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REAL Granite???

We're in the process of buying granite counter tops and picked out Verde Butterfly. I just read on your website that it isn't granite and rather Charnockite. Do you know whether Silver Sea Green is granite? We haven't finalized the deal yet so I don't know what to do about knowing what is granite and what is something different. Thanks!
 
Dear Vivian:
Silver Sea Green is probably granite.
But it really doesn't matter. Charnockite can be just as good if not better.
 

I hope you will understand the true meaning of what I'm about to say. It appears to me that like most other inquirers at this stage you seem mostly interested in the type of “granite” and/or its physical characteristics. It's human nature at work, I reckon!:)

How about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab? Trust me: the human factor is far more important than the stone itself and should be the only true deciding factor!

In an industry that's virtually unregulated, how good and reputable the fabricator who's is going to process the stone you'll end up choosing is far more important than the stone itself. None of the horror stories that get posted in this very site and all over the internet stem from the stone itself: they all stem from the fabricator. That is why I seldom make final statements about any one particular stone. There may be differences within the same stone (and I'm not talking about looks, here!) from one bundle of slabs and the next. The slabs may have also been either “doctored” (which is bad), or “resined” (which overall is good) by the factory, which would make a big difference. Even more important, what's a good stone in the hands of some “Michelangelo”?! And again: a reputable fabricator will only carry high-grade slabs, not some “special!”

We have available a very comprehensive article on “How to Shop for a Granite Kitchen Countertop” that will give you all the intelligence you need to venture yourself with confidence in the stone industry jungle, and it includes the world renown “Lemon juice (and oil) test”! It does carry a small price tag, and you can order it by logging on the Educational Literature section of our website at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/literature.htm. It's available in pay-per-download format and I consider it a cheap “insurance premium” to pay when there are thousands of $ involved! Not to mention the little and much needed support you'd be giving to the cause, your cause, since every single penny of the cost of the article will be used to support it.
 

May I ask you also to please read our Statement of Purpose that you can find at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?  

Ciao and good luck,

Maurizio Bertoli

 

www.marblecleaning.org – The Only Consumers' Portal to the Stone Industry Establishment!
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