Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Granite, Marble, and Limestone?
Granite is the the toughest of these three popular surfaces. It resists stains, scratches, chips, and heat. We will seal your granite during fabrication and at installation. After that, periodic sealing is recommended depending on the extent of use.
Marble and Limestone are softer and more porous than granite. This means that marble and limestone will scratch or stain easier than most granites. Nevertheless, marble and limestone are still stone and therefore quite hard and durable. There is significant variation between different types of marble and limestone in terms of how hard, soft, porous, or impervious it is. We can help you determine what types will best suit your needs.
Some chemical cleaning products and acids found in foods and drinks (lemons, oranges, coffee, etc) can etch limestone and marble surfaces. Etching is the erosion of the polished surface. The best way to combat this problem is to hone (pre-etch) the surface and use a good penetrating sealer for stain protection. Whether you choose a honed or polished surface, we will seal your stone during fabrication and at installation. After that, periodic sealing is recommended depending on the extent of use. The proper sealers will help to protect the honed surface as well as enhance the natural color and veining of the stone, leaving a beautiful surface patina. Over time your stone will continue to “age”, showing wear and developing its character. We like to compare the look to a 100-year-old French farmhouse or an Italian villa counter top. In our opinion, nothing else compares.
Should I be worried about staining and scratching with Marble or Limestone?
In all fairness, limestone or marble are not for everyone. If you want your counter tops to look brand new, perfect, pristine – marble or limestone is not for you; stick to granite – it is one of the most durable surfaces you will find for your counter tops.
If you are unsure, we suggest you get samples and bring them to us to surface and seal the pieces, then take them home. Consider how they look in your home space and also put them through your own tests: spill coffee, ketchup, wine, lemon, vinegar, and oils to see how they react. Spill things and don’t clean it for an hour…..five hours….. overnight, whatever you envision the worst-case scenario for your kitchen and lifestyle. After a few tests you’ll know whether your stone choices fit into your comfort zone or not.
How should I care for my stone surfaces?
Daily maintenance simply involves wiping down counter tops with a mild soap and water, then going over it once with a dry towel to prevent water droplets from forming. Use caution when working with acidic foods such as lemon or coffee or cooking oils. When spills occur, just wipe up as soon as noticed.
DO – Blot up spills as soon as noticed.
DO- Clean your stone with a ph-balanced product such as stone soap, or use dish soap without a strong citrus scent (don’t use lemon, orange, or grapefruit for example).
DON’T – Do not use vinegar as a cleaner; the acid can etch the stone over time, especially marbles and limestone.
DON’T – Do not use cleaners that contain acids, such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub and tile cleaners.
DON’T – Do not use abrasives (gritty) cleaners.
What happens if I get a bad stain or chip in my stone?
The art of stone has progressed tremendously over the centuries. Just about any unacceptable damage can be repaired. Chips can be repaired and just about any type of stain can be removed. Should a stain occur that simply drives you crazy, it can probably be removed by a stone restoration professional using various means, such as a chemical poultice. Surfaces can also be completely refinished if desired.
For chips or breaks we can almost always provide a beautiful repair or completely refinish your surfaces. Typically, we will refer you to a stone restoration professional for individual stains.
I'm interested in man-made, engineered stone surfaces, what products do you work with?
Marble Guys has experience working with Vetrazzo, CeasarStone, Silestone, and Cambria. We have samples of all of these products and will bring them to a consultation if you inform us of your interest in advance.
What is the process of working with Marble Guys?
Please call us at 510-908-2973 or email [email protected] to discuss and schedule a free initial consultation. We would love to see your space and discuss the design ideas, plans and needs of your project. We will measure the dimensions of your space in order to provide you an accurate estimate for fabrication and installation. Once you are ready to select and purchase stone for your project you will visit one of our preferred stone suppliers to pick out slabs. We will arrange to have the slabs brought to our warehouse for you.
When your job site is ready, we will come out to measure again and make exact templates to be used in fabrication. We invite you to come to our workshop and do a layout on the material before we cut the stone in order to ensure the you get the exact look you want. At this appointment, we will take the templates made at the time of measure and lay them on your slabs so you can see what the finished product will look like. Fabrication typically takes about 10-12 business days from the time we come to your job site to measure and make the templates.
We will return to your job site to install your stone surfaces. If you wish to have under-mount sinks, you must have the sinks on site at the time of installation. We will install the sinks (not including plumbing) with the counter tops in order to ensure a watertight seal. At this time, once the installation is complete, we will apply a second coat of sealer to the surface of your stone to ensure protection.
Is it necessary for me to have a general contractor?
For most jobs we recommend you hire a contractor as we do not do plumbing or carpentry. However, if you are only replacing existing surfaces such as counter tops, we can usually work with you to remove the existing surface and install new stone without a contractor. Please discuss your specific project with us if you are interested in pursuing this option.
How long must I wait to use my new stone surfaces after installation?
We recommend waiting 48 hours after installation before using your new stone surfaces or doing any additional work, such as plumbing, that might damage or shift the surface. A 24 hour wait is the absolute minimum.
Do you warranty your work?
Yes! Our Warranty covers all our fabrication and installation and if we provide the material (excluding pre-fabricated product) we will warranty that also for one year. Should anything prove to be faulty with how we fabricated the stone or with the installation process, we will come to fix the problem at no cost to you. Please note we cannot warranty product that has been installed by an outside entity.
