granite

Let’s explore some green stones and illuminate their properties, minerals, and geologic origins.

We sat down with several stone care experts to learn how best to care for granite countertops.

In Barre, Vermont, residents take the town’s unofficial designation as Granite Center of the World to heart. Learn about Hope Cemetery’s monuments and memorials.

In the natural stone industry, “granite” often means any hard stone that is not marble. This article will talk about igneous rocks that comprise most of the granite family including gabbro, gneiss, and basalt.

Cost is a major deciding factor in most purchasing decisions. There are many factors that go into the process, which makes every homeowner’s situation unique.

Gneiss is among the most common commercial stones, but you may not have heard of gneiss because it’s almost always classified as granite.

Home owners work together to renovate their patio featuring an outdoor kitchen.

How stone is reused, repurposed, or recycled for new applications and projects.

When choosing a countertop surface for your kitchen, there are a lot of factors to consider. If granite has made it to the top of your list, read through the article below to determine if its advantages and disadvantages make it a good choice for your family.

Marble has been a popular trend in kitchen countertops for the past several years. If you compare performance characteristics in a kitchen environment, granite is the better choice.

Granite and quartzite have very similar performance statistics. Quartzite is generally harder and denser and the pattern is more like marble which is appealing to many homeowners.

Limestone and travertine will etch when exposed to the acids and bases present in many cleaning products and common kitchen ingredients such as vinegar, bleach, citrus, and wine.

Onyx is not a good option for most countertops, but it does make for a beautiful backsplash. Its beauty and translucence make it appealing, but still not practical.

Slate slabs are generally small compared to marble and granite so more seams will be necessary to complete a kitchen project. In fact, many slate quarries are limited to tile production because of the sizes of usable material that exist.

Soapstone is quite soft, making it a favorite material for the DIY homeowner for use as countertops. It is also non-porous so there is no need to seal it.

Two of the newest countertop surfaces on the market today, are Porcelain and Sintered Surface. New technology and trial and error have given way to material that mimics the look of natural marble.

Nothing beats the warmth and traditional charm of butcher block countertops. Many homeowners are choosing to use a combination of wood and granite, or another hard surface, in their kitchens.

Quartz countertops are a big trend in today’s market. Brands such as Caesarstone, Silestone and Zodiaq are readily available in a large variety of colors.

Common solid surface brands include Corian and Hi-Macs. They are made of acrylic and come in many colors.

Laminate countertops have been very popular for years because they are affordable and readily available. You may know them better by the common brand name, Formica.