White List?

pegkip · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 3

My husband and I are currently looking at granite countertops for our kitchen. I love travertine, limestone, carrera, and crema marfil but understand that those may be impractical for a kitchen. We're going for an old-world look, so we maybe considering a honed finish rather than polished (depending on what that will do to the cost). Fell in love with a stone in Llano that the fellow dubbed Selena Gold... it looks like creamy risotto with some faint orange veining. It has a dull finish but looks like it is a marble. Of course the bid is quite high. We will have terracotta tile floors so the countertops need to be in the creamy range...Bianco Toscano looked really bad with the terracotta Smile

So now to the questions:

1) Why is it that the stone yards are so tight-lipped about costs? How else are we to make informed decisions when comparing stones?? Very frustrating for the consumer!

2) I read over the 'black list' ... very helpful as I was considering one of the worst offenders... kashmir gold. Do you have a 'white list' of stones; those that fabicate nicely, perform well, and are of reasonable cost?

3) Do the lighter stones (giallo ornamental, santa cecilia) perform poorly when brushed/honed?

4) What stones would you recommend for the look we are trying to achieve?

5) Any SFA members in the Austin/Marble Falls, TX area?

Thanks so much!
pk

Mark Gamble · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:32 pm Post subject:

I have not dealt with much travertine, so I can't comment on it. As far as limestone and marble, I would not suggest either. Marble will etch and scratch easily. I have only dealt with a local limestone that was very soft and also scratched easily.
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Mark Gamble, SFA
Standing Stone Innovations

Kent Potter · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:46 pm Post subject:

Slab yards will generally not divulge prices since the ultimate fabrication price may have little to do with the material chosen. Some materials while less expensive require an inordinate amout of time and effort to fab, not to mention every fab shop has it's own system of pricing, there is no standard.

With very few exceptions, once you hone a granite, it will stain easier and will require more maintenance on your part. This is due to many factors such as porosity, density, mineral makeup, etc. Additionally, most granites now have an epoxy clear coat which also aids in stain prevention and obviously, honing removes it.

As far as marble. In a vast majority of medeteranian countries, they use marble in the kitchen. After a few years of use, they are stained, scratched and chipped (marble is half the hardness of granite). Most refer to this as patina. Here in the US, customers prefer the flawless look which does not lend easily to the use of marble or honed granites unless the kitchen is for show and never used. If this is a look you can live with, great! In 10 years I have only had two women who truely wanted this look. (One was Syrian and the other lived in Spain several years).

My recommendation is you find an SFA member fabricator to work with in the proper selection of stone that will achieve the look you after. It may require a some extra time but it's worth it, as you are aware, this stuff ain't cheap which is why most of us say "Stone is for life".
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"Everybody must get Stone..."

Kent Potter, SFA/MIA
TK Custom Stone, Inc.
St. Marys, Georgia 31558
(912)576-7397

Scott M · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject:

One of the few times I will recommend going with an engineered stone(ie ceaserstone, silestone) is when someone is against a nice polished finish. Honed and marble in a kitchen though frequently done, are not that great of an idea.
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Scott McGourley
Kasco Stone
Tampa, FL
SFA

"It's Not the Big That Eat the Small...It's the Fast That Eat the Slow" --Jason Jennings

THE CONSULTANT (Bill O) · Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:49 pm Post subject:

go see "rudy at granite time in marble falls I installed his machinery a few years back he does quality work and knows his stuff and would be quite helpful.
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Bill O'Connor, MIA, Stone Industry Consultant, Training, Shop layout, Machinery Knowlege! Software, Startup info, Contacts. Park Industries Installer for 7 years. Machine installation and repair! 1-320-230-8327 office