Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - granite countertops

my husband and I chose to go with granite in our kitchen as well as our baths. While installing the bar smack in the middle and down the edge is this stain that looks like someone spilled something. It matches nothing in the granite itself. I have insisted it must be changed. It looks like a giant burn mark. I did not see this on the slabs I looked at. Am I being unresonable? :(

kathy harvey,

Granite is a natural stone. What you picked out and what they had to cut it down to fit the bar, they may had been a variation in the stone, unknown to you and them.

Since this is a natural stone, what you bought is usually what you get.

If this were a man made product, such inconsistencies would not be seen. This is the reason Granite is like by many.

You may ask them for an opinion from them and go from there.

Good Luck!

Dear Doug thank you for your reply. I am a novice at doing and geting home repairs done. I live in a rual area and I keep running into the same problem over and over. Contractors show up on their own time line. They tell me they will be here say at 9am its now after 1 and no call and no show so far.

They tell me they are going to finish such and such on this day and only a quarter of it or half gets done. I don't hover I go in a back room and shut the door I don't come out and ask questions unless they knock on the door and ask me for something. I have provided drinks and food and allowed them to store their own food in my fridge. I compliment work and thank them all to no avail.

I must be doing something wrong please tell me what it is. :confused:

Variations in natural stone is what makes it beautiful. To reassure yourself, have the retailer to come take a look at the countertop to make sure. Granite is a limestone, and you will need to keep it sealed with a sealer for natural stone. You will also need to use cleaners and polishes recommended for natural stone.

People who live in small towns and rural areas have difficulty finding people to work for them. What you describe is not unique to your area. The few that will work are often unreliable. I hear the complaints every day.

Granite is a limestone

Uhmm... what???

Kathy, is it possible for you to take a picture and post it? From what you're describing, the mark should not be there. If that's the case, then it can almost certainly be corrected. Hard to tell without to tell without seeing it, though.

David Edwards,

I agree with your question! Glad to see you active in the Forums

Granite is not Limestone! Both are formed differently and have different properties.

Below is a "suggestive use" for different stones;

Granite - This hard and dense stone is ideal for inside and outside surfaces and is perfect for kitchen counters.
Marble - This stone's rich palette of colors makes it perfect for interior floors, walls and counters.
Travertine - Generally beige or tan in color, this stone is often used outside as cladding and pavement and inside for floors, walls and countertops.
Limestone - The muted tones of this stone are excellent for bathrooms, fireplaces, counters and less-traveled flooring.
Source - Slab USA

Kathy,

You're welcome! As Twelvepole mentioned, sometimes in small towns, there is a definitely a difference in how fast one works and how reliable there are at keeping appts. and keeping them. Trying to appease their compassion and attentiveness with snacks, drinks, etc. is usually all for not. What does get their attention is not paying and forcing the issue to do things right.

Good Luck!

Not all granites are created equal. Limestone consists primarily of calcite. Granite tends not to contain much calcite and primarily is a silicate rather than a carbonate stone. Some granites contain more calcite than others. Some stones are sold as granite that are not true granite.Thus, some granites tend to etch more easily than others when exposed to acidic solutions such as vinegar and citric acids in juices. Some stone experts claim that if granite etches that it is not true granite. Also, they claim that marketers tend to use the name granite for all igneous stones. The following thread on this website is such an example of the results of acid on granite: http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=241000

The term granite is often used as a marketing device for stones that are not clearly classifiable as marble, limestone, sandstone, slate, or other stone. The term for certain marble products would be better marketed as limestone, sandstone, or slate. When it comes to marketing, which tends not to be based on scientific evidence, it tends to be a matter of convenience, sales, and the bottom dollar. Wise natural stone shoppers will select their slabs and do acid and water tests on them before making their selections if durability and maintenance are concerns. Many request a sample to take home to test with hot pots, chopping with a knife, and placing lemon slices and water on the stone.

Limestone, travertine, marble, and onyx are relatives of marble and all are sedimentary formations. This means they are formed from animal skeletons and shells, plant matter, and silt at the bottom of bodies of water. Bones and shells contain calcium. (Calcium is alkaline and can be dissolved by acid.)

