristics of natural stone. This information is provided courtesy of the Marble Institute of America. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Granite, Marble, Limestone and Onyx are natural products so there will always be natural imperfections that occur in every stone. Sometimes these features may become more or less noticeable when the position (vertical or horizontal) of the slab is changed or when the lighting is changed. Some of these characteristics of natural stone are described below:

Shade Variation – Shade variation exists in all natural stones. It tends to be more prevalent in stones that have heavy veining and movement but shading also exists, often unexpectedly, in slabs that are more consistent in color such as Tropic Brown, Golden Leaf, Baltic Brown and the like. Shade variation is typically most evident at seams where two pieces come together.

Fissures – Fissures occur naturally in many stone types. The American Geological Institute defines a fissure as “an extensive crack, break, or fracture in the rock, which may contain mineral-bearing material”. The term “fissure” is used commercially in the stone industry to describe a visible separation along intercrystalline boundaries. The separation may start and stop within the field of the stone or extend through an edge. A fissure differs from a crack in that it is a naturally occurring feature in the stone.

Cracks – Cracks occur in stones as a result of mechanically induced stresses during handling, fabrication, transport, or installation. When cracks are detected in material prior to fabrication, the best method is to simply avoid including them in the product through culling during the layout process. In stones with lesser soundness properties, this option may not be practical, or possible. When working with such stones it is common practice to repair cracks by cementing them together with epoxy or polyester resin, either with or without dowel reinforcement. In many cases, the repaired area is as strong or stronger than the surrounding stone due to the strength of the epoxy bond.

Chips – Chips can occur in stones either as a result of sawing operations or handling and restraint devices. Particularly in granite, the exiting portion of the diamond blade may create small chips along a cut edge. A small bevel, called an “arris,” can be used to eliminate most of these small chips if this edge is to be visible after installation. The use of an arris will make a seam appear wider than its actual dimension when filled. Larger chips may be repaired with epoxy or polyester resin. In many materials, the resin used in the repair will appear more natural if it is not dyed.

Pitting – Pitting of the countertop surface, particularly in granite material, is a commonly seen characteristic. The pits do not make the granite less durable or otherwise inferior, and do not in themselves qualify the slab for replacement. Pits are common in all granites and should be expected when dealing with a natural, polished stone containing several types of minerals with different hardnesses. Biotite (small, black mineral throughout the slab) is a softer mineral and exists, to a greater or lesser degree, in all granites. During the polishing process the first few layers of biotite are removed causing superficial pits. It is usually best to not attempt repair of pits, as most repair techniques will not cosmetically improve the countertop.

Discoloration – Certain minerals in Black Absolute granite can react when exposed to moisture and create what appear to be watermarks. The moisture can be any source of liquid that is left exposed to the granite for an extended period. This unexplained phenomenon only happens in approximately 2% of all installations and is not the result of inferior material or workmanship. If you are concerned about this possibility when considering Black Absolute you may want to select an alternate black granite such as Black Ubatuba.

Each slab of Granite, Marble, Limestone or Onyx is a unique work of color and texture created by the forces of nature some 50 to 500 million years ago. Your choice in selecting to use stone for your project shows an appreciation for these natural materials and the distinct characteristics that they possess. We are confident that they will help create a unique kitchen or bath that you will enjoy for years to come.