Natural Stone
NATURAL GRANITE
RULES OF THUMB
THINCKNESS
- 3CM - (Thickness varies due to slab grinding and polishing, which often
must be repeated to get a proper polish) This is industry allowable.
- Tolerance normal range: 2.6125CM-3.3175CM (approx. inches 1 1/32-1 15/16)
..............................................................................................................
SEAM LOCATION CONSIDERATIONS
- Slab Size
- Veining - Stone with definite veining direction may require additional seams to
to ensure vein direction is consistent on all pieces.
- Location of Appliances - Seams must be located over a supported area
- Access Limitations - Pieces may have to be made smaller due to doorway and other
job site limitations.
..............................................................................................................
CAN I SET A HOT POT DIRECTLY ON MY COUNTERTOPS
- Granite naturally can withstand high temperatures up to 1800 degrees.
- Stone absorbs heat rapidly and takes a long time to cool. Setting a 400 degree
pot on stone will quickly heat the stone. When the pot is moved the stone may
be hot enough to burn someone for up to 15 minutes or longer.
- If you have to set down a hot pot quickly, you probably will have no problem
with burning your countertops.
- Hot pads and trivets are recommended.
..............................................................................................................
OVERHANGS & SINKS
- A 12" overhang is the maximum suggested without adding bracing or support.
- Sink reveals will be fabricated per sink manufactures template.
- Sinks are either drop-in mount or under mount. Sinks come in a variety of
materials including stainless steel, ceramic and enameled cast iron, as well as
some synthetics. A cutout needs to be made in the granite to accommodate the
sink. You must have a minimum of 3" and preferably 3 ½" of granite between
the sink and edges for structural integrity.
..............................................................................................................
SLAB SIZE
- 100" X 60" approximately - The size of slabs differ significantly, so to be safe
use this size of call the shop to determine the exact size of your slab. The slab
size is one factor which dictates seam locations. This is important to keep in mind
when designing large tops, so you can limit seams. Please Note: Marble slabs
are significantly smaller.
..............................................................................................................
WILL MY GRANITE LOOK LIKE THE SAMPLE
- Granite is a natural material with naturally occurring variations in color, tone,
granularity, patterns, ect. These variations are expected and are the source of its
natural beauty.
..............................................................................................................
HOW LONG A PROCESS IS IT TO GET GRANITE INSTALLED
- We would make a template after the cabinets are installed. On average, it is
approximately 2 weeks until the installation date after templating.
..............................................................................................................
TEMPLATING CHECKLIST
- Sinks, Faucets and Appliances at job site.
- Cabinets must be installed and level. (not just set in place)
- Finish panels must be installed.
- Old tops should be removed. - Occasionally templates can be made without
removing old tops. In these instances, new tops must be getting stone splash.
(Tile splash requires templates to be flush to the walls.) Please call your
salesperson at MMG to verify if the tops can stay on for templating.
..............................................................................................................
HOW DO I SEAL MY GRANITE
- Sealers should be sprayed on your tops and then excess is wiped away with a
paper towel. The whole process takes just minutes. Follow directions on the
bottle of sealer. Stone sealer can be purchased at home improvement centers
and tile shops.
..............................................................................................................
HOW OFTEN DO I NEED TO SEAL GRANITE
- Each Year - Some stones are more porous (usually lighter colors and stones
with a lot of veins) and some are more dense. Granite is naturally very stain
resistant, however, we recommend to error on the safe side by sealing it more
often.
..............................................................................................................
CAN I CUT DIRECTLY ON MY COUNTERTOPS
- Granite is composed of quartz, feldspar and mica. Quartz is harder than stainless
steel, so if you cut on granite, you may dull your knives.
- Granite is very scratch resistant, but it can be scratched by another piece of granite,
carbide or diamond.
- A cutting board is recommended.
..............................................................................................................