Is granite sanitary?
Yes. In fact, granite is one of the best surfaces in terms of sanitation to have in a kitchen. In a study performed by Dr. O. Peter Snyder of the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, it was shown that there are significant cleanability advantages of natural granite countertops over almost all other commonly found countertop surface materials. This study compared granite, stainless steel, concrete, tile, wood, and plastic laminate and determined that granite ranked first in terms of cleanability.
From where does your stone come?
We buy stone from all over the world. Do you want to have stone from a particular country in your house? On our web site, you can even look up colors by country!
Can I hand pick my natural stone?
Yes. We encourage customers to hand select either their slabs or their tiles. Our warehouse is very user friendly with great lighting. Please take advantage of this opportunity to hand select the actual material that will be installed in your house.
Can I get samples of your products?
Yes. When you visit The Gallery or Stone Annex we will be happy to supply you with samples of the colors of interest to you.
Is it difficult to seal or enhance my stone?
No. In fact it is very easy to seal or enhance your stone. Please see the Care & Maintenance section of this web site for details.
What is the difference between sealing and enhancing?
Sealing a natural stone is the process used to protect your stone against everyday dirt and spills. Enhancing is the process of increasing the color of a natural stone.
Are all colors available in tile and slab?
No. While many of our colors come in both slabs and tiles, we also carry a number of colors in either slab or tile but not both. Please ask one of ISC’s professional staff for more detail.
What is the difference between 2cm and 3cm?
Slabs are almost always stocked in either 2cm (3/4”) thickness or 3cm (1 1/4”) thickness. It is now most common to use 3cm granite for your kitchen countertop as this thickness allows you to have a thicker edge and also enables you to choose from more edge details. However, 2cm thickness is perfectly fine for a kitchen countertop in terms of durability and quality.
I don’t see the stone I want on your web site. Are you out of it?
In the stone industry, many companies rename the stones with their own special names. Please call if you do not see the material you want. We might carry it and call it something else.
Do I need an appointment to visit The Gallery or Stone Slab Showroom?
If you are just starting the process, you do not need an appointment. You will find that our showrooms are very user friendly with great lighting and lots of space to view our slabs. We also have a useful map so that you know exactly which materials you are viewing at all times. However, if you are ready to hand select material for your home, please call twenty four hours in advance to make sure that we will have the material ready for your viewing.
How much will my kitchen counter-top cost? What are your different pricing categories?
As a wholesale distributor, we cannot give you pricing. One of the main reasons is that the material itself is only part of the cost of the final installed job. Other factors include the edge detail you choose, the complexity of the job, the number of cuts, whether you choose an under mount or drop in sink, etc. Please speak with your fabricator to receive pricing as each fabricator has different pricing categories.
What if my kitchen is not due for another 6 months? Can I still hand select?
We recommend that customers hand select their materials approximately four weeks prior to the installation date. If you hand select but are not yet working with a fabricator, then we will hold your material for seven days. After that, you will need to either tell us which fabricator you are working with, or put down a deposit to hold your stone. If you have a fabricator at the time of the hand select, we will hold the material for 30 days. After 30 days, the fabricator will have to take delivery of the stone.
Can I buy my kitchen counter-top stone from you? How does it work?
We encourage and hope that you will come to our beautiful showroom and hand select the actual pieces of stone that will be installed in your kitchen. (Please see The Gallery section of this web site for location details.
Will it be difficult to take care of my natural stone?
No. We recommend that all stone be sealed upon installation. Please speak with your installer to determine if they will seal your stone. If not, the sealing process is very easy. Once the stone is properly sealed, all you need to do is clean your material on a regular basis. Please see the Care & Maintenance section of this web site for details.