When the thought of natural stone countertops comes to mind, you probably think of marble, granite, and quartzite materials. While these are the ones you’ll find in most homes, Marble Granite Connection wants to introduce you to some of the natural stones you may not be familiar with. One of these choices is soapstone. Soapstone is a wonderful natural stone that works for both kitchens and bathrooms. Natural stone is a great choice since their all one-of-a-kind. There will never be two pieces of natural stone that are the same. We’ll be providing you with a complete overview of natural stone along with some of the benefits you’ll find.

Benefits of Natural Stone 

Natural stone comes, well, naturally! Since it comes naturally from the earth, no two pieces of natural stone will ever be the same. They feature different fissures, cracks, chips, and pores. This isn’t to scare you, this is what makes natural stone such a beautiful addition to your home. Natural stone is also extremely durable. It’s extremely resistant to scratches, stains, heat, and other common kitchen resistances. Natural stone countertops can transform how your kitchen looks and feels. 

Pros & Cons of Natural Stone Countertops

No matter which type of natural stone you decide to go with, each have their different pros and cons. Take these into consideration for the next time you decide to renovate your kitchen or bathroom. 

Granite

• Pro: Durability – Granite countertops are the king of durability as they are resistant to heat, scratches, dents, and stains
• Con: Resealing: Since granite is so porous, it requires resealing every 1 to 2 years in order to protect it from staining.

Marble

• Pro: Marble not only looks good but if taken care of properly, it can be used to increase property value
• Con: Easily stained

Quartzite

• Pro: Similar to marble, quartzite produces amazing patterns and designs, making its appearance the reason it’s so sought after.
• Con: While quartz is strong and durable, it is weak against cuts and scratches

Soapstone

• Pro: Soapstone is extremely easy to clean. Non-porous makes it cleanable with just soap and a rag.
• Con: Soapstone feels good to the touch, and because of this, avoid cutting on it as it will scratch easily.

Applications

Natural stone can be included in many parts of your home. The most common places you’ll find it are the kitchen and bathroom, but it can also be found outside for patios and fireplaces. It can also be used as flooring, backsplash, and so more.

Contact the Pros Today

It’s time for you to sit back and relax while the pros at Marble Granite Connections take care of your countertop installation. We’ll transform your home in the best way possible! If you’re looking to schedule a countertop installation or have any other questions about what we can do for you, visit our contact page or call us at 954-783-2118.

Granite has been a staple in homes for years and there’s good reason for it. It’s extremely durable, heat resistant, scratch-resistant, and stain-resistant. These benefits make it one of the best options for kitchen countertops. You may be thinking of having countertops installed in your kitchen, but now you can’t decide on what color option you want to go with. Marble Granite Connection wants to help you with this decision by showing some of today’s trending granite colors. We’ll go through each one and try to show how it goes with the style you’re going for.

Granite comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Planning a countertop installation can already be a headache as is, especially with the large variety of granite colors available. Here are 5 of the highest trending colors. 

Valle Nevado

If you’re a fan of intricate designs, then you may have just found the granite color for you. Valle Nevado is a naturally light cream natural stone and features beautiful deposits and slakes of natural minerals. This type of granite pairs well with dark or light cabinetry thanks to its black, gray, and taupe specklings. 

Dallas White

If you’re looking to brighten up your kitchen and make it feel more open than ever before, Dallas White is for you. Dallas White features grey and lavender shades mixed with its beautiful creamy undertone. It pairs perfectly with white backgrounds. It can also make a nice contrast with dark cabinetry or appliances.

Thunder White 

Are you a fan of marble but dont want to spend the money or do you like the strong qualities that granite offers? Get the best of both worlds with Thunder White granite. This stone mixes grey, white, and cream swirls to give it an appearance similar to that of marble. It’s one of the most beautiful granite colors around thanks to its rather elegant appearance. It pairs extremely well with dark wood floors, dark or bright cabinets, and red accents help emphasize the red flecks found in the stone. 

Azul Platino

This stone is perfect for those looking to update their bathroom or kitchen with something that has blue-grey tones. Its speckled appearance goes with almost everything. Every slab of Azul Platino is different due to the different patterns and colors. It’s also customizable with different countertop edges.

Steel Grey

One of the darker granite colors, this stone is perfect for those who want to make a bold statement with their kitchen or bathroom. It also comes in a matte finish to reduce the glossy look. This granite goes well with white cabinetry and will make them pop. 

Contact the Pros Today

It’s time for you to sit back and relax while the pros at Marble Granite Connections take care of your countertop installation. We’ll transform your home in the best way possible! If you’re looking to schedule a countertop installation or have any other questions about what we can do for you, visit our contact page or call us at 954-783-2118.

