FAQ

How do I maintain my granite?
Soap and water! Ammonia based products such as Fantastic, Windex; Clorox should be avoided since this type of acid will kill the shine of your natural stone little by little. You could re-seal after the first year and then every three to five years as needed. Oil spills can be problematic so, if you spill oil on your counters, clean it up as you go and do not allow it to sit on the stone for any length of time.

What’s the difference between marble and granite?
Although both are stones and both are quarried from the earth, granite and marble (and marble’s relatives - limestone, onyx and travertine) are very different from each other. Granite is formed deep in the earth’s mantle at extremely high temperatures, and is a very hard, resistant stone made of crystallized minerals. The marble family - limestone, travertine, marble, and onyx - starts out as sediment - animal skeletons and shells, plant matter, silt - at the bottom of bodies of water. After millions of years this solidifies into stone. Because its main component is calcium, acids such as vinegar and citrus beverages can affect it.

Why choose Granite for a countertop?
At the top of the list is its extraordinary natural beauty. With the ability to choose from variety of granite colors you are assured your countertop will be unique unto itself. Granite is, by far, the most durable of all surfaces used in counter top construction.

Does granite burn?
No. You can't burn granite with ordinary use. It is perfectly ok to set hot pots or pans directly from the stove or oven onto granite.

I’ve heard of “high movement” stone. What is it? 
Sometimes called “grain in the stone,” “movement” is veins that swirl and change irregularly in granite due to the massive forces at work on it beneath the surface of the earth during the eons it took to form. “Movement” is also affected by trace amounts of other minerals.

Will I know where my granite is from? 
Probably not since granite is quarried all over the world, including Africa, Brazil, Egypt, India, Italy, Norway and Spain, to name a few. There are also some very lovely veins of granite mined in the United States and Canada as well.

Does Granite Harbor Bacteria?
Granite continues to be used and approved in food and medical applications. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has no records of granite harboring bacteria, and has no reports of people becoming ill from bacteria in granite. With regular cleaning, granite is far less likely to support bacteria than butcher block or even laminated materials with top-mounted sinks