Natural Stone Counter tops: What you should know!

These days, everyone is remodeling something,kitchens,bathrooms, outside patios and more. So when selecting your counter tops there are a few things to consider. Where to buy and what to buy? But when dealing with natural stone you need to be a bit more selective than just a pretty color. There are many different choices for counter tops and for all budgets: Cultured Marble,Corian,Engineered stone,Concrete,Marble and Granite. For the purpose of this article we have assumed you are dealing with natural stone as your choice for tops.
Dealing with a reputable fabricator can take a lot of risk out of your decision because they can help you determine the appropriate surface that is suitable for your use. The big box stores are a fine alternative but really have a limited knowledge of stone,so you have to know enough to make the choice yourself. Not all stones are suitable for all situations.
Natural Stone can be a beautiful choice for counter tops. Keep in mind that Natural Stone is porous, some more ,than others. Marble contains calcium carbonate which is reactive to acids . When a cleaner or substance with an acidic component spills or is sprayed on marble, it will etch. An etch is the equivalent to a chemical scratch that will dull the surface and remove the shine completely. What many people forget is that, in a kitchen, there are many forms of acids that are used on a regular basis;vinegar,citrus juices,some vegetable juices and wine to name a few. Many of your favorite cleaners contain acids as well,so yes, after spending all your money and time remodeling and making your first dinner, you spill a little acidic salad dressing on your new marble top and it now has a big dull spot and the more you rub the worse it gets. Now it can only be restored by a restoration specialist and that's not cheap!
Now you say OK so I'll choose Granite for the kitchen. Hold on, because you need to know a few things about Granite as well because they are not all created equal. While granite is not reactive to most acids found around the home , some granites have a mixture of calcite in them that are acidic reactive and you cannot tell by looking at it. Remember before I said natural stone is porous and this applies to both Marble and Granite. What this means is that Stone can absorb certain spills and stain. So now you have spent your hard earned money on Granite counter tops and spilled the same salad dressing and now you have a shiny dark spot in the center of your top. Again time to hire a restoration specialist and that's not cheap!
Great, now what should you do? Well this is were a little knowledge can go a long way. Marble and Granite can be sealed, not with a topical coating, but with a good quality impregnating sealer that absorbs into the stone to help reduce the absorption that can lead to stains. So here's how you pick your tops: First Get a small container of vinegar and a small container of cooking oil. Now lets go shopping and find samples of your favorite Marble and Granite. Next, with the permission of the sales associate, of coarse ,lets test them. Take each sample and put a drop of vinegar and a drop of cooking oil on the sample piece. Different Marbles have varying densities and amounts of calcium contained in the stone and, although it is still reactive to acids, reaction times may vary by a few minutes. Test your acid a few times on different spots and let them sit for varying times. If it takes 2 minutes to etch the surface and you are comfortable with this, then you know all spills must be cleaned within 2 minutes on this type of stone. Test your Granite now, also checking for acid re-activeness. If you wipe off the drop after a few minutes and there is no dull spot in the shine, then you have true Granite.
Now it's time for the cooking oil test. Remember, different Granites also have varying densities and absorption rates so test a few spots. Vary the minutes before you wipe off the sample, 1minute ,5 minutes and so on. If you find one that shows no absorption after 15 or 20 minutes then you have a winner. Since absorption can be somewhat controlled with a good impregnating sealer, look for a stone that allows the most time before absorbing and then that time can be lengthened with a sealer. Given this information you now have a better understanding and some tools to use when making your purchasing decision.
To further extend the life and beauty of your kitchen counter tops, never put a crock pot or any other hot item directly on the counter surface. Instead, use a cutting board as a spacer to buffer the heat. Always use ,exclusively, a Neutral Ph cleaner to clean your Stone surfaces because many cleaners contain soaps and waxes that build up over time and also dull the surface. We are Renew Terrazzo and Marble Polishing specializing in Natural Stone Restoration 321-427-7328

 Caring for Natural stone !
My First estimate of the day was a young lady that had called concerned about her new floors no longer being shinny, when I arrived I was greeted at the front door with a smile and a familiar smell that I have come to recognize as the arch nemesis of all marble surfaces. When I first walked in and turned the corner into the dining area I could smell that I was close. There she was. The cleaning lady with a mop bucket of warm water and a cup of vinegar mixed in. With each stroke of the mop she was single handedly ruining the floor.

