What Type of Stone Should I Choose?
Our team can help you choose a stone material and style that best fits your needs. We are certified to fabricate and install a variety of stone types and can help you decide which will work best for your project as it relates to style, color tones, cost effectiveness, strength/durability, stain resistance, maintenance etc.
You may
ask yourself:
Which stone is right for
my family's bathroom countertops or even shower walls, floors & benches?
*
For my kitchen countertops, what stones are the most durable & stain-resistant?
*
I have a certain budget and color preference, which stone is right
for my project?
Below are
some example
materials including highlights about their makeup and benefits:
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Granite - (100% Naturally processed stone)
Pros: Natural Beauty, Sturdy/Heat resistant, Sanitary/Bacteria & Stain resistant when sealed properly, Easy to clean with mild soap and water, Easy to find
Cons: It is natural and porous so it requires yearly sealing to prevent absorption. It cannot be cleaned using acidic materials (citrus cleaners, bleach, vinegar etc) because it will breakdown the sealant and potentially the stone causing unnecessary wear. Compared with sample colors and patterns the actual quarried slabs can slightly vary since the stone is 100% natural.
Slab
Form
Custom
Fabricated
Countertop
-
Quartzite - (100% Naturally processed stone)
Pros: Natural Beauty, Sturdy/Heat Resistant (cannot be scratched), Sanitary/Bacteria & Stain resistant when sealed properly, It can resemble Marble but is considerably stronger, Somewhat stronger/more damage resistant than Quartz, One of the least porous of the natural stones (can be cleaned w/ citrus/vinegar ingredients)
Cons: It’s more expensive than some materials as it is not as readily available. It’s not 100% non-porous since it is natural so yearly sealing maintenance is recommended. Can be mistaken for Marble so a durability test is recommended.
Slab
Form
Custom
Fabricated
Countertop
Slab
Form
Custom
Fabricated
Countertop
-
Quartz - (Man made/formed w/ 90-93% ground natural stone combined w/ 7-10% resin)
Pros: Lowest maintenance of the stone materials, Non-Porous, Sanitary/Bacteria resistant, More Heat/Stain/Damage resistant compared to Granite, More color options since color pigmentations can be added within the resin so it can be made to look like other stone types, Less expensive than Marble
Cons: It’s man-made/formed so it will not have natural variances and is generally more expensive than Granite. It’s UV light susceptible meaning its color can fade/change and can damage when exposed to certain household chemicals like acetone.
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Marble - (100% Naturally formed stone)
Pros: Natural Beauty, High Status, Timeless/Classic/Never goes out of style, Heat/Spark Resistant (good for fireplaces), Does not conduct heat (good for bakers as it allows baked goods to cool naturally)
Cons: This is one of the highest maintenance stone options so it is susceptible to scratching and staining requiring at minimum, yearly sealing (potentially more) to help to prevent absorption and requires the cleaning of spills as quickly as possible as well as using coasters. It cannot be cleaned using acidic materials (citrus cleaners, bleach, vinegar etc) because it will breakdown the sealant and potentially the stone causing unnecessary wear. It is higher on the cost spectrum.
Custom
Fabricated
Countertop
Slab
Form
-
Soapstone - (100% Naturally processed stone)
Pros: Natural Beauty, Sturdy/Heat Resistant, Low Maintenance, Sanitary/Bacteria & Stain resistant (does not require sealing) because it is one of the least porous of the natural stones, More flexibility/less brittle than Granite
Cons: It is soft on the surface so it has the potential to chip/scratch. It has limited color options. Maintenance requires periodic oil rubbing to maintain/ bring out the natural beauty of the stone.
Slab
Form
Custom
Fabricated
Countertop
-
Porcelain - (Man-made/formed with natural kaolinite clay using extreme heat & pressure)
Pros: Non-Porous, Sanitary/ Bacteria resistant, One of the strongest/ hardest stone materials making it highly scratch/chip/crack resistant, Heat and UV/Stain resistant
Cons: It’s higher on the cost spectrum. The manufactured color/pattern is added to the top layer so a lower quality porcelain product can show wear to the design over time.
Slab
Form
Custom
Fabricated
Countertop
-
Travertine - (100% naturally processed stone)
Pros: Natural Beauty, Classic/Timeless appearance similar to Marble, Sturdy/Heat resistant (good for fireplaces), Moisture resistant when sealed properly
Cons: This is one of the highest maintenance stone options so it is susceptible to scratching and staining requiring at minimum yearly sealing (potentially more) to help to prevent absorption and requires the cleaning of spills as quickly as possible as well as use of coasters. It cannot be cleaned using acidic materials (citrus cleaners, bleach, vinegar etc) because it will breakdown the sealant and potentially the stone causing unnecessary wear. The color spectrum is limited to earth tones/browns and cream.
Slab
Form
Custom
Fabricated
Countertop
SOME STONE SURFACE FINISH EXAMPLES:
(Note: Not all finish types are available for every type of material)
Polished
Polished is the most common finish. Polished stone is reflective, shiny, flat and smooth. Polished stone shows the most depth and color. A polished surface is the least porous finish. Polished marbles are susceptible to acid etching.
Leathered
Leathered surfaces are textured & matte. Although some reflective properties remain, leathered stone is not as reflective or shiny as polished. It is slightly more porous than a polished surface and retains most of the color. Each stone will leather differently.
Honed
Honed surfaces are flat and matte. Honed stone is non-reflective, not shiny and colors are muted. Honed finishes are more porous than polished, leathered or caressed. Honed is the preferred finish for marbles that will be exposed to acids.
Caressed
Caressed surfaces are similar to leathered, but with one additional step. After leathering, the surface is again polished. This achieves a more shiny and reflective look than leathered stone, but generally not as reflective as polished. Color is retained well. Porosity falls somewhere between polished and leathered finishes.
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Images courtesy of Percoco Stone Finishing & The Stone Collection
EDGE OPTIONS:
Standard Edges
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Eased
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Bevel
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Half Bullnose
​
Upgrade additional cost edges​
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Double Radius
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Bullnose
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Double Bevel
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Classic Ogee
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Step Half Bullnose
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Bevel Bullnose
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Double Ogee
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Triple Pencil
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Dupont Bullnose