Stone Newsletters

So, we are getting several calls this winter that goes something like this.... "Dear Perfect Granite Solutions, I have all this fluffy white fuzzy stuff on my patio that looks like it's growing." Friends, that's efflorescence! And it's annoying as politicians and health gurus. You might want to TAKE 5 MINUTES, and learn something new for your home and businesses....come read.

As your "preferred" stone specialist, you would expect me to tell you the truth about any stone issue out there. So we need to talk about one of the most popular stones out there right now...Quartzite. It has the reputation for looking like marble and performing like granite. But this is not true for all Quartzite and we need to talk about it...now. If you are thinking about using Quartzite, selling or recommending it, you need to read this newsletter or pass it to someone who does.

The most common misunderstanding about caulking is, “How do you pronounce it?” Now I don’t want to be improper here so here’s my best attempt without a voice recording for you to listen to, but It’s pronounced, Ca-ulk-ing. Now say it fast…. Not bad, but for a few of you, you keep pronouncing it, Cauking. While you practice saying it without blushing or making caulk jokes, let me teach you all you need to know for a good ca-ulk job.

This poor polar bear is calling out to us humans to sell him some more real estate while prices are hot! Apparently, if we were more conscientious of the environment, there would be more ice to float on. Is natural stone and quartz environmentally friendly? Let me share some of my thoughts on the subject.

Welcome to another free educational newsletter about natural stone. And if you are not interested in natural stone, how about your natural body? Have you ever looked at something in your home and said, “Should I replace it?” And then say to yourself, “Well, if it’s not broken, why fix it?” Come and spend a few minutes with me and get some free advice or a free drink of my Covid cool-aid.

This months subject is about Sealing. We want to protect our investments whether its our new car, our clubs, our finances, so why not our natural stone? Protecting stone ALWAYS begins with understanding how to care for it and how to prevent damage. Go to our recommended care products for more information or ask your stone supplier for their recommendations.

This months subject reveals some truths of Engineered Quartz (EQ also known as ES - Engineered Stone). I asked myself the following questions over the last several years, “Why has Engineered Quartz become one of the most requested products in the countertop industry? Is it better than stone? Does it stain? Is stone going to become obsolete?”

Let's have a discussion about the most desired stone for centuries, white marble. White marble is the generic term even though it comes in white, off white, light gray to dark gray, including black, beige and gold veining. We have dozens of names for white marbles such as Bianca, Carrara, Statutory, Thassos, Snow White and any other creative name the Namers have come up with.

This months subject is about BASALT, a puzzling stone on the market and why it is so. As with many new stones on the market, it takes a while until we get a better understanding of their nuances. Coca Cola used to say in it’s marketing ads, “There is nothing better than than the real thing.” I agree, but to appreciate and promote the real thing about stone, we need to learn as much about it as possible.

This months subject is about how customers and contractors are describing Quartzite. For us who sell it or have years of experience with stone, it seems pretty elementary. Yet for most people out there, it’s a little confusing. There are three common surfaces that are often misdescribed; they are Quartzite, Quartz, and Engineered