Are you planning a kitchen, bath or new bar update? We are your source for inspiration.
If it’s time to select the stone for your counter tops, what do you look for?
Two things: Absorbency and acid sensitivity.You do NOT want a granite that is too absorbent, and you do NOT want a granite that is mixed with calcite (the main component of marble and limestone.)
Here is how to test your granite choices to ensure resiliency. Line samples of any stone you are considering on a table or counter to, dust them thoroughly then pour a few drops of lemon juice and cooking oil on each one of them.
If you notice a stain immediately turns dark where the juice and the oil were applied to the stone, the stone is very absorbent and will not be ideal for the kitchen, bath or bar area.
If you note that the juice and the oil take a little time to get absorbed, (a half minute or better), then you have a stone whose absorbency can be effectively controlled with a good quality impregnator. If you note that some samples will not absorb anything within, half an hour or longer, then you may have a winner! That stone may not even need to be sealed. Now how to eliminate the word, “may,” from the equation? The answer resides in another question:
Because, as mentioned above, you’re not just looking to determine the absorbency of the stones you’re considering, but you also want to determine that your samples are 100% silicate rocks, opposed to some stones – still traded as granite – that are mixed with various percentages of calcite. If there’s even a little calcite in the stone, it will react to the high acidity of the lemon juice, (citric acid.) When you wipe your samples dry, you will notice a dull spot of the same shape of the lemon drops. If this is the case, this stone would not be a good candidate for your project. If instead it’s still nice and shiny where the drops were, then you eliminate the “may” factor and have a stone that is acid resistant and has a low absorbency rate.
More questions? We’re here to answer them!
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