Natural Stone
Genuine natural stone including granite, dolomite, marble, soapstone, and quartzites are the “natural choice” for countertop surfaces. They are quarried from the earth in their natural state and sliced into slabs for use in your home. Natural stone is timeless! Each slab is unique and with thousands of choices you are likely to fall in love with more than one option. We professionally seal all of our natural stones with a penetrating sealer that will last for 10 + years for interior projects when your tops are properly cared for. We typically stock 20-25 Natural Stone options in our showroom but if you don’t find the perfect material at our showroom you can visit one of our local supplier warehouse in Grand Rapids where you will find 100’s of other options.
Granite is one of the most popular choices when it comes to natural stone because of it’s durability and unique beauty. It’s a quarried stone composed of natural quartz, feldspar and other minerals. Granite falls at 6-7 on the Mohs hardness scale (out of 10) making it very scratch and chip resistant. While you can cut on granite, this isn’t recommended since your countertop is harder than your blade and it will dull your knives quickly. Granite is heat resistant so hot pans can be placed directly on the top without worry.
Quartzites are extremely popular due to their marble-like appearance and granite-like properties. Quartzites are composed predominately of natural quartz making it harder than granite and resistant to heat and scratches. Occasionally, some Quartzites can have trace amounts of calcium carbonate which can cause localized etching. You can help prevent this by cleaning up anything acidic, such as lemon juice or tomato juice, right away. Some quartzites can darken during fabrication and do not return to their original color. Many quartzites are given an acid bath at the quarry to make them as light and bright as possible but these acid baths can cause voids in the stone where water can settle and water spots can appear after fabrication and installation (even years later).
Marbles are much softer (a 3-4 on the Mohs hardness scale) and more porous than other natural stones or quartz materials and therefore more susceptible to staining, scratching and chipping. Any acidic substances that come in contact with marble (such as mustard, vinegar, citrus, toothpaste, contact solutions, harsh cleaners, etc.) will cause a chemical reaction that can etch and remove the polish of the marble. Marbles are beautiful but do require extra care.
Soapstone is a beautiful material and a great option for people looking for darker countertops. It’s known to develop a beautiful old world, patina that gives it a dynamic look. It’s extremely soft and will scratch very easily (1-2 on the Mohs hardness scale). Most soapstone scratches can be easily disguised or removed using mineral oil (for smaller scratches) or sandpaper (for larger scratches). In their natural state, most soapstones are a soft gray. When treated with mineral oil, this color can be enhanced to a darker, richer, and more uniform state.
Dolomite materials have more calcium in them than traditional granite which will make them slightly softer (falling at a 5-6 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale) and a bit easier to scratch. They can be prone to etching like marble but it is not common. Dolomite material is widely used in kitchen counter top applications but some extra caution is recommended to prevent scratching.
MONT SURFACES
919 West River Center Dr NE Comstock Park
Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 8:30a- 5p
Wed 8:30a- 7p & Saturday 9a-3p
Phone: (616) 647-0700
https://www.montsurfaces.com/
*They do not allow children under 12 into their slab area
DWYER MARBLE & STONE
5300 Broadmoor Ave Se Suite E, Grand Rapids
Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 8:30a-4:30p
Wednesday 8:30a-7p
Phone: (616) 583-7025
https://dwyermarble.com/
PASCUCCI MARBLE & GRANITE
4260 Broadmoor Ave SE
Grand Rapids
Hours: Mon thru Fri 9a-4p & Sat 10a-1p
Phone: (616) 871-5000
https://pascuccimarble.com/index.html
Contact Us Today!
Located in West Michigan, servicing Greater Grand Rapids and the Lakeshore communities of South Haven, Holland, Grand Haven, and north to Ludington & Northern Lower Michigan.
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9524 West Olive Rd. - US 31
West Olive MI 49460 - 616-843-5909
- [email protected]
Showroom Hours
Tues-Fri: 7am – 5pm
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