Granite is usually described as a result of formation of crystals at high heat in the center of the earth. But, some granites are derived from melted sedimentary or rhyolitic volcanic rocks, some by fractionation within magma (either partial melting or fractional crystallization), and some by partial melting and rising of magma that leaves behind a mafic residue. Granites that arise from melts tend not to contain calcites, but granites that derive from melted sedimentary or rhyolitic volcanic rocks will tend to contain calcite.

Many granites are porous, especially the popular swirl varieties, and will stain. These swirl types are often not true granites. For example, gneiss. It has the same components as granite, but it cools more quickly, making swirls such as in marble and making it more porous and susceptible to staining. Such stones tend to have smaller crystals, making them more porous than granites with large crystals. As granite is quarried, there will be differences in shading and pattern. It is important to remember that natural stone is created by nature and variations are part of the natural beauty of natural stone.

Although granite and limestone tend to be classified as two different stones, some "granites" do tend to contain calcite. Thus, if calcite is the distinction of limestone, then it makes the division between the limestones and granites that contain calcite quite hazy. True granite, a silicate, is not subject to acid etching. True granite, which is formed at high heat, tends also not to be subject to burning from hot pots and pans. Should natural stone have a natural, invisible fracture, heat could lead to fracture.

Twelvepole,

Thanks for that long copy and paste answer but like I said, both are formed differently and have different properties.

Granite is not Limestone and Limestone is not Granite.

We should stay in context with the members questions and not get into technicalities which benefit noone.

Here, in my opinion, is what consumers would care about when it come to limestone and granite:

Limestone has an average Mohs hardness of 3; granite has 7. So for installing either, granite does not scratch nearly as easily.

Limestone is much more absorbant than granite, and so needs to more attention to properly sealing. Not to say that granite (most) shouldn't be properly sealed, just that it's more important for limestone.

It's true that some "granites," have calcite and will etch. But it won't happen as often and it generally won't be as severe as limestone. Because of the calcite content, limestone cannot be treated, restored or repaired in the same manner as granite. This includes poultices. A poultice used to remove a stain may be fine on granite, but may need more applications for limestone and may etch the stone.

Both limestone and granite (and all other natural stone) have qualities that make them more attractive and suitable for various consumers. I don't any one is "better" than another. But each have their own properties and tendancies, and this should be taken into consideration by homeowners when choosing and caring for their stone.

Kathy, you probably got a 'birthmark' in the stone, that's the way it came. Maybe get creative and put a vase/picture frame or fruit basket in the area? :)

Take some pictures of it and lets see what you got!

Who knows, it may be a natural pattern that is very unique in the granite or someone could have damaged your stone! Who knows.. :confused:

Kathy,
Is your stone light? Could it be one of the colors in the "Gallo" family...like Gallo Beach, Gallo St. Cecilia, etc.? If you viewed your "SLABOUT" (with your templates on the stone), You should have seen a big spot. If it's a stain try to get some POLTIS / POLTICE (not sure of the spelling). It's made to lift stains from granite. Basically makes a paste and you spead it over the stain and let it sit for 24 hours. Clean up and the stain should be gone. If you have a light colored granite be aware that liquids will cause a temporary stain effect but will evaporate in time. Sound to me it's natural in which we would call it an anomaly. Hope this helps. Tim
P.S. Formally a manager of a granite company.

hello, i presently have granite for the kitchen. my problem is now that i have a new oven, i must enlarge the space to slide it in. about 2 inches both sides. what is the easieast method of cutting it? cheers anyone

Anthony,
There are a few things to take into consideration...one is there plenty of room between the existing cabinets for your range...two, if so, what type of range is it? Slide-in (lip goes over the granite on both sides), a free standing (granite butts up against the sides of the range) or a cooktop (basically drops in a rectangle hole with granite all around it)? Depending on what type the range is will tell me the degree of work to be performed. The biggest of course is there enough room between the cabinets or do the cabinets need to be moved?
I will give you your options once I get the answers from you.
Thanks,
Tim

Wow, all you people out there sound so versed in Granite. I would like to do my kitchen countertops but I can't believe how expensive it still is to have granite installed! Anyone know of a place in Illinois that is under $50.00 a sq. to have it installed?
Thanks!