Granite Shield – Granite, Corian & Engineered Stone

Jan. 14, 2008 - PRLog -- I would have to say as a realtor, Debbie Burton of Prudential Canyon Lake Realty the preferred choice for a kitchen countertop is granite. Of course it's a personal choice what people want or can afford to put into their home. The main thing to consider is affordability and maintenance. Natural stone has been used for many years and over the years many have felt staining gives it character. I hear experts say if butter made a stain then put butter all over the granite so the stain will disappear. Granite is like a piece of art and the color the homeowner chooses is the color they want it to stay. The main concern is like I said affordability, maintenance and being assured to be able to clean the natural stone thoroughly to remove germs for the safety of you and your family..

The look of the 60’s was known as “Formica”, and then the trend for many years was white little ceramic tiles and grout then Corian and many choose an engineered stone for affordability and now with granite being more affordable most want granite and natural stone. I think a buyer of a countertop of natural stone should have more knowledge of the type of stone they are putting in the kitchen, masterbath, children’s bath and laundry room but use common sense. I’m not really saying go to a stone forum and ask a stone forum their expert advice because they may sway you to buy this and that. Don’t let big companies with a lot of money persuade you either. Listen to your inner self. If you choose a light or medium granite especially a Juperana and you stay with your standard sealer that you can buy at Lowes and Home Depot or even if what your granite fabricator used like 511 you need to be cautious about staining, especially oils. Sealers like that are temporary. White granite and Juperanas stain easily. Don’t leave oils, coffee, candles sitting on the granite long periods of time without a holder and if the candle wax drips clean it up ASAP. But that really applies to any type of countertop, like I say use common sense.

Absolute Black can etch from acidic liquids including alcohol especially honed Absolute Black. Absolute Black honed can really be a nightmare but honed CaesarStone can too. Blue Bahia is also a calcite based granite such as Absolute Black and can etch. Many believe a color like Baltic Brown being a medium color wouldn’t stain, but it does. Pick the right color for the right room or have it sealed in a way you don’t have to worry about it. I can tell you calcite based stones will etch and if that’s what you want you have to be careful if you want it to look brand new. I can tell you a product that can make it about 98% so it doesn’t etch or it is fixable in minutes.  

Homeowners just don’t want something plastic or fake in their home. Most people want the real thing period about anything. Homebuyers are looking to buy homes already the way they want it and they mainly want granite. Especially in today’s market. Unless you’re looking to flip a home, you want to buy a home that you have to put the least amount of money in it and it’s the way you want it. All it takes is educating yourself about natural stone, the prices are down and affordable and buy a color that will fit your life style. Travertine can etch with acidic and alcohol and so can limestone and marble.  

I’ve been a realtor since 1996 and I’ve sold over 100 homes in a 5 year period, I’m a neutral person that wants the public to know their options and they decide. Corian can be made where it is shinier if that’s a preferred countertop. Engineered stone does stain and there’s a company that can help with that. If you’re looking for the best protection for natural stone with the best warranty its Granite Shield. There are so many companies out there trying to get their hands on the procedure, chemicals or duplicate it, it’s unbelievable and keep it away from the public’s knowledge. The industry wants you to have to reseal your natural stone often because they make money. If there’s a warranty and you do something like use this product or do this and that or have to clean up spills immediately to void the warranty doesn’t mean it’s a very good warranty. You have to decide what is right for you and your budget and educate yourself for what fits your needs.

Common sense tells you stone is porous and will absorb whatever it can whether it’s stains or germs, it’s a rock. Go in your backyard and see if a rock changes color when wet. Yes, and it could permanently change in color from something. That means you want to seal your natural stone with the best thing you can. We grew up knowing bleach kills germs or at least the best it can. Common sense tells you ammonia kills germs. If a company tells you, you have to wipe up spills immediately, tells you it’s not sealed good enough and if you can’t use products such as ammonia or bleach your countertop may not get as clean as you want. When you’re cooking with raw meat or raw chicken you’re trying the best you can to not touch anything and wash your hands immediately but if your granite countertop isn’t sealed properly salmonella, germs, bacteria and toxins could be absorbed into a porous stone if you touched it. You want it protected the best you can so the granite or natural stone doesn’t absorb something like that and it can if not protected properly.

Debbie Burton Phillips
Prudential Canyon Lake Realty
Granite Shield
Vice President
951-805-3701
Email: Info@GraniteShield.net
www.GraniteShield.com

Website: www.GraniteShield.com