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How
To Choose The Perfect Granite Work Surface
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by: Edward
Green
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By Edward Green
My Grandmother used to say to me “Nothing cheap
is good and nothing good is cheap”. This ring
true when dealing with the purchase especially on
the internet of Granite Work Surfaces. In fact of
all stone so read carefully.
Natural stone is graded as to it’s suitability
for a given task. It is also graded regarding the
region of the world it originated from. This is a
grade for general use but more for stone
professionals to advise architects, surveyors etc
which products to use for maximum efficiency in
the building or home.
When buying on the internet you are usually shown
samples of the very best, Granite, Marble,
Limestone etc. You must be aware that this stone
is probably not what you will receive. Firstly,
the stone is batched. You need batched stone to
get the consistent pattern throughout the surface.
If you were to buy stone today and return for
stone a month later to complete your project you
will invariably get a mismatch that can look
horrendous especially with the larger crystals
such as blue pearl granite.
Always make sure you are receiving the same batch
and have it itemised on your order. Also if the
installer chips a corner or scratches the surface
you will generally need a replacement piece. If
the batch isn’t available you may have a
problem.
I have received numerous calls lately concerning
the fading of black granite counter tops. Black
granite should not fade. Black granite imported
from Asia is sometimes doctored with dyes and oils
to darken the surface. The fading is nothing more
than the dyes and oils being removed.
Unfortunately, the only fix is to re-polish the
top. This can be costly.
Before purchasing a granite top perform the
following test to find out if it has been
doctored.
Get a clean white cloth and apply some acetone
(nail varnish remover) to the surface of the
granite. If any residue or black color is observed
on the top, do not accept it, it has been dyed.
Take a piece of the "granite" you want
to test and spill a few drops of lemon juice onto
it. If you see that under the drops of lemon it
develops very quickly dark spots, it means that
it's a very absorbent stone and I would advise you
against it. If it takes, say, a minute or so to be
absorbed, then you're dealing with a level of
absorbency that's easily controllable with the
application of a good quality impregnating sealer.
So, in short be careful where you place your order
and always seek specialist advice. The void
between a good stone and a bad stone is huge, the
price between a good stone and a bad stone is
smaller than you think but can be costlier.
About the author:
Edward Green owns and operates the highly
successful Marble Master Ltd Company. Marble
Master specializes in Restoration and Refinishing
of all types of natural stone and consultancy
services to Architects, Restoration Companies and
Interior Designers. http://www.marblemasteruk.com
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