What types of natural stone are there?
The basic types of natural stones are travertine, marble, granite and slate. Any of these can take a lot of abuse and last many years. However, Marble, travertine takes a little more maintenance and care. Your lifestyle and your own home design will determine which fits your house.
Do natural stones require sealing?
All stones need to be sealed. Marble, travertine, and other types of soft stone must be kept well sealed or they may stain. It is recommended to apply a sealer that is made for natural stone. Granite, on the other hand is extremely hard and naturally resistant to stains.
Note that most stones such as marble, granite and some travertine and even slate could be polished by the manufacture but are still porous and subject to staining. We recommend them to be sealed with a penetrating sealer.
Are certain stones more practical to use as kitchen counters than others?
We suggest Granite because its ability to stand acid among heat and other abuses. Lemon is a citric acid that will not harm granite. However if it’s applied to marble, or travertine, for an example, the stone starts to dissolve immediately, and heat could also damage marble and travertine.
If my stone has a polished (shiny) finish, does it still need to be sealed?
Most marble, granite and some travertine and even slate is available with a factory polished finish. These polished stones are still porous, subject to staining, and should be sealed with a penetrating-type sealer.
