What is the
difference between granite and marble?
Granite is one of the hardest materials on earth. Granite
is composed primarily of quartz, feldspar and mica. Other minerals may be
present in the stone creating its unique colors, textures and patterns.
Used as a countertop material, it is resistant to scratches, acids, stains
and heat. It is long-lasting, durable and available in a wide variety of
colors, textures and unique crystal patterns that create a warm and
inviting environment for you kitchen or bath.
Marble works beautifully especially in the bath where the veining patterns
and colors that appear can be used to create exquisite designs. Marbles
are made up of mostly of calcite. Marble is sensitive to acidic foods such
as vinegar, lemon, tomatoes, wine, as well as some tile cleaners, mildew
removers and other materials commonly found in the kitchen or bath and
will dull a polished finish.
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What does
the grade on marble mean?
For the sake of convenience, marbles are divided into four
groups. These arbitrary groupings are as follows:
-
GROUP A: Any marble or stone sold to the trade in fair
sized slabs or blocks of commercial size, rectangular shape and guaranteed
by the seller to be sound, free from natural defects, which can be
finished at a minimum cost, and sold to the consumer as sound marble.
-
GROUP B: Any marble or stone sold to the trade in slabs or
blocks of fair or medium size, generally rectangular shape, guaranteed to
be sound and free from natural defects, the finishing of which because of
texture, the size of slabs, the shape and size of blocks is somewhat more
expensive than those in group A.
-
GROUP C: Any marble or stone that cannot be sold as sound
but contains a minimum amount of natural defects, such as dry seams, old
fractures, partially or completely healed surface voids, etc., to be
treated by the manufacturer in the most approved manner, reinforced where
necessary by liners on back or metal inlays and sold to the consumer a
semi-sound marble.
-
GROUP D: All marble, stone and so-called serpentine
marbles, and Onyx, which by their peculiar formation are known to be
fragile, such as Breccias and nearly all highly colored marbles and
serpentines, and that are sold to the trade in irregular shaped blocks or
slabs without a guarantee as to their soundness, treated by the
manufacturer in the most approved manner, reinforced where necessary by
liners on back or metal inlays and sold to the consumer as unsound marble.
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Should I use
granite or marble for my countertops?
Granite is the most versatile stone to work with. Granite
can be used anywhere indoors or outdoors. Marble can be used almost
anywhere, but it has limitations. Marble weathers outdoors and it is more
susceptible to dulling, scratching and staining.
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How heavy
is granite and will my cabinets support it?
The actual density of granite will vary from material to
material. On average, a piece of granite that is one square foot by 1/16
of an inch thick (12"x12"x1/16") weighs approximately 1 lb. In other
words, Granite that is 1 1/4" thick weighs approximately 16 to 22 lbs. per
square foot. Granite that is 3/4" thick weighs approximately 12 to 15 lbs.
per square foot.
As long as you have ordinary cabinets with frames that are
securely fastened to the wall and/or floor, you're cabinets will support
granite countertops. The force of an average person weighing 150 lbs.
standing on a cabinet creates more stress on the cabinets than the granite
countertops. The weight of the person (150 lbs.) is applied to less than 1
square foot of area, whereas the granite only applies about 20 lbs. per
square foot.
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What
are seams and why do you need them?
Seams are the joints where two pieces of stone meet. Seams
are one of the few disadvantages of stone countertops compared to manmade
materials. We do everything we can to avoid or reduce the number of seams
in a job. Then, we do everything we can to make the seams less noticeable.
We use an epoxy to glue and seal the seam. We color the epoxy to make it
blend with the stone. We also try to match the coloring and patterns of
adjacent pieces to detract from the seams
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Do I
need to seal my stone countertops?
You can always seal your stone countertops. You can't go
wrong by sealing the stone. Sometimes, it just isn't necessary to seal the
stone. Granites that are generally dark with variations just wouldn't show
a stain if it got one. All marbles and lighter colored granites should be
sealed. Marbles should be sealed once or twice a year. Granites should be
sealed once a year. Using a sealer does not make the stone un-stainable.
It simply fills the pores in the stone and make the staining process
slower, thus giving you more time to clean a spill before a stain sets in.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages to using granite for my
countertops?
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How easy
is it to scratch the stone?
Marble is very easy to scratch. There are few things that
will scratch granite: diamonds, another piece of granite, hardened steel.
