So you have decided on a new kitchen worktop or vanity unit – or maybe you are looking for an Island unit or a special one off vanity unit for your bathroom
We at Stonefactors love stone and we specialise in working with only the best quality natural and man-made stone the so the first step is choosing your stone.
Granite
Granite is an igneous rock and is one of the hardest wearing of all natural materials. It is formed as a result of the slow crystallisation of molten magma deep in the earth's crust. Many different minerals, including quartz, felspars and many mafic minerals; the size and precise chemistry of which gives the granite its distinctive, varied and beautiful colours.
The advantages of granite are very obvious. As well as visually stunning and extremely low maintenance it is also durable enough to withstand the everyday life of a modern kitchen. It is easy to clean and will look as good years from now as it does today. it can turn a good kitchen into a stunning one. We all work hard for our money, so why not spend a little of it on something to be proud of.
We at Stonefactors only use the very finest of granites from the world's best quarries. There are many cheap imports that are used by some companies that do not have the same high standards as ourselves. so beware of cheap, poor quality granites. The differences are very obvious and, we are sorry to say, become more so when they are in situ.
Granite is a natural stone and there will always be variations in its colour and formation. Great care is taken by Stonefactors in its selection so as to make sure that all your worktops are made from granite which has been cut from the same block and thus ensure continuity. It must be expected that there will be natural marking in all granites, it is the nature of the material. – see the materials drop down list for colour samples that are popular at the moment
Of all the natural stones used for refurbishing the kitchen or home, granite is by far the hardest and most durable material. This is the reason why it is the kitchen countertop of choice for many. Sealing granite countertops is an annual practice to maintain and ensure the longevity of your granite kitchen counter top. One might argue that granite is a highly polished stone, but the fact of the matter is that it is still a porous material and those pores need to be kept sealed.
When sealing granite counter tops, the pores in the stone or the spaces between the crystals that make up the surface of the stone are filled with sealant with no trace of the sealant on the outer surface. This is different from sealing wooden floor or countertop surfaces, where a protective coat is added to the outside. Sealing granite counter tops helps resist stains and keep its shine. Often moisture or various liquids seep into these pores and stain the surface. Sealing them prevents this seepage and staining. However, a sealant does not protect the stone from physical damage. Sealing is carried out on the granite at the installation stage but the granite will need to be sealed at least once every two years depending on use
Caesarstone
CaesarStone is the original quartz surface manufacturing company that introduced pioneering innovation in the field of quartz surfaces. Our quartz surface product is commonly referred to as "CaesarStone" by retailers and buyers, please make sure you ask for the authentic product that is manufactured by CaesarStone when specifying or purchasing our quartz surfaces.
CaesarStone's quartz surfaces are ideal for virtually any interior surface from kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities and stairs, to wall paneling and interior furniture. CaesarStone offers the industry's widest range of colors and structures and meticulously meets the demands of even the most exacting residential and commercial clients.
All CaesarStone's quartz surface products are manufactured from up to 93% quartz (one of nature's hardest minerals) and high-quality polymer resins and pigments that are compacted under intense vibration, vacuum, and pressure into dense, non-porous slabs. CaesarStone's quartz slabs are then post cured, gauged to precise thicknesses, and polished to an enduring shine. This results in surfaces that retain the cool, tactile qualities of natural stone while offering design freedom with almost unlimited application possibilities. Caesartone does not require sealing
Silestone
Silestone is the one of the world leaders in quartz surfaces. Silestone has a sophisticated appearance, the touch and weight of a natural stone, but with a superior quality.Silestone is 94% natural quartz, one of the most resistant and beautiful elements of the Nature, which allows it to create everything from the most beautiful kitchen worktop to the most innovative business project. Silestone® is available in nearly 50 colours so it is very easy to find the appropriate colour for your kitchen. Silestone® is a non-porous surface and is very resistant to stains of coffee, wine, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, make-up and lot of other products in daily use.
There are only three natural stones (diamond, sapphire and topaz) harder than quartz. This means that Silestone is highly resistant to scratches.Taking in consideration the Mohs hardness scale, the position of the quartz is 7 (diamond is 10). Silestone® has great shock resistance, in most cases considerably higher than of other products used for similar applications (granite, solid surfaces, etc) which guarantees safety in the kitchen when handling very hard objects (pans, trays, etc). This resistance is achieved thanks to its quartz (which gives it its hardness ) and polyester resin (elasticity) and the vibrocompression system used during the production process. Silestone is also the only worktop with built-in Microban® antimicrobial product protection to fight the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew for the life of the product.
As well as the normal high gloss finish a new standard in luxury is achieved by Silestone Leather™ with Microban. This natural quartz worktop offers a distinctive texture that evokes a taste for the exotic. It is the ultimate combination of beauty and practicality, delighting the eye with the unique texture only available in Silestone. Silestone does not require sealing.
Stone Size
When you are measuring up your kitchen bear in mind how stone is supplied – as this can effect the maximum size your run or island can be if you want a seamless run or island cut from the one piece of stone.
Most Natural stone like Granite and marble comes in slabs which can vary in size greatly especially where marble is concerned – Most Granite comes in slabs 3 meters in length and up to 1.5 meters in height – Marble slabs usually are less than 3m in length so contact us for the maximum length of runs that can be manufactured.
Manmade slabs like Silestone and Caesarstone come in standard sizes 3060 mm x 1440 mm in the case of Caesarstone and 3080mm x 1330mm in the case of Silestone.
Stone Thickness
Stone Thickness is as important as slab size as this effects how your worktop looks – 30 mm is the normal for worktops and is especially pleasing around polished under mounted sinks – 20mm is normally used for splash backs and up stands
You may have seen kitchens where the stone looks up to 100mm thick as if a huge slab has been used – this is nearly always achieved using a mitered edge – see the edge profiles page for details
Some man made stone can also come in extra fine 10mm and 12mm thickness
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