Granites are quarried throughout the world in the form of huge blocks and then reduced into slabs. These slabs are then carefully crafted by fabricators who process them into the final product.

Granite is striking, functional and extremely durable. These traits make granite ideal for kitchen countertops, accent islands, bar tops, everyday dining tables, and many other uses. Even the finest synthetics can't match granite's natural range of colors, nor are they nearly as versatile, durable, or long lasting.

It ís very important to understand the characteristics of granite when considering it for your home. First, because this is a natural quarried stone there are no two slabs exactly alike. Any sample you look at is just a general representation of what you can expect.Variations are normal and add to the character of each piece. We do, however, match the stone on the same job as closely as possible. All granites have minor surface imperfections commonly referred to as pits and shakes. The coarser granites tend to have more surface imperfections than the finer grained stones but this is just the nature of this natural product. Most imperfections are not apparent under normal lighting and can only be seen with light striking the surface at an obtuse angle. You should never choose a granite based on a photograph because it can be somewhat misleading as granite is difficult to photograph accurately. Photographs are useful to find a general category of color or texture which you might like to consider but looking at a real stone sample is a must when choosing.

Fabricators have found new and improved ways to enhance the beauty and durability of the stone. The slabs are treated with epoxy resin, which is manufactured by Tenex to reinforce and protect the slabs, in conjunction with a superficial treatment named Pectro applied at the end of the polishing process to hide small imperfections naturally present in the granite.

After rough slabbing of the blocks, the slabs move through a polishing line that brings the surface of the slabs to a 220-grit honed finish. Then, the slabs enter a massive drying unit that removes any trace of water from the slab. The unit places the slabs within an environment which is actually drier than the ambient air humidity, which allows for maximum efficiency in applying the resin.

From the drying unit, the slabs move to a machine that automatically reads the size of the slab and sprays the proper amount of resin. The spraying application takes place within a vacuum in the machine, which ensures that no air will enter the operation. After the resin is applied, it enters a second heating/drying unit, which speeds the reaction time of the resin with the stone.

The epoxy resin has shown the capability to run into each of the cracks and fill all of the pits and micro-fissures present in the granite. Additionally, its long hardening time allows the glue to penetrate deeply into the stone before the complete curing will occur.

During the polishing process, the first steps are focused on removing all excess resin from the top of the slab, leaving only the resin that has filled into the cracks or the pits. In this way, the epoxy resin will not form a film on top of the granite, and it will only be present in the interspaces and in the micro-fissures.

We use 1 1/4 inch slabs exclusively for our tops which are polished to a high shine which will not wear off under normal use. At 1/1/4 inch, granite runs around 25 lb per square foot which makes it a very substantial product. This is not enough weight, however, to stress an average cabinet or floor (typically designed for 50 lb. per square foot). The only 3/4 inch material we use is for backsplashes or window sills.

Granite has become the obvious choice in countertop materials with kitchen designers. Synthetic materials offer no comparison to the performance of real granite. It's durable and will last a lifetime. The hardness of granite makes it resistant to stains, abrasions, and extreme heat. Hot pans have no effect on the mirror-like finish of granite, and the beauty and elegance it adds to your kitchen will last a lifetime.

From design to installation, our company will meet with you one on one and give your kitchen a lifetime of performance and beauty.