Granite | Marble | Soapstone | Limestone | Corian

Granite
Granite is a very popular material for kitchen and bath countertops. It is extremely hard and highly durable. Another major attraction is color choice. The polished finish on stone has a smooth, glossy surface, which beautifully reflects natural and artificial light while emphasizing the color and markings of the material. Granite is approximately 75% as hard as a diamond, making it one of the hardest stones found in nature.

Soapstone
Soapstone was traditionally used in colonial New England for fireplace hearths, sinks, countertops, and wood stoves. A primary component in soapstone is talc, which gives it a "feeling of soap" to the touch. This is why soapstone is ideal for that rustic, colonial look in a kitchen. Soapstone is inert. This means that acids and alkalis won't effect them as they will a marble or granite. The application of mineral oil will darken and richen the stones color and act as a sealer. Periodically, mineral oil may be re-applied to the stone. This will enhance the luster and color of the stone and create that brand new look once again.

Marble
Marble makes an ideal material for fireplaces, vanities and wet bars. We do not recommend marble in a kitchen due to its porosity and vulnerabilty to acids. It has been used since ancient times for statuary, monuments, and facing stones. Marble is a rock formed by the metamorphism of limestone. The term is loosely applied to any limestone or dolomite that takes a good polish and is otherwise suitable as a building or ornamental stone. Its color varies depending on the types of impurities present.

Limestone
Limestone is best used on fireplaces and vanity tops. It is not very practical in kitchens because of its high porosity. Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate formed from the skeletons of marine invertebrates. It is often white, but may be colored brown, yellow, or red by iron oxide and blue, black, or gray by carbon impurities.

Corian®
Whether you're designing a gracious, peaceful spa for the master suite, or ensuring that the busiest room in the house stands up to continued use, a bathroom plan that includes Corian solid surfaces will give you years of beauty and durability.

Corian solid surfaces are smooth and nonporous. As a result, they will not promote the growth of mold, mildew or bacteria. And because it's nonporous, liquids and stains can't penetrate Corian, so it's easy to clean and maintain. Corian is also nontoxic, and chemically nonreactive, with virtually no off-gassing at normal room temperatures, in accordance with building codes and other local restrictions. View Corian color choices.

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