Common Uses and Descriptions of Natural Stone Granite, one of the most popular choices of natural stones, is quarried from the mountains of dozens of countries all around the world. We have in stock slabs of “American Mahogany” from the United States to “Volga Blue” from the Ukraine. The durability, longevity and dazzling array of colors make it an excellent choice for kitchen countertops, floors and other high use surfaces. Unlike man-made materials, granite is heat resistant, scratch resistant and stain resistant. You will not have to worry about granite scratching or melting under use. Granite is also one of the most bacteria-resistant kitchen surfaces. It is not affected by citric acid, coffee, tea, alcohol, or wine. It is also nearly impossible to scratch. With proper cleaning, it will not stain under normal use. Sealants are available to further improve resistance to staining. A leading consumer magazine recently compared granite with engineered stone, ceramic tile, laminate, butcher block and other manufactured surfaces. Granite received the highest overall performance rating as a kitchen countertop material. Make the right choice for your home, a gift from nature. Because of its exceptional strength, granite is used for exterior applications such as cladding on buildings, paving and curbs. Marble is found in the mountains of Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.S. and other countries worldwide. The natural beauty, sophisticated elegance and ease of fabrication of marble make it the natural choice for bathroom countertops, floors and shower walls, fireplace surrounds, foyers and windowsills. Limestone, Sandstone, Slate and Travertine are other examples of natural stone used in residential applications. Limestone is used as building stone because it is readily available and easy to handle. Popular applications include countertops, flooring, interior and exterior wall cladding and exterior paving. Travertine is a type of limestone and one of the most popular natural stones selected for interior and exterior cladding and paving, statuary and curbing. Sandstone and slate are often used for exterior paving stones and fireplace surrounds. Other uses for sandstone are chimneys, garden walls, patio benches and poolside. Slate is a popular choice for flooring material, kitchen countertops, tabletops and roofing |