Frequently Asked Questions

What is a sealer?
A sealer is like a coat of armor for your stone, tile or grout. Our sealer will decrease the opportunity that anything can stain or harm your surface. We believe that you should always use an impregnation sealer allowing you to retain the natural beauty of the surface.

Why should I seal my natural stone?
A protected stone or tile and grout will be easier to clean, resist staining, and provide a safer and healthier environment. Considering the investment, why wouldn't you provide the surface with the maximum protection possible.

Will my natural stone look glossy after sealing or enhancing?
No. If properly applied our impregnating sealers will leave your surface looking natural. Our enhancers are designed to darken the stone while retraining the original gloss, matt, or honed look.

How do I maintain my stone or grout after sealing?
Always try to avoid cleaners that are harmful to the sealer. We strongly recommend you do not use vinegar, window cleaner or any cleaner made for a surface other than the one you are cleaning. Use a neutral pH cleaner.

What's the difference between marble and granite?
Although both are stones and both are quarried from the earth, granite and marble (and marble's relatives - limestone, onyx and travertine) are very different from each other. Granite is formed deep in the earth's mantle at extremely high temperatures, and is a very hard, resistant stone made of crystallized minerals.

The marble family - limestone, travertine, marble, onyx - starts out as sediment - animal skeletons and shells, plant matter, silt - at the bottom of bodies of water. After millions of years this solidifies (lithifies) into stone. Because its main component is calcium, it can be affected by acids such as vinegar and citrus beverages.

What is granite?
The term "granite" is used to cover a group of related stones, all of which have their origin deep in the earth's molten mantle. As this extremely hot liquid material rises and cools, it forms a crystalline, granular structure, hence the term granite. Granite and other granite-like stones are formed of hard minerals such as quarts, feldspar and mica, which are fused together into a very hard stone ideal for kitchen counters because its polish is resistant to household acids such as citrus and vinegar and is hard enough to resist scratching from knives and pots and pans.

Why is granite good for kitchen counters?
Because granite is very hard stone that's formed at very high temperatures deep in the earth, its polish is not subject to etching by household acids, or scratching by knives and pots and pans. It's unaffected by typical kitchen heat such as hot pans, or spilled liquid.

What is marble?
True geological marble is limestone that has been subjected to great pressure and heat, which has changed its structure to a crystalline, sugary texture. It is generally white or whitish, sometimes translucent, with some veining or color provided by other minerals present at its formation. White Carrara, Thassos, Colorado Yule and Bianco Rosa are true marbles.

Commercially, the term "marble" applies to any compact limestone that will take a polish, which includes most of the colored marbles, except some of the greens.

What is limestone?
Limestone is sedimentary rock consisting mostly of organic material such as skeletons and shells of marine creatures and sediments. It is formed by material which settles to the bottom of bodies of water, and over millions of years, solidifies into solid rock. Earth movements over extremely long periods of earth's history can lift limestone miles into the air. The summit of Mount Everest is limestone that started out on an ocean floor.

What is travertine? Is travertine the same as limestone?
Travertine is limestone, in a sense. It is formed by geysers, like Old Faithful, when the extremely hot underground water dissolves the underlying limestone and carries it upwards with the geyser water. When the water falls to the ground and evaporates, it leaves behind the dissolved limestone which re-hardens into stone. Like CalistogaTM or PerrierTM waters, the new stone is full of gas bubbles, which give travertine its characteristic appearance. When it is manufactured as tiles or slabs, travertine is generally filled with cement and polished or honed.

What is onyx?
Onyx, like travertine, is the result of water dissolving existing limestone and re-depositing it as a new kind of stone, sometimes called sinter. In limestone caves, onyx is formed by drip water, as stalagmites and stalactites. It is a very soft stone, and somewhat brittle, and needs to be installed where it will not be subject to hard wear. This beautiful stone is characterized by its translucence, and can actually be backlit for striking, dramatic effects.

What is the "Hardness Scale"?
10 Diamond
9 Corundum
8 Topaz
7 Quartz (Granite)
6 Feldspar (Granite)
5 Apatite
4 Fluorite
3 Calcite (Most Marbles)
2 Gypsum
1 Talc

The objective of the MOH's Scale is to measure stone resistance to hardness. When sediment and grit harder than the surface, they will scratch and harm the stone. For example, a piece of hard plastic is about a 2.0. It will not scratch #3 Calcite (Marble). However, a piece of sand that measures a 6, will scratch #3 Calcite but will not scratch #7 Quartz which is Granite. The harder the stone, the more resistant it is to abrasion. Exterior sediment that is tracked in to buildings approximately measures from 3.0 to 7.0.

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