Stone Care

Marble and granite both add a polished sophistication and enhance any room. Both can be used for countertops, tile flooring, fireplace mantels, columns, vases and much more. However, even though marble and granite have a similar aesthetic, they can also be better suited for specific purposes.

Marble lasts as long as granite, but is typically best used for bathrooms. Marble’s subtle color choices and veining patterns can create more unique and exquisite designs. Physically, marble is less dense and is often the preferred choice for fireplace mantels because more detailed designs can be carved. Marble largely composed of calcite and is sensitive to acidic foods including ketchup, lemon, vinegar and wine. In exposing marble to these acids, there is a risk of staining and dulling the polished finish.

Greater density and hardness help make granite resistant to scratches, acids, stains and heat. This makes granite a popular choice for kitchen countertops and outdoor pieces as it is the most durable natural stone and stands up well to inclement weather. Granite is long-lasting and creates a beautiful, unique ambiance in any environment.

Answer: Probably not! That is the short answer. However, this is a very complicated answer with many different possible answers. First, The Marble Institute of America’s position is that most granite does not need sealing. It is made of a dense enough material to be frost proof, or have a water absorption rate so low that it will not retain a damaging amount of water in case of a freezing temperature. Will sealing improve this status? Possibly, but only minimally so. Most granite is very stain resistant, so what are we trying to improve? With that being said, some granite will benefit from sealing. That is why we are here. We take a look at all of the stones and granite we fabricate. If it needs a sealer, we will seal it for you. The general rule we use is “if water darkens the stone”, we believe it needs a sealer.

A little bit of common sense goes a long way. Why not just seal everything? Well, the long explanation goes like this: “resin coating.” Resin coating is a process that slab fabricators have developed over the last 5 to 10 years. This process applies an epoxy coating over the slabs, and fills the voids, veins, and fissures. It was developed for stone that was normally so unstable that it would never reach the marketplace in good enough shape to be of any use. The more unstable stones they sold, the more they used resin. Resin coating has become such a part of slab fabrication that many of the fabricators decided to resin coat all of the colors to keep things simple. We do not know what kind of resins these fabricators are using. When you mix a sealer with an unknown resin, it may turn the resin “cloudy.” If you turn it “cloudy”, you have ruined the material. That is why this is best left for us to figure out.