This is a typical situation with all Marble or Stone surfaces that require restoration because the homeowner or cleaning service have no knowledge of caring for natural stone surfaces and in many instances where instructed by the Big Store that sold them the flooring how to maintain the floor as in the case above. The first tip here is never use Vinegar or any acidic form of cleaner on natural stone unless you really want to meet your local Restoration professional.

In today’s economy and real estate market more and more Homeowners are doing renovations and upgrades to their existing home instead of upgrading to newer homes, which means that the demand is high for quality stone floors and countertops. To meet this demand many new stores as well as large box stores are catering to this need and selling more than they have in previous years which are great for sales. However the knowledge of care and maintenance has not kept up. Many stores offer and carry ,shinny bottles  of stone cleaners stone waxes and stone coatings and the bottles a very pretty, colorful, not too expensive and in most cases don’t work because not all  stone is created equal and caring for your stone varies greatly by its type. Granite is not a marble, marble is not granite, Travertine is not slate and none of it is inexpensive, so if you want your investment to last as long as you do these tips may help.

Bigger is not always better- when shopping for the proper stone for your particular surface the specialized stores are often more knowledgeable about the proper use for types of stone. Example : Travertine or Onyx do not make good counter tops in the kitchen Cheap installation many times means lack of experience_ Installing stone floors or Granite counter tops should be done only by a professional, not a neighbor or handyman. Stone set in place must be Level with each piece. Not quite what I thought- unlike ceramic tile all pieces of marble are not exactly alike there are no fixed patterns, colors will vary and  appearance will vary based on the size of the room and lighting. Most marbles already have a quality milled shine or polish to them however Travertine may appear to be shinny as a one piece sample in your hand, but when installed on the floor may appear to be dull or matted looking. This is not the installers’ fault it is the nature of the stone under your lighting.

Caring for your Stone is actually fairly easy, once you have achieved the level of shine on your floor or surface you like. Proper shine can only be achieved by polishing and polishing is done under controlled friction and only by a restoration professional. Never ever use  a sealer or wax on natural  stone ! Sealing is a clear coat that hardens on the stone surface giving it a gloss appearance. When stone is sealed it can no longer  breath , salts are released from the stone and rise to the surface to  be trapped by the clear coat causing a discoloring or whitening at the surface  called efflorescence. This can only be removed by stripping the sealer, diamond honing the surface and polishing to the desired shine. Sealers also scratch easily peel and wear off much faster than the wear on natural stone itself. Granite is impregnated with what is sometimes referred to as a sealer this is not a clear coat that dry's on top of the stone it is actually an impregnator that penetrates into the pours of the granite and some marketing companies sell this product as a sealer so we buy it because most of us associate sealing to shine quality, but impregnators offer no shine.

All Granites are sold loaded with impregnator and the darker the stone the less it needs. Stone Enhancer's are used to enhance natural colors in the stone but not to shine it, so read your labels before applying anything to your stone and know what it is. Now simply maintain and clean your stone with a Neutral Ph cleaner. Neutral Ph cleaners can be found at some local specialized Marble and Stone stores and online by Stone suppliers.  $15 to $20 should buy you a pint of concentrate you mix with water (1 cap to a gallon) and mop it on that's it! Never use any other form of household cleaners on your stone surface most chemical cleaners are formulated with a high acid content or high alkaline content to release dirt or soil and grease from everyday  surfaces and any of these will etch your stones surface over time and some much quicker than others as in the case of vinegar. Etching is actual damage to the stone itself and will remove all of your shine if you use these cleaners. A properly polished floor or surface when maintained with a Neutral PH cleaner will last for many years with no need for professional polishing or restoration. Renew Marble is a Marble and Stone restoration and maintenance company servicing Central Florida's Greater Orlando and East Coast.  We are Renew Terrazzo and Marble Polishing specializing in Natural Stone Restoration 321-427-7328