Now is the best time to start planning that kitchen renovation you’ve been thinking about. The holiday season is when family and friends come over to celebrate and have fun, so why not surprise them with beautiful new countertops that will be the topic of conversation. Marble Granite Connection wants just that to happen, and to make sure it does, we wanted to put together some important steps to make sure you have the perfect countertop installation.

Plan

Obviously, planning is important for any project you’re about to begin. The same goes for countertop installation. Installation can take some time, so it’s important to prepare for delays with scheduling and if any additional help will be needed. Planning can be the difference between a smooth installation and a disaster.

Budget

After you’ve planned the installation, now is the time you have to consider a budget. There are tons of different options when it comes to countertop installation. These different options all fit into certain budget plans so everyone can find something that they like and are comfortable with. 

Know The Space

If you’re going for a total renovation, it’s important to know what it will look like in the future so you know exactly what to buy. Having exact measurements can save lots of time. It also ensures you dont buy too much of something. It’s also important to know how the electrical connections and plumbing will change.

In-Home Measurement 

Before making an appointment to have a countertop installation, you should take measurements of the current space. They dont have to be exact, but they do help the people install exactly how much they need to bring. 

Select Your Slab

Now comes the fun part. Choosing what slab you want is your chance to see how your space will change. Marble Granite Connection has an extensive selection to choose from. We have all the favorites, including granite, marble, quartz, soapstone, and so much more. Let us know what you’re interested in so we can send a sample to you as quickly as possible.

Measure Appointment 

Our team will come to you when most convenient so we can accurately measure the space where the countertops are being installed. It’s important to have the space cleared so our team can work as efficiently as possible. Once we have the final measurements, we will start preparing the necessary materials.

Prepare Your Home

On the day of the installation, it’s important to have the hallways and surrounding areas cleared. This ensures that our team can move materials and tools in and out of the home as quickly as possible. 

Contact the Pros Today

It’s time for you to sit back and relax while the pros at Marble Granite Connections take care of your countertop installation. We’ll transform your home in the best way possible! If you’re looking to schedule a countertop installation or have any other questions about what we can do for you, visit our contact page or call us at 954-783-2118.

No two kitchens are the same, so which countertops will work best for you and your kitchen? In a kitchen that sees a lot of activity and movement, it’s no surprise that scratches, burns, stains, and other damages will appear over time. Thankfully, there are lots of different options with prices that will fit almost any budget!.

Our countertop experts have done testing on the most popular and widely used countertops to make sure you have the best information available when making your next countertop decision. We tested the most common types of damage a countertop can experience including cuts, stains, burns, abrasion, and impact. 

Through our testing, there wasn’t much difference between the varying materials. Find the details of each material down below!

Granite

No two pieces of granite are alike, with each slab having different patterns, colors, and costs. Granite was able to put up with the worst of it including scratches, cuts, and heat damage. When properly taken care of with polish and matte finishes, there were no signs of staining either. The one big downfall of granite is its susceptibility to chipping.

Quartz

While not exactly stone, it has a similar look with less attention required. Heat damage proved to be no problem for quartz and had no problem resisting scratches, cuts, and stains. Similar to granite, quartz can suffer problems with chipping and general impacts.

Limestone, Marble, and Soapstone

Limestone and marble are materials everyone has heard of and seen before. Through testing, these two materials were able to resist all sorts of damage, scratches, and abrasions. Soapstone, which isn’t seen as often, was also very good at handling heat damage. Marble was however damaged by heat.

Laminate

Laminate has been around for a while but has recently seen improvements thanks to better technology. Affordable and easy to install, the laminate was very resistant to stains and heat but saw some damage from cutting and scratching. A cutting board would be recommended.

Solid Surfacing

A material with a lot of versatility, the solid surfacing can be used almost anywhere like sinks, backsplash, and of course counters. In our testing, solid surfacing did a good job at repelling stains, impacts, and heat. On the other hand, it saw damage coming from cuts and scratches fairly easily. 

Recycled Glass

Unique, elegant, and environmentally friendly. Recycled glass offers incredible design potential with strong and resistant material. Through testing, we found there was little to no damage from stains, cuts, scratches, and heat. The only downfall was some cracking found during heat and impact tests, but this mainly varied by material and brand.

Butcher Block

Easy to install and easy to maintain, butcher block is extremely resistant to the elements and can be sanded to remove any blemishes that arise. Susceptible to nicks and scratches but proved itself against oil stains, heat, and general wear and impact

Marble has long been the stone of choice for many builders and interior decorators for high-end homes and businesses. There is a reason why so many sculptures such as Aphrodite of Milos and David by Michelangelo were carved from this type of stone. It is known for its beauty, strength, as well as its durability to stand the test of time. But can you really use marble in your home kitchen? The short answer is YES, yes you can.

