A Di Pietra Blog Entry

Barrie Home and Garden Show February 25 and 26 in Booth #230

Come Visit us at booth #230 on February 25th 10am-5pm and 26th 10am-4pm. For more information click here

 • Feb 1 2012 • 

Granite Radon Article

New study confirms that commonly used granite is safe for countertops A new study of the most popular granites used for kitchen countertops in the U.S. concludes that granite is safe to use in kitchens. The study, designed to determine whether radon gas sometimes released by natural stone poses any health risk, was released by the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and conducted by an independent geochemistry researcher. Included in this study were 13 of the most popular types of granites used in countertop applications, representing up to 85 percent of the granite countertops sold in the U.S. "This is the first time anyone has taken a comprehensive, scientific look at the array of granite actually being used in kitchens across the U.S.," said L. L. Chyi, a Ph.D. and professor of Geology and Civil Engineering at The University of Akron in Ohio. "Based on the testing results and EPA standards, we can conclude that the most popular granites used as countertop surfaces pose no health threat to homeowners." The issue of granite containing radon has surfaced repeatedly over the years, often fueled by manufacturers of radon detection devices and producers of synthetic stone countertops. Each time, the MIA and several natural stone producing companies have responded by engaging independent researchers to determine if any potential health hazard exists. Studies have consistently verified that granite countertops are safe.

The 13 granites used in the study were selected because they are among the most popular countertop surfaces in the United States. They include:

1. New Venetian Gold, which is imported from Brazil. It is a medium-grained, yellow-beige gneiss with many dark red garnets.
2. Ubatuba, also imported from Brazil. It is a medium- to coarse-grained, olive-green granite.
3. Santa Cecilia, from Brazil. It is a coarse-grained, yellow-grey gneiss with up to pie-sized, red garnets.
4. Tropic Brown, from Saudi Arabia. It is a medium-grained, brown granite.
5. Absolute Black, from India. It is black basalt.
6. Tan Brown, from India. It is a black-brown igneous rock with big, shapeless, brown-red feldspar crystals.
7. Giallo Ornamental, from Brazil. It is a coarse-grained, brown-yellow granulite with some brown-red garnets.
8. Crema Bordeaux, from Brazil. It is also known as Juparana Crema Bordeaux (Brunello), an exceptionally coarse exotic material that is commercially sold as granite, even though it is not geologically a granite.
9. Baltic Brown, from Finland. It is a brown-black granite.
10. Giallo Veneziano, from Brazil. It is a medium- to coarse-grained, ochre-yellow to golden-brown, also light pink, gneiss.
11. Dakota Mahogany, from the U.S. It is a medium- to coarse-grained, brown-red granite.
12. China Black, from China. It is a fine-grained basalt.
13. Yellow Star, from China. It is a medium-grained yellow to pink granite.

The results found that Crema Bordeaux, which emitted the greatest amount of radon, contributes less than 7% of the EPA's standard for action. The stone emitted 0.27 pCi/L, or less than 7% of the EPA's level of 4.0 pCi/L, well below any cause for health concerns. Tropic Brown and Baltic Brown, second and third in radon emanation based on Dr. Chyi's testing, amounted to only 1% of the standard for action. The other granites added almost immeasurable amounts of radon to the house. Tests were designed to measure the amount of radon each granite type added to the interior of a 2,000 square foot home with 8-foot ceilings. However, the study did not reflect the ventilation normally found in a typical home, through windows, vents, heating and air conditioning. A typical heating, ventilation, air-conditioning system can exchange a home's air up to six times per hour. This natural ventilation would dissipate radon gas levels significantly. "Because the study does not reflect the natural ventilation typically found in homes, real-world radon concentrations are likely to be even lower than those measured in this study," said Dr. Chyi. The test results are available on MIA's Web site, www.marble-institute.com.

 • Jan 23 2012 • 

10 Myths About Granite

1. Granite is absorbent.
Granite qualifies as impervious to water and is actually less absorbent than some so called solid surfaces (plastic) products. Granite is commonly used as building material for high-rise buildings due to its ability to withstand gale force winds and rain.

2. Granite stains easily.
Granite is resistant to stains. Generally, any liquid spilled on a granite top, if wiped up within a few minutes, will not stain. However, even water can soak into a granite countertop and leave a dark colored spot but this will evaporate in minutes. Liquids that do not evaporate, such as oils will cause stains if left to soak into the stone. Sealing your granite properly the first time with a Teflon penetrating sealer can stop and or slow this event from ever happening.

3. Stains in granite are permanent.
Most stains can be removed. Even oil stains can usually be removed if caught early enough, using a poultice or paste that will draw out the oil from the stone. Again, if a good quality sealer is applied initially, this is unlikely to occur.

4.Granite will lose its polish over the years.
While this may be true of marble, granite will shine years from now just as if it was brand new. Granite is highly scratch resistant and will not show wear from daily use.

5.Granite requires a lot of maintance.
Routine cleaning with mild soap and water is all that is generally required. Once a year, a re-application of a penetrating sealer should be preformed, which only takes about 15 minutes-or less time than scouring a solid surface countertop with a cleanser to remove scratches.

