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Italian Marble and Granite

Call Us: 716-741-1800

The Pros and Cons of Stones

We are here to make your home renovation easier; that is why we compiled a list of pros and cons for stones. We hope that this helps you choose the perfect stone for your home. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you read: 

  • Stain-resistant does not mean stain-proof. Stain-resistant means that it is harder to stain the stone. If you properly care for it, you will not deal with staining. 
  • Heat resistance does not mean you should constantly place high heat objects on the stones. High heat can remove sealer or polish layers, eventually damaging the stone. Try to use a trivet or hot pad as often as possible. 

GRANITE

Granite is a natural stone. It is formed under the Earth’s surface by magma that slowly cools and crystallizes over time. As a result, each slab is unique and full of different colors and patterns.

Pros of Granite: 

  • One of the hardest substances on Earth, making it very durable
  • Heat resistant
  • Scratch-resistant
  • Can be repaired if broken, unless shattered

Cons of Granite: 

  • Needs to be sealed; otherwise, there can be staining
  • Is porous

 

QUARTZITE

Quartzite is a natural stone formed by crystallizing from molten magma. Many slabs have marble-like colors and veining.

Pros of Quartzite: 

  • Resistant to etching
  • Low maintenance
  • UV resistant
  • Durable
  • Can be repaired if broken, unless shattered
  • Scratch resistant

Cons of Quartzite: 

  • Some varieties need to be sealed
  • Can stain

 

MARBLE

Marble is a natural stone. It’s created by the metamorphosis of a combination of rocks under intense pressure and temperatures.

Pros of Marble: 

  • Are beautiful and timeless stones
  • Can be repaired if broken, unless shattered
  • With proper care, they can last a long time

Cons of Marble: 

  • Porous
  • Can stain or etch. To prevent etching we recommend a honed marble. Honed marble is marble that has not gone through the polish process, which leaves it matte.
  • Delicate and can be damaged easier than other stones

 

PORCELAIN

Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating clay-type materials to high temperatures.

Pros of porcelain:

  • UV Resistant
  • Heat Resistant
  • Essentially scratch resistant (ceramic knives may scratch)
  • Stain-resistant

Cons of porcelain: 

  • Can crack if hit by a hard object (ex: hammer).

 

DEKTON

Dekton goes through a high-tech process that mimics the metamorphic change that natural stone undergoes over thousands of years.

Pros of Dekton:

  • Scratch Resistant
  • Heat Resistant
  • Stain Resistant
  • UV and ice resistant, making it the perfect stone for outdoor use

Cons of Dekton:

  • Difficult to repair if broken

 

 

QUARTZ:

Quartz is an engineered stone made up of natural components.

Pros of Quartz: 

  • Is not porous
  • Does not need to be sealed
  • Stain-resistant
  • Same durability as granite

Cons of Quartz:

  • Not heat resistant
  • Can be damaged and stained by chemicals, ex: nail polish remover or high pH cleaner

 

Outdoor Entertaining Areas

Outdoor Entertaining Areas

Your outdoor entertaining area can start off as a dream. With the help of Italian Marble & Granite your backyard can be turned into the private retreat you have always wanted. From fireplaces, BBQ pits, countertops, tabletops, and fire pits you could turn your backyard dream into a reality.

With summer coming up quickly, we all dream of a relaxing place to spend our beautiful summer evenings. One of the best ways to achieve this dream is by creating your outdoor entertaining area out of our wonderful selection of stone. With the help of our amazing staff we can help guide the process of turning the slab of stone into a beautiful and well-crafted piece of work.

The type of outdoor countertops that we can create here at IMG depends on your liking. You are able to customize everything about your granite, from the edges to the style, shape, and color. Our fireplaces, BBQ pits, fire pits, table tops, and countertops are our ways to get your backyard patio looking it’s best.

Below is a list of the most common applications and the types of stone we would recommend.

  • – Outdoor kitchens/BBQs- Diresco Quartz, Granite, Soapstone, Dekton, Geolux, Porcelain slabs/Sapienstone
  • – Outdoor tables- Diresco Quartz, Granite, Soapstone, Dekton, Geolux, Porcelain slabs/Sapienstone
  • – Fireplaces/Firepits- Dekton & Geolux

     

      

 

How to Protect Your Countertops During the Holidays

The holiday season really can be “the most wonderful time of the year,” with family and friends getting together to celebrate. However, with the holidays quickly approaching, it is easy to forget about the care and maintenance required for your countertops.

