Carved In Stone, LLC
10128 Marina Road
Jefferson City, MO 65101
(Office) 573.395.4070 (Fax) 573.395.4036
e-mail: carvedinstonellc@hotmail.com
Owners: Nick & Bobbi Price
Members of the Stone Fabricators Alliance and Marble Institute of America
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is granite?
A: Granite is a very hard, ingenous stone formed out of volcanic activity. As magma from the volcanos cooled very slowly (over millions of years), mineral crystals in the magma deposits grew. Those minerals-primarily hornblende, feldspar, mica, and quartz-are what give the granite its grainy texture. When the softer earth around the resulting granite deposit eroded, the harder rock became exposed, making it available for quarrying in nearly every region of the world. The ingneous rock is determined by its rate of cooling, the further below our planets surface the grantie was formed, then the slower it cooled, resuling in the creation of larger crystals, and in general, producing a lighter color. The nearer to the earth's surface the grantie was formed, the quicker it cooled, resulting in smaller, stronger crystals, producing darker colors. These are in general the strongest type of granite.
Q: How do I take care of my natural stone countertops?
A: Recommended everyday cleaner is warm water and dish soap. A natural stone cleaner is recommended for a weekly cleaning. Harsh abrasives and window cleaners are NOT recommended cleaners for natural stone.
Q: Will my granite countertops stain?
A: As with any natural product, granite is a porous material that may be stained by foreign substances. To help ensure the stone is protected, it is recommended that the surface is properly resealed as recommended.
Q: How often do I need to reseal my granite surface?
A: Granite countertops require resealing every 1-3 years depending on the color. The lighter, more porous stones may require resealing more often than darker, denser stones.
Q: Where can I get granite sealer and what does the process consist of?
A: Granite sealer can be found at your local home improvement centers, such as Lowe's. The Aqua Mix sealer is available in a liquid bottle or now even a spray bottle. Think of it as washing your windows: Using a minuet amount, apply the sealer to your counter tops, take a dry paper towel and spread evenly throughout your countertop area for approximately 10 minutes, lastly, take a new, clean paper towel and wipe excess off. If you are not comfortable resealing your countertops on your own, Carved In Stone offers a yearly resealing service.
Q: Do I have to go to St. Louis or Kansas City to select stone?
A: NO! At Carved In Stone, it is our goal in creating a "one stop shop" for our customers. By offering a full line of Stock and Exotic Stones at our location, customers are able to select stone on site. However, if you are unable to find what you are looking for, our staff will assist you in hand selections at our suppliers in St. Louis or Kansas City.
Q: How do I get started?
A: The following process allows any addition or remodel seem effortless:
- Selecting Your Stone:
* Hand Selecting:- Hand selection is available at our location, as we stock several stones.- Hand selection is also available at one of our suppliers in St.Louis or Kansas City.* Selecting your stone from another source (tile, samples, internet, etc.)- If stone selection is not hand selected, we will bring in the stone selected or use slabs that are available from our inventory.* A typical slab will average 115" x 65". If your countertops exceed these limits, a seam will be necessary.* At this time, your custom edge profile will also be selected.- Templating Your Cabinets:
* Templating is the first step in preparing for your new countertops. This is the process of making an exact replica of your countertops.* If the project is part of a new construction, then the cabinets must be set in palce for us to template.* If the project is a remodel, the old countertops no longer are in need of removal until time of installation, however must be clean and easy to work around.* At the time of the template, all sinks, faucets, and cooktops, as well as any other appliances that will need special accomodations, will need to be at the jobsite.* The template is then taken back to the shop to begin the fabrication process.* We encourage customers to visit the shop to place any islands or special countertops within the slabs to ensure that the best possible features are captured in your countertops.- Fabrication of Your Countertops:
* This part of the proces will take place at our location. The slabs selected for your project will be cut to fit your cabinets. The chosen edge profile will be applied and the cutout for for your sink will be made.* If the countertops exceed the selected slab measurements, a seam will be placed within your countertops.* If a seam is required, the customer will be able to work with the template to select the least obvious spot for the seam.* A seam will be able to be seen, but camouflaged with colored epoxy to hlep conceal its location.* A seam will be no wider than a 1/8" and may be minimally felt when rubbing over the surface of your countertops.- Installation of Your Countertops:
* Installation will be no longer than 2 weeks from the template date. Special accomodations for a quicker installation can be made for special circumstances.* If your project is a remodel, it would be beneficial for items to be removed from the cabinets.* At the time of installation, all countertops and backsplash will be installed. However, backsplash under the raised bar must be measured after the installation of the countertops for accurate dimensions.* If full height backsplash of backsplash under the raised bar are selected, they will be installed exactly one week later. Again, special accommodations can be made.* After the installation is complete, Carved In Stone will professionally seal your natural stone countertops.Please ask if you have additional questions:
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