FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q.  How can you possibly supply REAL GRANITE for little more than the price of some laminates?

A.  It’s quite simple really! After years in the international stone industry, we looked at the traditional methods of stone bench fabrication and studied what the areas of greatest cost impact were. We then set about designing a production system that greatly reduced those cost centres and revolutionized the way people both here and in Europe think about granite bench construction. For more information on THE REVOLUTION IN STONE, (Click here)

Q. Can I cut food directly on the benchtop?

A. Sure you can, if you want to ruin your expensive kitchen knives! Granite is second only to diamonds when measuring the hardness of natural products, so it will dull knives very quickly if you cut directly on it. It’s also worth remembering that some modern knives have been specially hardened, and may just cause some damage to your benchtop, so for a number of reasons we recommend that you do not cut directly on your benchtop and use a cutting board instead. Under normal circumstances your granite bench will be very scratch resistant, but scratch-resistant does not mean scratch-proof. If you try hard enough with the right tools, you will be able to damage your benchtop, but under normal everyday use with just a little care, you should never have a problem. The concept of scratch-resistance is one you should bear in mind particularly if you are considering the use of man-made solid surfaces - many of the salesmen selling these products will tell you that their products cannot be scratched, but their warranties will say "scratch-resistant", rather than "scratch-proof", meaning you will have no recourse when your man-made stone bench gets damaged. There are NO totally scratch-proof benchtops products on the market.

Q.  Can I place hot pots and pans directly from my stove onto my granite bench?

A.  Granite is formed beneath the Earth’s surface under intense pressure and thousands of degrees in temperature. Therefore it’s highly unlikely that your hot pan at a couple of hundred degrees or so will cause any damage. This is one of the common myths being spread by man-made surface suppliers, that you cannot put hot pans on a granite top. In fact we’re more than happy to take to a sample of our product with a blow torch to put your mind at ease! Ask your man-made stone supplier to do this and see what reaction you get!!! One reservation we have about putting hot pans on your benchtops is the possibility of spillages, particularly of cooking oils and the likes, which can damage the sealer used to protect your benchtop. Once again, we would recommend that you put your hot pans on a cutting board or protector, just to totally protect your investment....

Q.  Is granite safe to use in a food preparation area?

A.  Real Granite has been used for centuries in food preparation areas and is used extensively in the worlds best kitchens. In fact studies conducted in the USA measuring the bacteria retention of a number of different kitchen surface choices have shown that Real Granite is second only to stainless steel in terms of bacteria retention after cleaning. This put Real Granite well ahead of the man-made products included in the test in terms of safety in food preparation areas.

Q.  Won’t I have to continually put a sealer on my Granite Top? And isn’t it a difficult process?

A.  Some stones require sealing, others don't, depending on their composition and the density of the stone. When we install your Real Granite Top we will seal it for you if it is required. It is up to you whether we use a sealer which should be reapplied annually, or our exclusive sealer which we have developed ourselves and should not require reapplication for a period of 5 years (as long as you use our exlusive granite cleaner). When it is time for reapplication of your sealer, it is generally a simple process of wiping the product onto the bench, allowing it to dry, then wiping it off. Just like polishing a car, only much easier! It can easily be done by yourself with commercially available sealing products, or we can come and do it for you. For more information about sealers and care of your bench, see our STONE CARE page.

Q.  What do I use to clean my Real Granite Top?

A.  The best product for cleaning your Granite Top is our exclusive cleaner. It’s available cheaply from us and is specially designed for your Granite Top. You should avoid using any abrasive cleaner or abrasive sponges or scourers, and also avoid any cleaner which is either acidic or oil based (such as mineral turps). Simple spray and wipe type products or Windex can usually be used, but check any products you intend to use on your bench to make sure they are not acidic, and in particular that they do not contain citrus acids.

Q.  Will my Real Granite Top stain?

A. Your Real Granite Top is highly stain resistant, a trait which is assisted by the actions of the sealer. However granite is a naturally porous product and as such it is possible to cause staining if you try hard enough! The most likely products to cause a stain are generally the obvious things such as red wine, beetroot and oils. Generally if you wipe up spills within a reasonable period you will not have any staining problems, but if you leave some of these spills overnight or longer you may find some marking of the stone. Although staining is highly unlikely, you can totally avoid any potential problems by wiping up spills soon after they occur, just as you would with any other benchtop. There are remedies available for staining, please contact us for advice on removing stains. It should also be noted that our Midnight Black granite can be affected by strong acids. These can cause some etching, so things such as citrus juices, lemonade, etc. should be cleaned up immediately if they are spilt.  This etching process takes time though, and you should not see any damage result from short periods of exposure to these acids.

Q.  Will my Real Granite Top be susceptible to chips and scratches?

A.  As mentioned before, granite is one of the hardest substances known to man, and as such your Real Granite Top is extremely resistant to chips and scratches. Obviously, as with any surface you choose, if you try hard enough you can cause damage, so you should avoid impacts with heavy, hard items.

Q.  Will a Real Granite Top add value to my home?

A.  YES! In a number of ways! The time you spend in the kitchen will be much more pleasureable, and you will certainly add value to your home. Estate agents ALWAYS mention granite benchtops in any advertisement for a home that has one, and quite often will use a photo of the kitchen when advertising the home if it has a granite benchtop. A lot of people come to us when planning to sell their home, as adding a Real Granite Top is a great and inexpensive way to add style and class to your home and increase its sales potential. If you have any other questions about Real Granite Tops that we haven’t answered here, please give us a call or send us an email here.