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Natural stone in so many ways is similar to the human heart: an unknown sea that holds all other elements together in harmonious function.
Despite we live very close to our stones, there are so many questions to ask!
Planet Earth is so diverse that everyday we hunt, slice and bring new stones to the market. And yes, right, while we try to name them under one generic term they are so diverse. I like when they become unprecedented. The more we slice, more we face the unseen.
1. Do I need extra care with my marble?
Industry professionals recommend extra care with marble for being a calcium carbonate based stone hence, subject to etching when in contact with acid solutions, including ketchup, olive oil, lemon juice et al.. Marble has been extensively used for indoors and outdoors projects across centuries by many different societies.
Palaces were built out of marble, same of facades of public buildings in the U.S.; I say that a customer looking after the touch of marble will not settle with any other product. Marble has a cool, delicate and sonorous touch..
It`s all about the expectations: marble will show the marks of history, it will age together with the home or the building preserving an architectural equilibrium. While granite tends to maintain its pristine look from the day of installation..
2. What is a dolomite?
Dolomite is a calcium magnesium carbonate: it is a marble with one more element, magnesium. Therefore, in the stone industry considered a harder marble due to this extra element. Overseas, at the quarries, some dolomites are cut with granite machinery based on its hardness. Dolomites became extremely desired after circa year 2006 and the introduction of Super White Dolomite into the U.S. market. The dolomites from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil have a variety of minerals, including some rare ones like humite and olivine.
3. What is a quartzite?
Quartzites are extremely hard and non-porous stones. Its life cycle starts from a broken grain of sand, just like in a beach or desert. From the grain of sand, layer after layer gives the form to a sandstone. Then the sandstone under extreme pressure, heat and time is metamorphosed again into a quartzite. All the quartz grains fused and bound together form a new, sound and extreme heavy and resistant stone.
Quartzites being metamorphosed can have a marble design: linear, minimalist, river-flow type. And we can expect the resistance of a granite: after few years it will still have the pristine look like day one!
4. What is the difference between quartzite and marble?
Marble comes from the shells of oysters and clams: sea creatures millions of years deposited on the seabed, layer after layer formed limestone. Limestone under pressure and heat coming from some geological process is metamorphosed into marble.
Quartzite came from the sand, then sandstone and more pressure and heat: quartzite.
Both were metamorphosed and sometimes can have similar designs: expressions of swirl, shift and movement.
Quartzites came from the sand, grains of quartz, therefore, are not calcium carbonate based. Thus quartzites will not etch under contact with household acid solutions.
Quartzites are a much harder rock, therefore they do not render the calming cushion-sensation softening touch of marble. Objects landing on marble are way more silent.
5. Is marble current in the trend?
Extremely. To have a marble installed is to set apart from any other project. The application of a marble even in a small area of a home interior decor gives prominence to the project with luxury and lifestyle.
Sourcing marbles from the country-side or overseas is a long-standing tradition of wealthy groups in different civilizations. To import Italian marble, Greek, Egyptian: each one had its era.
Since early 2010`s with all interior design magazines nationwide rendering white, bright and open environments: the crave for marble expanded. Colorful and wild expression marbles rose in demand for vertical applications and unparalleled designs. Grey marbles keep in the trend evoking serenity and security, dark marbles comfort and calmness.
Today a piece of marble is equal to an original artwork done by a famous and talented artist: many try to copy and replicate, thou like an artwork: only the original holds value, while copies are in the order of penny`s affordable.
6. Why is there mislabeling in the stone industry?
With the advancement of stone industry worldwide and various type of stones being shipped to the U.S. market: factories overseas often don`t know or don`t track the mineral composition of every stone and thus misinform U.S. wholesalers. Also, few factories overseas don`t disclose the geographic location of the quarry and the mineral composition as part of keeping it hidden. So we can`t blame stone professionals in the U.S.: many have an intimate connection with stone and by looking recognize a marble, despite the entire supply chain mislabeling that stone.
7. How care and maintenance intensive is granite?
Not intensive at all. Water and mild soap are enough. A dry or humid cloth to dust off.
Granite is Earth`s premium raw material. Once the surface area of the stone is properly sealed it will look pristine after many years of installed. Granite is the choice for large and at same time sophisticated commercial projects like 05 stars hotels, casinos, resorts and shopping malls.
8. How often do I need to seal my granite?
Your stone fabricator will apply a sealer of their choice and at the right time guide you through. It is interesting to note that there is a big discrepancy from stone professional to stone professional: some will say seal every 2 years, while some will say seal again only after 15 years. I like to tell customers: look at your granite after 5 or 6 years: then the stone itself will talk to you about the need of being resealed or not. Stones are like people, there is no general rule, look at them one by one and listen.
9. Is leather finish care and maintenance same of polished?
The type of finish does not determine the level of care and maintenance. Among different polished stones there are different porosity levels. Within a same stone there are different minerals, times more sensitive to harsh cleaning agents and times areas more impenetrable than others. .
The factory overseas, in India, Italy or Brazil that processed that stone will also determine its final quality: the type and quality of resin they used during the polishing process, how much they rushed the production or how much they respected the time and space a slab takes while being sliced and polished.
Therefore, sometimes the same stone may have different care and maintenance levels. How do we know what to select?
At D Old Granite, we are generations long quarry-hunters. Because of that we know the good and bad guys since the country of origin. The artist is extremely moody and select only from factories that respect the stone.
Daniël Konrad Link the artist has secret formulas that filter off factories and blocks that do not meet his criteria. The artist is moody and temperamental, he is old-school and holds tricks which are unbearable incomprehensible for many new generation stone professionals.
10. How long will my granite stand?
Generations. Natural stone is timeless and it is an asset for the posterity. The granite will no longer be present only if removed. If the granite and the base structure are properly installed it will stay unaltered through the forces of time and environment.
11. Where is my granite from?
Marble and granite are quarried all over the world, including Oceania and North America. Historically, Italy is the hub for worldwide natural stone trade. Allied to their famous Carrara quarries, since the 1960`s Italians traveled all the world: India, Pakistan, Iran, Marrocos, Brazil, and imported raw blocks and slabs to trade in Europe and the Americas.
Today`s main quarrying country is Brazil: due to its vast continental territory, favorable political conditions, diversity of look of stones and geographical proximity to the U.S., which historically helped U.S. buyers to travel to Brazil and hand-pick stones.
India is also a major quarrying country: Fantasy Brown, River White, Steel Grey, Black Pearl: these are all Indian stones. The ingenuity of the people and the demand in Europe for granites suitable for outdoor use positioned India to be one of today`s main producers of natural stone.
China is a major natural stone quarrying country: since the 1970`s China had leading position in cut-to-size and tile production using uniform granites. Today China amazes with new and unseen varieties of marbles being found everyday.
Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola and South Africa are other main quarrying countries. Historically stones from these countries were shipped either to South Africa or to Italy. There is an endless horizon of stones to discover in the African continent.
Other current major quarrying countries are Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Norway.
12. Do you recommend a fabricator?
No, we do not recommend a fabricator because we work with all companies and friends in town. We supply to them all and they are all our friends that refer customers to D Old.
13. Do you host professional events at your showroom?
Yes, we are available to host gathering of professional firms and associations at our showroom surrounded by our collections.
The all natural stone feel creates a powerful impact: refining tastes, tuning up the ambition and natural ability to dream and showing how diversity and raw material is a starting point for endless conversation.
To schedule a professional gathering among our collections, please write to holly@doldgranite.com
D Old Granite
1953 Case Pkwy S Twinsburg OH 44087