Natural Stone Products
Granite
Granite, quarried from the mountains of Italy, the U.S., India, and dozens of other countries around the world, is one of the most popular natural stones on the market.Available in a striking array of colors, granite's durability and longevity make it ideal for kitchen countertops and other heavily used surfaces, including table tops and floors.
While some synthetic surfaces scratch easily and melt under hot cookware, granite resists heat. Granite is also one of the most bacteria-resistant kitchen surfaces, and it is not affected by citric acid, coffee, tea, alcohol, or wine. It is also nearly impossible to scratch, and with proper cleaning, will not stain under normal use (ask your professional contractor about sealants available to further improve resistance to staining).
A leading consumer magazine recently compared granite with engineered stone, ceramic tile, laminate, butcher block, and other manufactured surfaces. Granite received the highest overall performance rating as a kitchen countertop material.
Because of its exceptional strength, granite is well suited for exterior applications such as cladding, paving, and curbing.
What is Granite?
Granite is a coarse grained crystalline igneous rock composed primarily of quartz and feldspar. It forms from slowly cooling magma (silicate melt) that is subjected to extreme pressures deep beneath the earth's surface.
With public awareness increasingly turning to the use of natural materials in the home, Granite has become the countertop of choice for today's kitchen designer. Synthetic solid surface materials are no match for the richness, depth, and stellar performance of real granite. Unlike laminates and solid-surface materials, a hot frying pan has no effect on granite's mirror like finish. The diamond-like hardness of granite makes it virtually impervious to abrasions, stains, and extreme heat.
Most important: by choosing a granite countertop and island, you not only give your kitchen timeless performance and beauty, you increase the value of your home.
Features
- Highly Heat Resistant
- Naturally Beautiful
- Chip and scratch resistant
- Stain resistance with Monticello Granite Care & Maintanence
- Resistant to mold and mildew
- Immune to freezing and thawing
» Visit our Granite stone gallery
Marble
Marble is found in the mountainous regions of Canada, Italy, Germany, Spain, the U.S., and other countries worldwide. Because of its beauty and elegance, marble is a popular choice for countertops, floors, foyers, fireplace facings and hearths, walls, and windowsills.Marble adds a sophisticated element to your home, and its wonderful appearance, superior engineering characteristics, and ease of maintenance makes it a natural choice for floors, wall coverings, table tops, and bathroom walls, floors, vanity tops, tub decks, and showers.
Another option for marble-loving homeowners is using another natural stone – serpentine – for kitchen counters. Sometimes called the "green" marble, serpentine is not a true marble but offers a marble-like look. And, because it is magnesium-silicate based, it is not sensitive to citric acid and other kitchen spills.
» Visit our Marble stone gallery
Limestone
Travertine, limestone, sandstone, and slate are other examples of natural stone frequently used in residential applications.Travertine is a type of limestone and one of the most popular natural stones for interior and exterior wall cladding, interior and exterior paving, statuary, and curbing.
Limestone is widely used as a building stone because it is readily available and easy to handle. Popular applications include countertops, flooring, interior and exterior wall cladding, and exterior paving.
» Visit our Limestone stone gallery
Slate
Slate is a popular flooring material and sandstone and slate are often used for exterior paving stones, or pavers. Other sandstone applications include fireplace facings, chimneys, garden walls, patio benches, and poolside. Additional slate applications include kitchen countertops, fireplace facings, tabletops, and roofing.» Visit our Slate stone gallery
Onyx
Onyx in Greek means fingernail and is classified under chalcedony quartz mined in Brazil, India, California and Uruguay. It has a fine texture and is black in color. However, it displays white bands or ribbons against a black or brown background. It is formed in caves as stalactites and stalagmites by the slow precipitation of cold, mineral-rich water.
» Visit our Onyx stone gallery