Of all the stones that can be used in your kitchen, marble is the most desired. It is formed in nature and has unique and dramatic swirls and veins that are best displayed in large section. This makes marble great for large countertops and vanities.

Marble is suited for kitchen use but it also requires proper care and maintenance to avoid scratches, wear, and chips. If you’re willing to put a little extra care into maintaining your marble countertop then it will last you a lifetime and then some.

How Is Marble Formed

When limestone, a sedimentary rock, gets buried deep in the earth for millions of years, the heat and pressure can change it into a metamorphic rock called marble. Marble is strong and can be polished to a beautiful luster. It is widely used for buildings and statues. As you can see from the picture, marble has a very sparkly luster. It occurs in many different colors such as white, pink, gray, red, yellow, or black.

Because mare occurs naturally in very large deposits it is also mined in large sections. This makes it perfect for covering large surfaces such as countertops as they can be cut from one large singular stone.  Each slab is unique with no 2 sections having the same pattern. This way you are guaranteed to not see your marble countertop pattern in any other kitchen.

What Are the Types of Finishes For Marble Countertops?

Like most natural stones, marble has to be finished to complete the installation process and help preserve the stone from wear and tear. Marble finishing also helps bring out the naturally occurring patterns in the stone. There are three primary types of marble countertop finishings including: polishing, leathering, and honing.

Polished Marble Countertops

A polished marble finish is created by grinding down the surface of the material using fine abrasives until it results in a natural shine. It is layered with an end coating that acts as a protectant and gives off a smooth and “mirror-like” shine.

When you think of kitchen countertops, polished finishes are probably what come to mind. They offer a glossy look that adds elegance to a room. The shiny finish makes the countertop always appear clean and dirt-free. It is a great addition to traditional or modern homes that boast extravagance and luxury

Leathered Marble Countertops

Leathered marble has a surface that is textured and pebbly, like leather. This type of finish is achieved by further processing the stone through sanding and buffing, sometimes using brushes and water jets. This finish can be put on darker marbles to bring out a rich texture.

Honed Marble Countertops

Honed marble has a matte finish that varies from completely flat to semi-matte, which is a bit more forgiving when it comes to scuffs and scratches, and “dresses down” the feel of the marble so it’s softer and warmer, rather than pristine and sterile.

Maintaining Your Custom Marble & Granite Connection Marble Countertop

Designers have been known to refer to marble as the “blue jeans of countertops” – they show the wear and tear of life, but that’s also what gives them their character. It’s true that keeping marble pristine requires some extra TLC; but some homeowners have found that perfection isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The etches, the scratches, the stains, and splatters all tell the story of your family and how they use and love the kitchen. And other homeowners find that with the natural swirls and beautiful unpredictability of the marble’s veining patterns, the stains and scratches nearly disappear into its surface.

Seal Your Countertops Regularly

Sealing your countertops will help them repel water, but isn’t a guarantee against staining. It’s generally advised to have your marble professionally sealed to start with, but you can get a sealer to apply yourself when it comes time to reseal, which is usually every 3-6 months. Darker marble can go longer between sealing, whereas white marble needs more frequent upkeep.

Wipe Up Spills Immediately

Don’t let water pool on the stone, or you run the risk of stains, etches, or water damage.

Do Not Use Harsh Chemicals or Abrasive Cleaners

Stick to PH-balanced cleaning solutions, since acid will cause etching on your marble, and use a soft cloth when cleaning, to avoid fine scratches. Hot water and a soft towel are the best tools, but you can also disinfect your countertops once a day by sprinkling baking soda on the surface and gently rubbing it with a damp cloth.

Avoid Placing Hot Pots on The Surface – Use Cutting Boards and Coasters.

Avoid setting food, plates, utensils, or hot pots and pans directly on your marble – doing so can stain, etch, or scorch the stone. Never cut directly on your marble countertops, as you run the risk of scratching it with your knife – and, in the case of raw meat, leaving behind a place for bacteria to collect and multiply.

Contact Marble & Granite Connection for the Best Custom Marble Countertops in Pompano Beach and South Florida

Marble & Granite Connection has been providing quality services to countless patrons across Broward and Palm Beach County for many years. We have been able to satisfy our customers with high-quality marble countertop installation. Contact us today for marble countertop installation services near me, We promise you that you’ll be added to our growing list of satisfied customers. For any inquiries, you may call us at 954-783-2118 or visit our contact page.