Granite is the the toughest of these three popular surfaces. It resists stains, scratches, chips, and heat. We will seal your granite during fabrication and at installation. After that, periodic sealing is recommended depending on the extent of use.
Marble and Limestone are softer and more porous than granite. This means that marble and limestone will scratch or stain easier than most granites. Nevertheless, marble and limestone are still stone and therefore quite hard and durable. There is significant variation between different types of marble and limestone in terms of how hard, soft, porous, or impervious it is. We can help you determine what types will best suit your needs.
Some chemical cleaning products and acids found in foods and drinks (lemons, oranges, coffee, etc) can etch limestone and marble surfaces. Etching is the erosion of the polished surface. The best way to combat this problem is to hone (pre-etch) the surface and use a good penetrating sealer for stain protection. Whether you choose a honed or polished surface, we will seal your stone during fabrication and at installation. After that, periodic sealing is recommended depending on the extent of use. The proper sealers will help to protect the honed surface as well as enhance the natural color and veining of the stone, leaving a beautiful surface patina. Over time your stone will continue to “age”, showing wear and developing its character. We like to compare the look to a 100-year-old French farmhouse or an Italian villa counter top. In our opinion, nothing else compares.
Should I be worried about staining and scratching with Marble or Limestone?
In all fairness, limestone or marble are not for everyone. If you want your counter tops to look brand new, perfect, pristine – marble or limestone is not for you; stick to granite – it is one of the most durable surfaces you will find for your counter tops.
If you are unsure, we suggest you get samples and bring them to us to surface and seal the pieces, then take them home. Consider how they look in your home space and also put them through your own tests: spill coffee, ketchup, wine, lemon, vinegar, and oils to see how they react. Spill things and don’t clean it for an hour…..five hours….. overnight, whatever you envision the worst-case scenario for your kitchen and lifestyle. After a few tests you’ll know whether your stone choices fit into your comfort zone or not.
How should I care for my stone surfaces?
Daily maintenance simply involves wiping down counter tops with a mild soap and water, then going over it once with a dry towel to prevent water droplets from forming. Use caution when working with acidic foods such as lemon or coffee or cooking oils. When spills occur, just wipe up as soon as noticed.
DO – Blot up spills as soon as noticed.
DO- Clean your stone with a ph-balanced product such as stone soap, or use dish soap without a strong citrus scent (don’t use lemon, orange, or grapefruit for example).
DON’T – Do not use vinegar as a cleaner; the acid can etch the stone over time, especially marbles and limestone.
DON’T – Do not use cleaners that contain acids, such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub and tile cleaners.
DON’T – Do not use abrasives (gritty) cleaners.
What happens if I get a bad stain or chip in my stone?
The art of stone has progressed tremendously over the centuries. Just about any unacceptable damage can be repaired. Chips can be repaired and just about any type of stain can be removed. Should a stain occur that simply drives you crazy, it can probably be removed by a stone restoration professional using various means, such as a chemical poultice. Surfaces can also be completely refinished if desired.
For chips or breaks we can almost always provide a beautiful repair or completely refinish your surfaces. Typically, we will refer you to a stone restoration professional for individual stains.
I'm interested in man-made, engineered stone surfaces, what products do you work with?
Marble Guys has experience working with Vetrazzo, CeasarStone, Silestone, and Cambria. We have samples of all of these products and will bring them to a consultation if you inform us of your interest in advance.
What is the process of working with Marble Guys?
Please call us at 510-908-2973 or email [email protected] to discuss and schedule a free initial consultation. We would love to see your space and discuss the design ideas, plans and needs of your project. We will measure the dimensions of your space in order to provide you an accurate estimate for fabrication and installation. Once you are ready to select and purchase stone for your project you will visit one of our preferred stone suppliers to pick out slabs. We will arrange to have the slabs brought to our warehouse for you.
When your job site is ready, we will come out to measure again and make exact templates to be used in fabrication. We invite you to come to our workshop and do a layout on the material before we cut the stone in order to ensure the you get the exact look you want. At this appointment, we will take the templates made at the time of measure and lay them on your slabs so you can see what the finished product will look like. Fabrication typically takes about 10-12 business days from the time we come to your job site to measure and make the templates.
We will return to your job site to install your stone surfaces. If you wish to have under-mount sinks, you must have the sinks on site at the time of installation. We will install the sinks (not including plumbing) with the counter tops in order to ensure a watertight seal. At this time, once the installation is complete, we will apply a second coat of sealer to the surface of your stone to ensure protection.
Is it necessary for me to have a general contractor?
For most jobs we recommend you hire a contractor as we do not do plumbing or carpentry. However, if you are only replacing existing surfaces such as counter tops, we can usually work with you to remove the existing surface and install new stone without a contractor. Please discuss your specific project with us if you are interested in pursuing this option.
How long must I wait to use my new stone surfaces after installation?
We recommend waiting 48 hours after installation before using your new stone surfaces or doing any additional work, such as plumbing, that might damage or shift the surface. A 24 hour wait is the absolute minimum.
Do you warranty your work?
Yes! Our Warranty covers all our fabrication and installation and if we provide the material (excluding pre-fabricated product) we will warranty that also for one year. Should anything prove to be faulty with how we fabricated the stone or with the installation process, we will come to fix the problem at no cost to you. Please note we cannot warranty product that has been installed by an outside entity.
