Here at Italian Marble & Granite in Buffalo we offer a wide variety of Quartz products. Many of the colors look alike, however some manufactures are beginning to come up with great marble alternatives. People want quartz for many reasons. Such as the consistency of the stone, durability, and ability to now look like marble.
Many quartz products have consistent colors. They are a solid color, have some speckles, or have sparkle going through out them. However, some are beginning to have some movement going through them.
The durability of quartz is also a huge leading factor in the decision to purchase it. Quartz products are not porous and do not need to be sealed, which is why many medical professionals are putting it in their offices. But also many homeowners are beginning to put it in their homes due to lack of maintenance. As a side note though the quartz products are not heat resistant which is why their warranty will be voided in used on fireplaces.
Lastly building off of the durability component of quartz, many quartz products are beginning to look similar to marbles. This is a huge selling factor for us. Many people love the look of the white marbles. Now many of the quartz companies are beginning to come up with stones that looks like Statuario marble and Calacatta marble. These natural marbles are beautiful but the maintenance can be overwhelming. They are porous, can etch, and need to be sealed frequently.
At Italian Marble and Granite we offer six different brands, Caesarstone, Hanstone, Zodiaq, Q-Stone, Daltile, and Silestone. Come in and check them out, we have something for every price point!
A countertop layout is when a customer views their selected stone and sees where their countertop will be cut out of their specific slabs. When customers come into Italian Marble and Granite for their layout they have usually seen their selected slabs at least once before. But during the layout they are shown their selection again. Then they go into our conference room where they see a 3D layout of their kitchen on our television. At this point the customer can see how exactly we are going to cut and put together their countertops. The customer will see grain direction, sink location, as well as the joint locations. We also pride ourselves in giving our customers a voice during the layout process. If they do not like a particular section of the stone we try our best to cut around it or move it around to a less noticeable spot.
Why do a layout? It gives the customer a say in their countertop. We want our customers to see exactly what is being installed into their home or office. Stones that have a lot of movement such as marble and granite are especially important because customers want to see how the different slabs are going to come together. When working with Quartz the layout is not as important because the pattern is very consistent and there tends to be limited to no grain direction. Check out our video to see how it all works!
Granite is a beautiful natural product that is taken directly from the Earth. Each individual slab of granite or other natural stone will look slightly different. With this said there a some natural characteristics of granite countertops that cannot be avoided.
Pits- Some granites have pits and others do not, it depends directly on the mineral composition of the stone. In some cases you will be able to feel the pits on high polished granite countertops when rubbing your hand across the stone. The pits will not get worse, and have been in the granite since purchased. So what exactly is a pit? A pit is a gap between the mineral composition or crystals.
Fissures- Like pits fissures are natural to granite and other stones as well. A fissure looks like a crack in the granite, but it is not one. This happens as the granite forms due to the heat and pressure.
Pits and fissures do not compromise the integrity of the granite countertop, but merely adds to the natural beauty of the stone. Therefore when picking out your stone make sure you are aware of the different characteristics of it. If you do not like the way the fissures or pits look, then perhaps pick another granite that does not have them. Quartz countertops may also be a good option due to it being man made.
There are many different natural stone finishes to use on your countertops. They range from leathered (antiqued), honed, polished, and many more. These finishes do not necessarily jeopardize the integrity of the granite countertops. However, additional coats of sealer may need to be applied. When a stone is leathered it creates a textured finish, which varies depending on the quartz structure of the stone. Meaning that two different granites can have a leathered finish but one may have more texture than the other.
It is important to try and think of what “look” you are trying to achieve. Some customers prefer the leathered finish when they are trying to achieve a more rustic or old feel in their kitchen. Polished granite countertops and leathered granite countertops can bring two different looks. The picture above shows a leathered granite countertop out of African Tapestry. The granite countertop below is the same stone, but with a polished finish. Both granites bring something different to the kitchen. It is important to see that leathering the stone lightens it as well.
For those of you who are unsure of whether or not marble is the right choice for your kitchen, read this article!
It describes the different ups and downs this homeowner experienced during a year of heavy use of her marble countertops.
Many of our customers that come in wanting to install marble countertops are unaware of the traits of the stone, and what sort of things can happen to it. Marble can be stained, etched, and chipped, but this does not necessarily take away from the beauty of the stone.
In fact, some people want marble for this reason alone. They are excited to watch the marble countertops truly become their own.
This article describes this exact process, and speaks of the challenges and benefits of having marble countertops after a year of daily use.
Frequently customers that come into our showroom are not yet aware of the differences between Quartz and Granite. In fact, many of them don’t know that Quartz is actually a man-made stone. This article from Forbes reviews the different materials that make up Quartz, and how they relate to Granite.
