Cleaning Your Stone Countertop

by aeb52298_admin | Mar 16, 2020 | Uncategorized

Keeping the surfaces in your home clean is a top priority when it comes to your family’s safety, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. While many of us would instinctively reach for a household disinfectant or wipe, it’s important to understand that many types of cleaners could cause serious damage to natural stone countertops.

Alcohol based cleaners can potentially remove the sealer on your granite or marble surfaces, and seep into the stone, causing permanent damage and etching. It’s worth noting that quartz, a manmade product, is completely non-porous, and can often handle harsher cleaners that its natural stone counterparts cannot.

We recommend that consumers use a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water to clean surfaces, and if soap scum is a concern, Miracle brand granite and marble cleaner afterwards to minimize the appearance of streaking.

To clean your counterop:

• Put warm water into a bowl
• Add a small amount of detergent or soap, diluting it
• Clean the surface of your countertop with the solution
• If you are experiencing soapscum or buildup, use Miracle brand granite cleaner

The Natural Stone Institute also suggests a mixture of water and ammonia if a deeper clean is necessary, but warn that repeated ammonia application can cause damage to the stone. Under no circumstance should you ever use bleach, or any acidic product on a natural stone countertop.

We understand that disinfecting your countertops is an essential part of routine cleanliness, and we hope this information helps keep your home a safe and healthy environment while maintaining the longevity of your stone. At Italian Marble and Granite we are happy to help address any concerns you have with the maintenance of your granite, marble and quartz countertops. Please feel free to call us with any questions.

Designing Your Dream Island

by aeb52298_admin | Dec 31, 2019 | Uncategorized

An island is one of the most important design choices you’ll make for your home. Not only from a visual standpoint, serving as the focal point of the room, but practically speaking as well—it’s an essential kitchen mainstay, which is why designing your island is an important, and sometimes tricky endeavor. We’ve gathered some of our best tips to help you when considering the options, so you can design the right island for your family and your home.

An island in Titanium granite. This stone has a leathered finish.

Stone Choice

For your island countertop, we recommend granite and quartzite, both natural stones, or quartz, which is a durable, manmade product. In kitchens, we tend to steer clients away from marble because of the softness of the stone—after time, daily use will produce stains and etching to the surface.

At Italian Marble and Granite, our goal is to fabricate each island without needing a seam, also known as a joint. Depending on the layout and needs of particular kitchens, this is sometimes unavoidable—it’s also important to note that when it comes to quartz, you’re generally dealing with a slightly smaller slab size than granite or quartzite, increasing that chance of needing a seam.

Island Size

For years, the standard island was the length of a slab. Lately, the size of islands has been increasing, with the trend moving from rectangular designs, to larger, more square islands that serve as the centerpiece of the kitchen, and home.

Still, the majority of our work tends to be a standard island that measures anywhere from 60″ – 120″ by roughly 38″ with no joint or seam. Depending on your needs, you may also want to consider a working island, which is only for prep and does not leave room for dining.

Overhang

Most customers will need to consider the amount of overhang, or how far the stone comes out past the cabinet base. This is generally between 10” – 12”—though depending on your needs, like extra-leg room for taller family members, you may want to consider overhang up to 15”. It’s important to note that anything over 12” will require brackets for support that will need to be installed by your contractor.

It’s also worth noting that if you are installing a sink or cooktop in your island, this will likely require support brackets to ensure countertop stability.

Island Upgrades

It’s always important to consider what you’ll be using the space for. Do you cook a lot, and need ample room to prep? Do you have a big family that likes to eat together in the kitchen? How about entertaining? Have you always wished for extra counterspace around the holidays? At Italian Marble and Granite, we’ve fabricated and installed thousands of islands over the years—here are some the most popular options:

Raised Ledge

This is a great look, but it’s important to note that two tiered islands offer very limited workspace. This option will also need for supports on the upper ledge, especially if you intend to have seating on this level, and should also include space in the riser for electrical outlets.

Laminate Buildup

An island with a laminate buildup in Taj Mahal quartzite.

When you see an extra thick countertop, it is probably not an 8cm or 3 inch thick slab. Rather, you are looking at a buildup. A laminate buildup will add thickness, while maintaining the stone’s look, and eliminating the visibility of a seam.

Mitered Buildup

An island with a mitered edge

Similair to the laminate buildup, a mitered edge will add a natural looking thickness to your island. It is flawlessly fabricated to look as if the veining “wraps” around the edges. The mitered option works best for islands without sink or appliances, since this will require extra buildup.

Waterfall

A waterfall island in quartz

A waterfall edge, which is created by joining two pieces at the ends, creates a bold, modern island that is a great look for larger kitchens. Its also important to note that these islands require specific cabinet designs to allow the “waterfall” to sit flush.

The Best Island For You and Your Family

At Italian Marble and Granite, we take every customer’s design choices and practical needs into account as we fabricate and install your countertops. Some jobs require more creative thinking than others– our team has even gone as far as shutting down a city street, and using a crane to get a especially tricky piece into a client’s home. The experts in our showroom and shop will help you make the right decision when it comes to islands and beyond, so you can have the best possible fit for your home and your family’s needs.

Know Your Stone: Quartzite

by aeb52298_admin | Dec 4, 2019 | Uncategorized

A custom fireplace in Taj Mahal quartzite

When it comes to choosing the perfect stone for your home, we know that it can be confusing trying to sort through all the options. Between colors and stone-type, texture and edges, there’s a lot of info out there. But never fear, because the team at Italian Marble & Granite is here to help!

One of the most popular stones today is quartzite, and no wonder. This natural stone boasts beautiful, marble-like colors and veining, with a resistance to etching that rivals granite. And while quartzites tend to be pricier, the hardness of the stone makes it a durable choice; well worth the price for your kitchen or bathroom.

It’s important to note that quartzite is a very different product than quartz, which is a man-made stone that, while very popular and durable, does not offer the same heat-resistant properties as quartzite and granite.

A custom countertop in Taj Mahal quartzite

And as quartzite becomes more and more popular, it’s essential to know that product is the real deal — oftentimes a stone is being sold as quartzite when in reality it is a hard marble. This becomes an issue especially when installed in kitchens and bathrooms, since marble is notoriously porous and can easily stain and etch.

But Italian Marble and Granite is dedicated to an enjoyable and transparent customer experience, which is why we test every stone as it comes into our warehouse. You can be sure that when you come into our showroom you are guaranteed the highest quality stone from Western New York’s quartzite expert.

Take a look at some of our favorite quartzites for some ideas as you dream up your next remodel:

Taj Mahal

This is an incredibly popular stone, with warm creamy tones, a little bit of grey and soft, subtle movement for an overall clean look. This is a great example of marble movement in a quartzite.

Sea Pearl

This stone has a rust color, with a bluish-green hue. With a nice white undertone, and thin, dramatic veins, Sea Pearl is another great choice for that marble look with added durability.

Opus White

This stone is closer to pure white than Sea Pearl, but still maintains a slight grey undertone. With high contrast, thin black veins, Opus White is a striking stone with horizontal movement and small touches of brown.

Nuage

This grey-green stone has pure white veins that vary in thickness depending on the lot, for a dramatically different look from piece to piece. The overall green cast, however, is maintained, giving it a distinct hue.

Corteccia

Corteccia is an affordable quartzite that brings a lot of color, with greens, browns, and rusts peeking through a natural, layered look. It’s an excellent stone that offers the durability of quartzite at budget pricing.

Michelangelo

This exotic stone is sure to be a talking point in any room. With a bold blue/grey/rust color, and thick veins with big movement, this is an incredibly unique piece.