6.Heat will cause granite to chip and crack.
Granite is heat resistant and can withstand the heat of hot pots and pans without damage. Impact from a heavy object may chip granite but heat from anything short of a blowtorch will not affect your countertop. You will have to be careful of areas with liquid spills (with or without ice) on your granite countertop and then placing hot pots on the liquids

7.Dark colored granites are harder than light colored granites.
Granites are composed of a variety of minerals, each of which has specific performance properties. The hardest mineral commonly found in granite is quartz, which is normally a somewhat translucent, white to grey colored mineral. There are also Feltspar, Mica and more; but generally the tighter the grain the stronger the material.

8.Granite’s tiny pores and fissures harbor bacteria.
Bacteria are found everywhere. If it is on a granite top, then it can also be found on a laminate or solid surface top. Use an anti-bacterial soap to wash your countertop if you are concerned. Within the last few years almost all granites have been baked with resin to fill any fissures or Mother Nature’s imperfections; so there are very few area’s for bacteria to get to.

9.Granite and marble are essentially the same.
Besides the fact that they are both natural stones and can be polished, they are otherwise very different. Marble is generally a calcious stone, formed from oceanic deposits and then compressed under pressure (metamorphosed). Granite, however, is an igneous rock, essentially molten magma, which is cooled and then hardened below the earth’s surface.

10.Granite is expensive.
Granite is usually competitively priced compared to other high-end surfacing materials. You will be amazed when you compare the price of granite to other popularly famed “luxury surfaces”. Granite offers you an unmatched value with its natural beauty, elegance, longevity, and value.

 • Jan 16 2012 • 

F.A.Q.

Q: DOES GRANITE HARBOUR HARMFUL BACTERIA?
NO! THIS IS BACKED UP BY BOTH THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH. GRANITE COMES SECOND TO STAINLESS STEEL WHEN MEASURING BACTERIA RESISTANCE.

Q: CAN GRANITE BE REPAIRED ONCE IT IS SCRATCHED?
MOST GRANITE SURFACES ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SCRATCH. THERE ARE A FEW STONES THAT ARE SUSCEPTABLE TO SCRATCHES; WE WILL NOTIFY YOU IF YOU HAVE CHOSEN THIS GRANITE TYPE. GRANITE CAN BE REPOLISHED SHOULD IT GET SCRATCHED. SOLID SURFACE COUNTERS USUALLY COME WITH A SCRATCH/BUFFING KIT ONCE IT IS INSTALLED THEREFORE THE EXPECTATIONS OF IT SCRATCHING IS HIGH.

Q: IS IT TRUE THAT SOLID SURFACES WILL NOT STAIN AND GRANITE WILL?
MOST GRANITE COUNTERS NEED LITTLE TO NO MAINTENANCE. THIS SEALER CAN BE PURCHASED AND IS RECOMMENDED TO BE APPLIED NO MORE THAN TWICE PER YEAR. SOLID SURFACE COUNTERS ARE MAN MADE MATERIALS THAT CAN STAIN, BUT NOT TO WORRY WE CAN USUALLY TAKE THIS OUT.

Q: IS IT TRUE THAT SOLID SURFACE COUNTERS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY HEAT?
THIS IS TRUE OF GRANITE, BUT…. MANUFACTURERS OF SOLID SURFACES CLAIM HEAT RESISTANCE OF UP TO 212 DEGREES F, WHILE THE AVERAGE OVEN GOES UP TO 400 DEGREES F. WITH A GRANITE COUNTER TOP YOU CAN PLACE THE ROASTING PAN DIRECTLY OUT OF THE OVEN AND ONTO THE GRANITE COUNTER TOP.

Q: IS IT TRUE THAT GRANITE COUNTER TOPS CANNOT BE MADE SEAMLESS?
THIS IS TRUE ONLY TO AN EXTENT. MODERN METHODS ALLOW EXTREMELY THIN AND BARELY NOTICABLE SEAMING IN GRANITE. THE GRANITE SLABS BEING IMPORTED TODAY CAN BE VERY LARGE WHICH ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR SEAMS.

Q: IS GRANITE DIFFICULT TO CLEAN?
GRANITE COUNTERS ARE LOW MAINTENANCE. SPECIALIZED STONE CLEANING PRODUCTS CAN BE PURCHASED FROM US, HOWEVER THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAY TO CLEAN YOUR TOP IS WITH 1 PART VINEGAR DILUTED WITH 10 PARTS WATER.

GRANITE COUNTERS ARE LOW MAINTENANCE. SPECIALIZED STONE CLEANING PRODUCTS CAN BE PURCHASED FROM US, HOWEVER THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAY TO CLEAN YOUR TOP IS WITH 1 PART VINEGAR DILUTED WITH 10 PARTS WATER. OVERVIEW OF THE ADVANTAGES OF GRANITE COUNTER TOPS VS OTHER SOLID SURFACES: • DURABLE SCRATCH-RESISTANT SURFACE • ENDLESS PATTERNS AND COLOURS • EACH PIECE IS UNIQUE • LASTING VALUE-GRANITE WILL LAST FOREVER • WILL NOT BURN WHEN HOT POTS ARE SET ON IT • STAINS CAN BE REMOVED AND VERY RARELY OCCUR WHEN SEALED • DOES NOT HARBOUR BACTERIA, 2ND CLEANEST TO STAINLESS STEEL • CAN BE REPAIRED IF SCRATCHED, THIS RARELY HAPPENS

 • Jan 14 2012 •