Feeling Silly--dark granites most durable?

aprilquilts · Good Friend Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 17

Yep, I feel like a dunce. I was all set to get Ivory Fantasy until I got the price. It was a high end stone. I would've gone ahead and paid for it if I really LOVED it, but I decided that I didn't really LOVE it, especially when it was considered a softer stone. I looked at a lot of kitchens that had medium stained cabinets, and light granites, and I wasn't thrilled with how they looked.

On the other hand, I really really like medium cabs with DARK granites. It just seems to pop! The dark granite that we were interested in was Black Galaxy. The gold flecks really look nice with the cabinets. We are going back to the stoneyard tomorrow to focus on dark granites. What dark granites should I pay attention to in terms of hardness, durability, etc. I do know that dark granites show fingerprints/ smudges, etc. That is not my issue as much as long term durability. My cabinets are quartersawn white oak in a burnished stain. I would say it is a redish/gold color.

I am going to Boston Granite Exchange, so we'll see what they have. I did read that labrador antique was fragile (and pricey).

Thank you all so much for your help. I really value the input I got regarding ivory fantasy.

Thanks again,
April

Antonio Almonte · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 3:28 pm Post subject:

Black Galaxy is a great stone for a kitchen(you will enjoy it). More important than the stone is choosing the right fabricator(hopefully they are members of the SFA or the MIA) to do your project right.

Antonio
_________________
Antonio Almonte, SFA
River City Stone Inc.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Get Allied, join the SFA

aprilquilts · Good Friend Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 17

Can you tell me what those initials stand for so I can call and ask? Thanks so much!
April

aprilquilts · Good Friend Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 17

Duh...got it, stone fabricators alliance...Is there a list of members that I can find?
April

aprilquilts · Good Friend Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 17

What are other good dark choices for kitchen counters? Are the verde peacocks a good choice? Is there a site I can go to that would have a listing of the various properties of the different stones?

Thanks again,
April

Adriana · Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:56 am Post subject:

Verde Peacock is a great stone, but could be "flaky". If you decide on that, be sure to get resined slabs.
_________________
Adriana, SFA
Stercus accidit

Jim Marshall · Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 1:24 am Post subject:

April,

Post your location and we will be glad to refer you to an SFA member.

As far as picking a dark granite in terms of hardness and durability goes..... I would not be too concerned about "hardness" when it comes to granite. For countertops granite is as hard as it gets (any granite). Here are a few dark granites that you might want to consider. I also rated them in terms of cost. If you decide to look them up on the web, be aware that the pictures are often different than the actual slab colors.

Volga Blue $$$
Emerald Pearl $$$$
Verdi Butterfly $
Uba Tuba $
Dakota Mahogany $$
Black Galaxy $$$$
Impala Black $$
Baltic Brown $$
Cambria Black $$$

The price of granite has little to do with how hard or durable it is. It has more to do with shipping costs and supply/demand.
_________________
Jim Marshall, SFA
The Beveled Edge Marble & Granite
Westminster, Maryland

aprilquilts · Good Friend Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 17

Thanks so much for the info. That helps a lot. I am in Southern Maine. I did a bit of a test tonight on the various samples I had. The samples I had were Ivory Fantasy, Kashmire Gold, Tropical Brown and Black Galaxy. I put drops of spaghetti sauce (dinner tonight), cooking oil and white wine. I left them all on there for maybe 20 minutes. It really confirms what I thought about the lighter granites. They really stained. The dark ones did not seem to be affected at all. I haven't gone back down to check and see if the stains are still there, but I'm SO glad I tested it.

The only problem is that it made my husband VERY nervous about granite at all, and now he wants to look into the zodiaqs and silestone type products. I still want granite. We're going back to the Boston area tomorrow to look specifically at dark stones.

I will be sure to look up the ones you suggested. That is very helpful.

Thanks again for all your patience with my questions.
April

aprilquilts · Good Friend Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 17

What are other good dark choices for kitchen counters? Are the verde peacocks a good choice? Is there a site I can go to that would have a listing of the various properties of the different stones?

Thanks again,
April

Mike Lutz · Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 1:56 am Post subject:

granite is the only way to go! use an sfa member who uses surface
treatment technology's sealer and pay for the lifetime treatment; it's a
force field!
_________________
Mike Lutz
SFA

Jim Marshall · Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 7:04 am Post subject:

Don't be fooled by the possative advertising that is pertrayed by Dupont Zodiaq. Engineered stone can stain just like granite. With granite you can seal it as Mike said. Surface Treatment Technologies is the best sealer money can buy. Here is a link to one of the posts made by an unhappy customer of Zodiaq. This was an insodent where a simple candle was left on a counter overnight and actually burnt the counter.

http://www.stoneadvice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1964&highlight=coconut+shell

The Photos

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/turnshifthit3/album?.dir=a97b&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/turnshifthit3/my_photos

Here is a link to an experiment performed by an SFA member that illistrates that it is possable to heat granite to over 1800 degrees and have no damage.

http://www.stoneadvice.com/gallery/Testing-Resined-Slabs

Here is a link to someone that offers real scientific testing of dimmentional stone.

http://www.findstone.com/australia_testservice.htm

Don't be discuraged by the stain tests that you perfored tonight. With a good sealer you will have no worries of a stain penitrating the stone.
_________________
Jim Marshall, SFA
The Beveled Edge Marble & Granite
Westminster, Maryland

Antonio Almonte · Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 2:16 pm Post subject:

I agree with Jim. Good post.

