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Kitchen & Bath Counters and shower enclosures

Article Number: 375 | Rating: Unrated | Last Updated: Thu, Aug 23, 2007 at 12:00 AM

Dear Maurizio, I have begun thinking through the process of remodeling my kitchen and Master Bath and am trying my best to do the research; it is confusing and difficult to say the least. Natural stone is my preference, however, most important to me are durability and low maintenance. I have already learned a lot from your Q&As, which have completely changed my mind about using slate in my bathroom, especially in the shower, and quartz for my kitchen counter as the search to find the correct product in these stones [considering the confused state of mind in which I already reside] and the cost factor when and if I did find it would probably be prohibitive. I am now leaning towards travertine for my shower based on what I have read from your Q&As; however, a sales person told me that it stained easily, and, if I spilled something like bleach on it, that it would take the color out. This concerns me so the thought of using a manufactured look-a-like alternative in both the kitchen and bath is not objectional to me if it looks good and better meets my criteria. I like both shiny and rustic, but am thinking about a Roman Greco type look for my Master Bath which is why the travetine appeals to me, but the salesman now has me leary about using it. So my questions are: 1. With my priorities being durability (scratching, staining, bleaching, etc.) and low maintenance, which natural stone would you recommend for my kitchen counter? 2. Which natural stone would you recommend for my shower stall? 3. In case I decide to go with a manufactured look-a-like alternative to natural stone, are you familiar enough with these products to give me some recommendations, please?? Any insight is better than none--I think!! Thank you, Anne PS, I have ordered the Maintenance of residential stone installations to help me once I make my decision

Dear Anne:

Let's start with what you say: "I am thinking about a Roman Greco type look for my Master Bath which is why the travetine appeals to me".

Ask yourself: do you really think that the Greek and the Romans had polished travertine or marble in their bathrooms?!...

If you choose honed and filled travertine, or tumbled and unfilled (and you will have to have it filled) travertine, or - better yet - tumble-finished marble in 12" x 12" tiles you will get the look you're after and have a very low maintenance final products at the same time.

What that salesman told you was about polished marble and travertine. The "stains" he was making reference to are not stains at all - no matter what they look like - but etch marks (marks of corrosions) that many pH active substances create when coming on contact with the surface of the stone. Nothing to worry about is you choose hone-finished or, better yet, tublle-finished stone and you treat it with a good-quality stone color enhancer/impregnator like MB-6.

After that, since you bought the maintenance guidelines already, you know what to do!... :-)

As for the kitchen countertop, for get about any specific granite or "granite" now: concentrate on the man, first! We have a very good article about shopping for a granite countertop, too!

As a general rule of thumb, darker "granites" are best, but beware of doctored stones especially on the black ones!!

May I ask you now to please read our [url=http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm] Statement of Purpose[/url]? Just click on the words, [url=http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm] Statement of Purpose[/url] :)

Ciao and good luck,

Maurizio Bertoli

www.marblecleaning.org – The [b][u]Only[/b][/u] Consumers' Portal to the Stone Industry Establishment!