Why Choose Real Granite?

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=3 height=130 BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="25578871dkbliw.jpg"> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=184 BGCOLOR="#000099" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MenuMaker produced NavBar</title> </head> <body bgcolor="#2929d3" text="BLACK"> <script menumaker src="HTMLobj-632/blueround.js"></script> </body></html>  </B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>   <STYLE type="text/css">  </STYLE>   </B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=320 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#000099" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="702" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#FFFF99 HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="692"><div> <B>Why Choose REAL GRANITE ?</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 81 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> There are a number of choices available for use on benchtops in Australia these days. Here's a quick round-up of what is available and some of their attributes. You may find some suprises here, especially if you have heard some of the misconceptions spread by some sales people trying to sell you certain products..... </div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#FFFF99 HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="692"><div> <B><U>We sell - </U></B><I><B><U>Real Granite !</U></B></I></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 356 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> Granite has been used in the worlds best kitchens for centuries. There are food preparation areas in Rome which date back thousands of years that are made of granite. It has traditionally been the ultimate mark of style and elegance in kitchens. </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Verdana" ><B><U><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800ffff00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Highly heat resistant</U></B></FONT><B><U> </U></B><B>- </B>Granite is made beneath the earths surface at thouands of degrees in temperature, so the odd hot pan is unlikely to do any damage.....</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Verdana" ><B><U><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800ffff00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Highly Scratch Resistant</U></B></FONT><B> - </B>The only natural product that is harder or tougher than Real Granite is diamonds</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Verdana" ><B><U><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800ffff00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Stain Resistant </U></B></FONT><B>- </B>Especially once protected with a quality sealer.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Verdana" ><B><U><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800ffff00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Fade Resistant</U></B></FONT><B> - </B>Granite can be used in outdoor areas without fear of fading. It is generally not affected by UV rays, hence it is chosen for use in many outdoor applications such as buildings, headstones, etc... </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Verdana" ><B><U><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800ffff00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Non Bacteria Harbouring</U></B></FONT><B> - </B>a scientific study in the USA found Granite was second only to stainless steel in its cleanliness for food preparation areas.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Verdana" ><B><U><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800ffff00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Timeless </U></B></FONT><B>- </B>Granite will never go out of fashion - it has always represented style and quality and always will.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="345"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="345" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="346"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="346" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#FFFF99 HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="692"><div> <B><U>Reconstituted and Engineered Stone (solid surfaces)</U></B> -</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 994 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> This is very much the <I><B>"new kid on the block"</B></I>, its fashionable colours, aggressive marketing and sometimes aggressive sales people have made it rise in popularity fairly quickly. It is generally a combination of stone chips (the stuff we throw away) and resins or plastics to hold it all together. Sometimes dyes and other materials such as glass, mirror, shell, plastics, etc are also incorporated. There are a number of different products available in this product category, but they are largely all manufactured under the same copyrighted "TREND" system.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Quartz Component - </B>The people selling these products will tell you that they are generally 97% quartz. The Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) provided by the manufacturers of one of the more popular engineered stone products shows that the actual quartz composition can be as low as 60%.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Heat Resistant - </B>Their salesmen will tell you they are heat proof, but check the warranties they offer you will see that they are not. If you check the MSDS for the same product mentioned above, you will see that the product will actually SELF-IGNITE at 490 degrees and that fire fighters should wear fully self contained breathing apparatus in positive pressure mode due to the toxins given off by the product. The MSDS also states that thermal decomposition (from exposure to heat) may lead to the release of oxides of Carbon and Titanium. Ask your engineered stone salesman to attack his product with a blow torch and see what he says!!! We'll do it to our product!!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Scratch and Chip Resistant - </B>Again, the salesmen of these products will often tell you that they are scratch proof, but their warranties say otherwise. Considering the hardest individual component in these products is quartz (granite chips), the product will not generally be any harder than granite, then when you consider some of the other components such as resins, glass, shells, and stones other than quartz that are used, you can see how the products cannot be scratch-proof.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Will Fade - </B>These products are not covered under warranty if they are used outdoors. In fact they are recommended NOT for outdoor use. This is because they will fade in sunlight (which poses questions about their longevity in kitchens with windows) and the resins used to hold them together will break down over time under UV light. </div> <bR> <div> Some McDonalds restaurants have installed engineered stone tops as tables in both indoor and outdoor situations. Some of those used outdoors have faded from extremely in less than a year, with clearly visible breakdown of the resin binding. </div> <bR> <div> Some have also experienced warping of the products used outside (just from the heat of being outdoors) and are beginning to see fading on tables placed indoors but near windows. Scratches are clearly visible in a lot of cases as well.