Comments on: Kitchen Granite Countertops http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/toolsequiptment/granite-countertops/ You Have To Eat, So Learn To Cook & Eat Well Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:08:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Tricia http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/toolsequiptment/granite-countertops/comment-page-1/#comment-102095 Tricia Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:36:42 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1834#comment-102095 We had an install (Aquarius granite) We noticed on a large piece of the edging (full bull nose) that it wasn't smooth but seemed damaged. Not just porous but maybe smashed. How could that be fixed? Thank you. <em>Hi Tricia, I contacted Dan at Stone Masters and here is what he had to say, <blockquote>Aquarius is a beautiful and very diverse stone with many different minerals in it's make up. This lends to repairing it. Send a few photos to me at info@stonemastersinc.net so that I may better understand and perhaps recommend a solution. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, send me a few to capture what you are describing.</blockquote></em> We had an install (Aquarius granite) We noticed on a large piece of the edging (full bull nose) that it wasn’t smooth but seemed damaged. Not just porous but maybe smashed. How could that be fixed? Thank you.

Hi Tricia, I contacted Dan at Stone Masters and here is what he had to say,

Aquarius is a beautiful and very diverse stone with many different minerals in it’s make up. This lends to repairing it. Send a few photos to me at info@stonemastersinc.net so that I may better understand and perhaps recommend a solution. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, send me a few to capture what you are describing.

]]> By: Jeannie http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/toolsequiptment/granite-countertops/comment-page-1/#comment-100401 Jeannie Thu, 27 May 2010 20:15:10 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1834#comment-100401 Should you accept new granite that the fabricator fixes using an acrylic material? <em>Hi Jeannie, I asked Dan DiTomaso from Stone Masters Inc in Kennett Square, PA your questions and as usual he has a great response. Here is what he had to say, "When granite or most other natural stones comes out of the ground, it is not perfect. It has natural anomalies, pits, pores and fissures though out the stone. Typically the stone surface is resin treated, meaning that the pits, pores, fissures and anomalies are filled with a resin to make the stone's surface feel smooth and fills all of those imperfections. These resins are acrylic, epoxy or polyester type resins depending upon the stone or quarry processing center that is actually doing the work. Really exotic stone is vacuumed processed, meaning the resin is literally vacuumed into the stone. This is done so as to fill the voids with resin material. Many countertop stones are literally covered and filled with resin, some front and back, or top and bottom as the case may be. This makes the stone stronger, more resistant to stains and improves the surface that is to be used as a food prep countertop as stone itself natural, is less than perfect. So to answer your question directly about Acrylic being used to fix the stone. It is OK to accept it, but it depends upon how well it is done and the nature of what is being fixed. Was the repair a pin hole or chip that was being filled in? Did the whole counter crack in half and get glued back together. How does it look? Can you see the repair or does it blend into the overall look of the stone. What type of stone was it? Was a pigmented additive added to the glue to blend into the stone, was it polished when completed. Feel free to send me a photo of the repair. When a stone breaks and is epoxied back together and then smashed on the floor to test the strength of the glue, typically everything shatters except the stone where the epoxy was used. The point is, that structurally the repair area is most likely stronger then it was before. So the real question is how does it look?"</em> Should you accept new granite that the fabricator fixes using an acrylic material?

Hi Jeannie, I asked Dan DiTomaso from Stone Masters Inc in Kennett Square, PA your questions and as usual he has a great response. Here is what he had to say,

“When granite or most other natural stones comes out of the ground, it is not perfect. It has natural anomalies, pits, pores and fissures though out the stone.

Typically the stone surface is resin treated, meaning that the pits, pores, fissures and anomalies are filled with a resin to make the stone’s surface feel smooth and fills all of those imperfections. These resins are acrylic, epoxy or polyester type resins depending upon the stone or quarry processing center that is actually doing the work.

Really exotic stone is vacuumed processed, meaning the resin is literally vacuumed into the stone. This is done so as to fill the voids with resin material. Many countertop stones are literally covered and filled with resin, some front and back, or top and bottom as the case may be.

This makes the stone stronger, more resistant to stains and improves the surface that is to be used as a food prep countertop as stone itself natural, is less than perfect.

So to answer your question directly about Acrylic being used to fix the stone. It is OK to accept it, but it depends upon how well it is done and the nature of what is being fixed. Was the repair a pin hole or chip that was being filled in? Did the whole counter crack in half and get glued back together. How does it look? Can you see the repair or does it blend into the overall look of the stone. What type of stone was it? Was a pigmented additive added to the glue to blend into the stone, was it polished when completed. Feel free to send me a photo of the repair.

When a stone breaks and is epoxied back together and then smashed on the floor to test the strength of the glue, typically everything shatters except the stone where the epoxy was used. The point is, that structurally the repair area is most likely stronger then it was before. So the real question is how does it look?”

]]> By: B. Powell http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/toolsequiptment/granite-countertops/comment-page-1/#comment-98919 B. Powell Thu, 06 May 2010 22:35:53 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1834#comment-98919 This was indeed a very well-written article. My every question was answered about my granite counter top installation. I look forward to the installation which is a week away. Thanks. <em>Hi B. Powell, Glad the article was a help. Please come back after installation and tell us how it went and if there is anything you would do differently. - RG</em> This was indeed a very well-written article. My every question was answered about my granite counter top installation. I look forward to the installation which is a week away. Thanks.

Hi B. Powell,
Glad the article was a help. Please come back after installation and tell us how it went and if there is anything you would do differently. - RG

]]> By: Tabby Jurgensmeyer http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/toolsequiptment/granite-countertops/comment-page-1/#comment-93703 Tabby Jurgensmeyer Fri, 19 Feb 2010 02:55:48 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1834#comment-93703 This is the type of article I have been looking for! Unbiased, informative, helpful. I feel like now I have all the information I need to ask right questions and know what to look for in a fabricator. This is really going to help me in replacing my kitchen countertops. Thank you! <em>Thank you Tabby. When I did the interview with Dan I was blown away by his answers and the amount of information he provided. It was a great help to me when figuring out how to buy my granite countertops. - RG</em> This is the type of article I have been looking for! Unbiased, informative, helpful. I feel like now I have all the information I need to ask right questions and know what to look for in a fabricator. This is really going to help me in replacing my kitchen countertops. Thank you!

Thank you Tabby. When I did the interview with Dan I was blown away by his answers and the amount of information he provided. It was a great help to me when figuring out how to buy my granite countertops. - RG

]]> By: Marble granite countertops http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/toolsequiptment/granite-countertops/comment-page-1/#comment-93597 Marble granite countertops Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:23:22 +0000 http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=1834#comment-93597 If you are planning to install granite worktops in your kitchen, then you need to bring a sketch with very accurate dimensions or eliminate any risk by taking advantage of the dealer's professional measuring services. <em>Actually, I would recommend only working with a granite countertop company that comes out to your location, takes measurements and prepares a template so you know exactly what you are going to get as Dan describes in his interview. - RG</em> If you are planning to install granite worktops in your kitchen, then you need to bring a sketch with very accurate dimensions or eliminate any risk by taking advantage of the dealer’s professional measuring services.

Actually, I would recommend only working with a granite countertop company that comes out to your location, takes measurements and prepares a template so you know exactly what you are going to get as Dan describes in his interview. - RG

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