As with any natural stone, certain exposure to heat may cause cracks due to thermal shock. We do recommend that you always place them on a trivet or cutting board to protect your countertop. (Review your electric appliance manual as a reference.)
Make sure you purchase a Non-Toxic sealer. The sealer should say on the bottle that it is safe for food preparation areas. If it doesn’t, investigate further and please give us a call.
Drano, Liquid Plumr, oven cleaners and floor strippers will harm quartz surfaces. Do NOT use these or any other harsh chemicals on your surface.
Yes! It is important to understand that while regular sealing is important, too much sealer can become a problem. Once a week or even once a month sealing can begin to build up in your granite material and begin to make the granite surface appear cloudy and dull. If this build up occurs we do recommend that you contact a stone restoration specialist to come out and clean and reseal your granite professionally.
We recommend that you seal your stone countertops anywhere from every 6 months to once a year. The frequency of sealing is typically based on the type of stone you have selected and the amount of traffic in the kitchen.
No, all warranties are not the same and we encourage you to read the manufacturer’s warranty before you make your decision. Granite does not come with any warranty past the initial one year Premier Countertops craftsmanship warranty.
Surface craftsmen use many of the same disciplines as wood craftsmen. The materials are crafted using similar methods and tools of the trade are common to many professional wood shop environments. While each surface manufacturer supplies relatively consistent high quality sheet goods, a surface application is only as good as the craftsman who built it.
Evidence of master craftsmanship can be seen in the details:
Check the seams. Solid surface materials are designed to be seamed together with virtually invisible seams. With the exception of certain textures, colors, and high polish finishes, seams should be nearly invisible to the naked eye. Seams that are obvious or separated are unacceptable.
Check the silicone. Set-on backsplashes and undermount sink finishes require the installer to rely on matching silicone to seal seams and conceal minor irregularities. However, under all circumstances, silicone should be used discreetly and sparingly. Excess silicone is often evidence of an inexperienced installer.
Check the edge. The edge overhang should be consistent throughout the perimeter of the counter.
Check the fit. Surface counters are most appropriately measured using a template. This insures that your counter will fit properly and will accommodate any imperfections in your walls, cabinets, or appliances. A sloppy fit generally indicates sloppy craftsmanship.
All types of stone are porous to varying degrees and will absorb stains. It is important to use a penetrating sealer to prevent stains from oil, wine, or other liquids soaking into the surface.
Etching happens when acid comes in contact with a marble, limestone or unsealed granite surface. This causes a chemical reaction, which damages the polish and roughens the surface. Green marbles, such as the ‘jades” from China are resistant to etching, and granite is impervious to most common household acids.
High impact blows can harm granite, especially to the corners and edges. Its crystalline structure makes it somewhat vulnerable to chipping from the blunt force of very hard objects. Products such a oil, coffee, juice, and wine can cause stains or discoloration on unsealed granite. Heat from pots and pans or burning liquids will not affect granite under normal circumstances.
In the event that your granite does become damaged, Premier Countertops offers a repair service. We also offer a 15 year granite sealer to preemptively protects your surface for years to come.