Here are five tips to protect your countertops, whether you have granite, marble or quartz, during the holidays:

1. Use Coasters. Adding a second layer of protection between liquids and your countertops is always a great way to ensure your countertops stay intact not only during the holiday season, but over the years as well. (Coasters can also be helpful in remembering whose drink is whose.)

2. Wipe Up Spills. When having family and friends over during the holiday season, spills are just about inevitable. When there is a spill, it’s important to wipe it up as soon as you can to make sure the liquid doesn’t penetrate the stone. Wiping spills up quickly is the best way to avoid staining, which can happen with any surface.

3. Use Trivets or Hot Pads. It is extremely important to be mindful of heat when placing pots and pans on your countertops. Although natural stones like granite and marble can absorb heat, we still recommend using trivets to create another level of protection. For those with quartz countertops, using a trivet is crucial to keeping your countertops intact because the heat from pots and pans can burn the surface.

4. Use a Cutting Board. This is another simple tip that can make a huge difference when followed during the holidays and beyond. Cutting boards protect your countertops by preventing scratches from your knives when preparing food for the holidays. Also, using a cutting board not only helps preserve your countertops, but also helps preserve your knives too.

5. Use Stone Cleaner. When all the gifts have been unwrapped and the celebrations are winding down, it is important to use a granite/stone cleaner to make sure you’re giving your countertops a deep clean. This is a great way to ensure that residue and liquids do not stay on your countertops. The cleaners that we recommend can be found at Miracle Sealant Company’s wesbite ( https://miraclesealants.com/ ).

We hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday season with their friends and family!

Dishwashers and Solid Surfaces

Over the years the way dishwashers are attached has changed.  This is primarily due to the fact that many of the counters people are having installed are granite, quartz, or marble.  When formica tops are installed the dishwashers can be attached directly to the  formica tops, by being screwed in.  With granite, quartz, and marble this cannot be done.  Therefore many of the dishwasher companies are making their dishwashers side mountable.  If you have a relatively new dishwasher it probably has to the ability to be attached to the side of your cabinet.  If you dishwasher is older, or in the rare occasion not side-mountable then we can attached a metal strip under the surface and the clips can be attached to it.

The easiest way to determine if your dishwasher has the ability to be side mounted is to look at the installation manual.  It should give you two different options, and one will explain how to attach it to the cabinet rather than the counter.    Below is an example of how a dishwasher can be attached to the side of a cabinet.

side mount instruction

Patio Season in Buffalo

Patio Season in Buffalo

Outdoor patio with SmartDesign Architecture

Outdoor patio with SmartDesign Architecture

Hopefully in Buffalo the weather will begin to change and all the snow will start to become sunshine. With this in mind many people are beginning to plan their outdoor patios, outdoor kitchens, and other outdoor living spaces. When making selections for your outdoor patios their are many things to keep in mind when determine what surfaces to use:
1) The type of stone. Many people like quartz, but for the most part you cannot use it outside. Quartz cannot be used with heat, such as a firepit, and it cannot be exposed to the outdoor elements like rain and sunshine. This is due to the fact that there is dye used to produce the stone and the elements can change the color of the stone. Granite and soapstone are the most recommended for the outside, soapstone being the best material. The soapstone can handle heat the best, where as some granite are too brittle for outdoor use. This is especially important in Buffalo. Buffalo experiences all four season therefore the stone will be expanding and contracting with the weather.
2) Color of the stone should also be taken into account. Black stones can be very HOT during the summer. Think about getting your car in the summer with a leather black interior. Your black granite can be like that outside. Therefore if using black stone make sure it is not in the direct sunlight.
3) Consult your granite sales person/fabricator about the integrity of the stone outside. As mentioned earlier some stones perform better outside than others. Granite with a lot of crystal is not ideal for the outdoors because of the expansion and contraction as mentioned earlier. Let your sales person and fabricator be a part of the conversation when picking the perfect outdoor stone.
4) The temperature outside matters when installing the stone. Certain epoxy and glues only work in certain temperatures. Unfortunately that can mean delaying an install by a day if the the temperature decides to drop below 50 degrees.
5) Lastly, start planning early! If you are thinking you want to use this new outdoor living space for memorial day weekend, make sure you shopping now.