If you wanted to scratch the granite you could, but under normal use you
will not scratch it.
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Do I need to
use a cutting board?
Marble - yes. Granite - no, not to protect the granite.
You may consider one to protect your kitchen knifes.
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What
special care does stone require?
Applying sealer if needed. Otherwise, the usual clean
regularly, don't use acidic or abrasive cleaners that will dull the finish
over time. Don't hit the countertops with a hammer.
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Can stone
countertops be repaired?
Reasonable damage can be repaired: small cracks or chips.
If the stone is chipped, always try to save the piece that chipped off.
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How
resistant to bacterial contamination is granite?
If you're concerned about bacterial contamination of your
kitchen countertop, it looks like stainless steel and granite are the way
to go. That's what a recent study by the Hospitality Institute of
Technology and Management, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based organization that
develops educational materials and research for the retail food industry,
shows.
The study measured the bacteria-resistance capacity of six
common countertop materials. Each surface was contaminated with E. coli
(nearly 2 billion of the microorganisms), washed and rinsed with soap and
water and then sanitized with a vinegar-and-water solution. The results
are shown in the table below.
|
Surface Microorganisms Eliminated by Cleaning |
|
|
|
| Stainless Steel |
|
85,113,804 |
| Granite |
|
79,432,823 |
| Plastic Laminate |
|
498,884 |
| Tile |
|
293,765 |
| Concrete |
|
32,810 |
| Wood |
|
2,080 |
Dr. O. Peter Snyder Jr., who conducted the study, says,
"We hope our research will help consumers make healthy decisions when
selecting a countertop surface for their kitchens."
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How much
unsupported overhang can my countertops have?
Overhangs should not exceed 6" beyond the supported area.
An unsupported span of 24" and up to a maximum of 36" is acceptable as
long as the stone is supported on both sides of the span.
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How do I
attach my dishwasher to the stone countertop?
It is recommended that you do not attach the dishwasher
directly to the stone countertop. Most dishwasher manufacturers have
either side-mount or floor-mount brackets available. The side-mount
brackets attach the dishwasher to the adjacent cabinets. Please, contact
your dishwasher manufacturer for these brackets. Drilling into the bottom
of the stone can cause stress cracks and discolorations in the surface of
the stone.
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|
We're installing a new granite counter top and need to know how to
fasten our built in dishwasher to it. |
First off, before
attempting to screw into a granite, Corian or Ceran countertop, check
with the counter top supplier and see if it is recommended or not.
It may be
possible to attach a wooden strip across the top of the dishwasher's
enclosure, mounting it to the cabinets on either side of the
dishwasher. The dishwasher should then be able to be screwed to that,
avoiding contact with the counter top material altogether.
It may also be
possible to attach a wooden strip directly to the counter top material
itself, using an approved adhesive. You could then screw the
dishwasher to the attached wooden strip without effecting the counter
top material itself.
I have read that
Miele (an European appliance manufacturer) makes an accessory
available for their built in models for this purpose. The 3.341.080
GBW Fixing Angle may be able to be used for other makes as well to
install dishwasher under Granite, Corian or Ceran counter tops. Check
with a local Miele dealer.
Some dishwasher
manufacturers may have alternate mounting kits available to secure
their product differently than the standard way. That will depend on
the brand and model of dishwasher in question as to what type (if any)
of alternate mounting may be appropriate for it.
Alternately,
since the screws are meant to prevent the dishwasher from tipping
forward, you may be able to utilize kitchen stove anti-tip brackets
like those that are being supplied with current model ranges (see
image below). These brackets screw to the floor or rear wall behind
the appliance and trap the rear leveling leg, preventing the appliance
from tipping.
An additional
stop mounted to the floor in front of the front legs may also be
advised to stop the dishwasher from being pulled out of its enclosure
when the door is opened roughly.
Providing your
local building codes allow this solution, it may be an inexpensive and
time saving alternative.
Similar anti-tip
brackets are made available by Frigidaire (# 316107200), Maytag/Jenn
Air (# 12400045) and Amana (# 31970801 floor mount only) and should be
available through most appliance parts suppliers.
One final note:
However you decide to fasten the dishwasher, make sure it can be
removed easily afterward for routine maintenance and service. Failing
to make the unit accessible may result in requiring cabinet work to be
done in the future, adding to any repair expense you may face. back to top of page |
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