Kashmire Gold

My wife and I finally decided on granite as the material of choice for our kitchen countertops. We decided on the Kashmire Gold as that stone had the colors and veining we liked best. After reviewing this site it is pretty clear that is not the stone we want. Per the many postings, it seems way to pourous and may not even be granite. Does anyone have any suggestions on types of granite that have similar colors as the Kashmire Gold but better quality? Thanks, Eric.

 

Dear Eric:

Of course it is not true geological granite: it's granulite – what I define a “bad case” of gneiss!... But if you plan to limit your selection exclusively to true geological granite, then you wouldn't have much to choose from, if you consider that out of the over 2700 different types of stones traded as granite, only a scant couple of do z ens are true geological granite!   What I mean is that among all those stones, there are many that are just as good as granite and many others that are even better than granite. Kashmir is not among either, alas!... :-(

Well, actually, I think it wouldn't be bad if it were resined by the factory, but the last time I checked (a year ago or so), they still didn't resin that stone.

However, 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 stone and/or its physical characteristics. It's human nature at work, I reckon! J

How about if I tell you that a certain stone is a good choice and then you get a low-grade slab or a doctored one? 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 stem from the stone: 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 renowned “Lemon juice (and oil) test” which will enable to determine on your own the suitability of any stone you may think of! It does carry a small price tag, and you can order it by logging on the Educational Literature section 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.

Also, will you please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm? By spreading the word about this valuable site among your friends & family and the stone trades' people you've been dealing with you will be rendering everybody a valuable service!   

Also, do take advantage of the plethora of FREE Helpful Hints available at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/helpful-hints.htm. They're on the house!

Thank you.

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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