Antonio
_________________
Antonio Almonte, SFA
River City Stone Inc.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Get Allied, join the SFA

Mark Lauzon · Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 2:54 pm Post subject:

The samples you have are

1. Prolly not resined
2. Not Sealed

With that combination most stones are bullet proof. I would hate to have folks read this thread and walk away thinking they need to choose a dark stone. 80% of what we fabricate is NOT dark and we have 100s of very happy customers with no staining issues at all.

Choose a good fabricator....choose a color you like.

The fabricator should know what need to be done to a given stone to make it well for you.

By the way I lit some engineered stone on fire the other day....it burned like a candle.
_________________
Regards,
Mark Lauzon, SFA, MIA
http://www.stoneworks.cc/
http://www.granitemonster.com/
Get Allied...Join The SFA!

Antonio Almonte · Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:04 pm Post subject:

Did you cook a steak on it too Mark? No, wait, it might make your brain wiggle with all that plastic. Laughing

Antonio
_________________
Antonio Almonte, SFA
River City Stone Inc.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Get Allied, join the SFA

Linus Modlich · Posted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 10:27 pm Post subject:

Mark, I better do more research on sealers. Cause I've had 2 kitchens in Kashmir white that have been stained in the last year. We also do lots of light stones, but that one has me a little concerened.
_________________
Linus Modlich
Modlich Stoneworks Inc.
http://www.modlichstoneworks.com/
Member SFA

Donny Taylor · Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:12 am Post subject:

Matt Qualey is in Maine. He may be a good fabricator to work with. Don't know his location..

Avoid Black Absolute.
_________________
Stone is Life...

Donald Taylor , SFA
407-967-3366

Mark Lauzon · Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 12:49 am Post subject:

Kashmire White is not stone....it is crap, in the form of a slab and is on our shops black list. We will fabricate and install it....the use of black list material voids our warrenty.
_________________
Regards,
Mark Lauzon, SFA, MIA
http://www.stoneworks.cc/
http://www.granitemonster.com/
Get Allied...Join The SFA!

Qualey Granite · Best Friend Joined: 15 Apr 2005 Posts: 254

April

You have mail Smile

We are an SFA member shop located in Bangor. I have pretty much all the colors you mentioned in stock as well as lots more. I'm happy to answer any questions for you.

Matt
_________________
Matt Qualey
Qualey Granite & Stone Fabrication, LLC

Linus Modlich · Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 11:23 am Post subject:

Mark, do you say it's crap because it's way softer? Or because even good quality sealers won't help? After my second problem, I too, black listed this one.
_________________
Linus Modlich
Modlich Stoneworks Inc.
http://www.modlichstoneworks.com/
Member SFA

Momand3kids · Good Friend Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 22

Mark,
If Kashmir white is crap, which white granites are not crap?
Thanks!

Mark Lauzon · Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:11 pm Post subject:

That would be a very long list....we have around 10 stones on our black list for various reasons. Viens that fail....stone that are prone to staining...etc.

Let us know the color you are considering and we can help steer ya straight.

Most mercantile granites are great.

There is something about kashmire white that makes it absorb grease over time. We sealed this one job 3 times. We had a call back a year latter to drill a hole for a soap pump. The customer did not notice the fact that the stone looked like HELL....the change had occured over such a slow time.

All around the stove the stone had shifted from a white to a grey (grease acting as an enhancer) It could have been a fluke...after that we stopped selling it. On another occasion we had a suction cup leave a blue ring in the stone....it is the only time i have seen that happen.

I am not a geologist ..... I think the stuff is simply full on porus.
_________________
Regards,
Mark Lauzon, SFA, MIA
http://www.stoneworks.cc/
http://www.granitemonster.com/
Get Allied...Join The SFA!

Momand3kids · Good Friend Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 22

Mark, here's the situation. We are going to have a terra cotta floor with blue and white porcelain accent tiles. We were thinking of having a white granite to top off the cabinets, which are natural cherry stained.
If you could let me know which white granites are ok, that would be great.

And while you're at it, any chance you could also list your "black list"?

I've been readin the forum and really respect your opinion. Very Happy

Thanks!

Mark Lauzon · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:28 am Post subject:

Biacno Ramano
White Spring
Bianco Antico

All three are nice stones (a little difficult to fab) but as far as stain resistance and durabalilty they rock.

LINK
http://www.stoneadvice.com/gallery/CNCinmotion/July_12_05_019

THAT STONE IS DELIGHTFUL!
_________________
Regards,
Mark Lauzon, SFA, MIA
http://www.stoneworks.cc/
http://www.granitemonster.com/
Get Allied...Join The SFA!

Momand3kids · Good Friend Joined: 13 Apr 2006 Posts: 22

Mark, which one was that a picture of? It's beautiful. I take it you are not going to post your "black list..."

Number2 · Good Friend Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 18

Silly answer to your question:

Yep, they aren't.