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Colour Variations and Uniformity - </B>These products can provide some colours which nature cannot, and can also provide a uniformity of colour that is appealing to interior designers and the like as they can do an entire block of units and every kitchen will be exactly the same. Some natural granites also offer high rates of colour uniformity, but for many people the colour variations and patterns only available in Natural Granite are what makes it so appealing. Horses for courses!!!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Fashionable - </B>Due to the enormous amounts of money being spent on marketing and the fact that these products are the "latest thing", they are quite fashionable, as are some of the colours they offer. The problem with fashion though, is it will date, and just like stonewash jeans and hypercolour t-shirts, some of these colours will date and become unfashionable as trends change.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Unknown Longevity - </B>This manufacturing process has not been around for a very long time, and many of the products have been on the market for less than 10 years. Given that they utilize components that are known to break down over time such as resins and "special polymers" (plastics), how long they will last before beginning to break down is unknown. </div> <bR> <div> We recently saw an advertisement from one manufacturer claiming that their product would last longer than granite!!! Considering their product has not even been in manufacture for 15 years and the stone we are putting in peoples kitchens is already millions of years old, we find it amusing that they can make statements such as this!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Expensive - </B>These products will often be the most expensive choice for your kitchen project.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="345"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="345" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="346"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="346" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#FFFF99 HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="692"><div> <B><U>Laminates </U></B><B>-</B> </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 372 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> Generally the cheapest choice for benchtops, and usually quite serviceable when looked after correctly. Tends to be quite fashionable colour wise and therefore goes out of fashion relatively quickly. Quality can vary greatly depending on manufacturer.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Not Scratch Resistant - </B>Most laminates will scratch easily.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Not Heat Resistant - </B>Most laminates can burn if not cared for correctly.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Not Stain resistant - </B>Most laminates will stain if  not cared for correctly....</div> <bR> <div> <B>Can Harbour Bacteria - </B>if not cleaned thoroughly.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Not Fade Resistant - </B>Most laminates will fade if exposed to UV rays. This area of laminate manufacture has improved over the years.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Colour Uniformity - </B>Laminates can provide constant colours over your whole benchtop, which can be a benefit in some cases. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Colour Options - </B>Laminate can be made in any colour, making it highly fashionable. Unfortunately this can also be a downside for the product, as within a few years of installation the colours you have chosen can be quite unfashionable. Remeber the bright green and orange laminates of the 70's? By the mid 80's most of them had been replaced!!!</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="345"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="345" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="346"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="346" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#FFFF99 HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="692"><div> <B><U>Timber</U></B> -</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 241 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> Timber has been around for a very long time, and in the right kitchen can look excellent. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Non - Scratch Resistant - </B>Obviously Timber can scratch.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Non Heat Resistant - </B>Obviously affected by heat.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Must Be Sealed - </B>to prevent liquids soaking into and staining and expanding the timber</div> <bR> <div> <B>Maintenance - </B>Must be kept laquered to prevent moisture absorbtion.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Looks Beautiful - </B>in the right setting and when done well.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Wears Relatively Quickly - </B>you must look after a timber bench carefully to maintain its beauty (unless you're looking for the "used" look.)</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="345"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="345" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="346"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="16" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="346" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR=#FFFF99 HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="692"><div> <B><U>Stainless Steel</U></B> - </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 193 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> Stainless Steel is great for commercial kitchens or if you're after that commercial look for your home.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Non- Scratch resistant - </B>scratches easily</div> <bR> <div> <B>Highly Heat Resistant</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Non Bacteria Harbouring - </B>Probably the best product available on this count.</div> <bR> <div> Stainless steel is very expensive and has a distinctive look. It is easy to clean and can take bumps and scrapes. Scratches are a given with this product and tend not to detract too much from its appearance, as they are to be expected. If you like the industrial/commercial look, this could be for you.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>    <STYLE type="text/css">  </STYLE>   </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=30 BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> Prices are in Australian dollars and  subject to change without notice.  Copyright Real Granite Tops 2006</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>