How to Choose Your Stone/Working with Us

When choosing your stone, some things to consider are:

1. What type of use: Kitchen counters usually require sturdy, non porous material such as granite that can take a lot of heavy wear, hot pots, etc. Bath vanities, table tops, fireplace mantles, etc. can be a variety of materials including marble, travatine, onyx and slate as well as flooring, tub, shower and jacuzzi surrounds . We can guide through your project for the best material choice.
 
2. What color: There are thousands of colors and variations within color groups to choose from. We have a great selection of material in stock for you to see and hundreds of samples to pick from. Whatever your color scheme, we will be able to help you.

3. Cost: Once you have chosen your material and picked your color and decided on your edge finish, we will give you an estimate for your project. You may be pleasantly surprised at our competitive prices. Beautiful stone for your project may be less expensive than inferior man made products you may have seen.

Once you are happy with your choices and the estimate, you will be assigned your chosen slabs/tiles with your signature and deposit . At this time you will be given a template and installation date.

Templating your Project
This process involves providing for extra details such as inside and outside radiuses, backsplash heights, edgings and overall finished look of your tops. Our expert craftsmen measure in your home to make sure everything will fit perfectly.

The templating process also includes the following measurements:

Sink mounting
The sink is required to be on site at the time of templating. This is necessary so that the sink can be compared to the sink cabinet.

Cut outs
Large cook top cut outs and drop in sink cut outs are often started in the shop and finished on the job site. This is done to protect the piece during transportation. The final cut is done at site.

Faucet holes
We include this as part of the sink layout. This includes the faucets, sprayers, hot/cold, and soap dispensers. We ask that you be available to let us know the spacing and location.

Seams
Most large kitchens require at least one seam. Large kitchens present challenges for granite fabrication. The seal location is determined by the size of the stone slab and the cut outs. The seam is not invisible but is considered non-objectionable. The two pieces of stone are leveled, then the seam is filled with a two part color epoxy. The seaming of swirly/wavy stones is a challenge, in that we try to match the grain and colors of the two pieces as close as possible. It has to be realized that the stone is a natural product, and it does not have a manufactured repeat pattern similar to wallpaper. We will try to consult the customer regarding seam location. However, final seam location is at the discretion of Stone Design. Several factors enter into determining a seam location, such as slab size, type of stone, kitchen layout, and cutouts. We try not to seam over a dishwater, lazy susan, or near sink.

Backsplash
Most often walls are not even, and since the granite is not flexible, there can often be a gap between the stone and the wall. In these circumstances, you can place a backsplash, either a full granite backsplash or a more commonly used 4" tall backsplash with a 1 1/4" stock as the granite countertop. This ensures that the material will match.

We look forward to working with you to provide you with a beautiful stone installation.