FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Why Choose Granite?A. Granite is natural rock and is naturally beautiful. It is considered a substantial upgrade for your kitchen countertops and bathroom vanity counter top when compared to products such as Cultured Marble and Corian. The process of fabricating granite is very difficult. It must first be extracted from a mountain in a large block form, then cut and polished with diamonds and water.
Q. What is Granite?A. Granite rocks are igneous rocks also known as "fire rocks" which were formed by slowly cooling pockets of magma that were trapped beneath the earth's surface. Granite is the hardest of all building stones with a very close grain, making it almost impervious to stain and uniquely applicable for any interior use. If polished, its high-gloss finish will endure even in harsh environments. These characteristics are ideal for countertops and flooring making granite a reliable stone for these applications.
Q: What are granite's main advantages?A: Beauty leaps to mind. Another advantage of granite is it's durability. Granite can withstand temperatures of about 1300 degrees Fahrenheit. That means you can place hot pots & pans on your counters or even cut right on it. Synthetic alternatives can make no such claims with a straight face.
Q: Are there differences in hardness between stones?A: Yes. Generally, Limestones, Sandstones and Soapstones are the softest. Next come marbles and finally granites. There are also hardness variances within each individual stone category. Among granites, generally, the lighter colors tend to be 'softer', and the hardest tend to be blacks and reds. However, even the 'softer' granites are extremely hard.
Q: Can marble be used in a kitchen?A: It can, but it is not advisable. The shine on marble is achieved with a final acid step. Thus, if you spill anything acidic [soft drinks, orange juice, tomato juice, etc.] and it sets for a few moments, your shine will be gone. We can bring the shine back up, but it is tedious and time consuming, as well as expensive. It will stain. There is no doubt about it, it is just a matter of when and how much. Some accept these inherent limitations because they love the beauty of the stone, and that is just fine. But, we will make you aware of it.
Q. What edges does Imperial offer for free? A. We offer straight polish, ¼ round, ½ bullnose, ¼ bevel, ½ bevel, and Demi Bullnose FREE OF CHARGE. Full Bullnose, Ogee, Dupont, Cove Ogee, 1" Bevel, Triple Waterfall, etc. are all premium edges and if chosen will incur extra charge.
Q: Doesn't granite require a lot of care?A: Caring for granite is simple. There are many products on the market that can be used for caring for your countertops, but mild soap and water is usually sufficient for daily cleaning. Everyday household cleaners - although not likely to harm the stone itself - could lessen the effectiveness of the sealer which has been applied, and make your stone appear dull. For regular cleaning, we recommend a specially formulated stone cleaner. For occasional cleaning or to bring back any lost luster, polish preserver is a good choice. Imperial Marble & Granite stocks Natural Stone Cleaner & Polisher. On occasion, although granite is very solid and nearly non-porous, spills left on the surfaces for an extended period can leave some residual staining - even when sealed properly. Most stains usually dissipate over time on their own. If immediate stain removal is desired, we can help with specialty stain-lifting poultice powders that we offer.
Q. Where does natural stone come from?A. Natural Stone comes from around the world. Various types of stone, in myriad colors and textures, are found in different countries. Much of our granite comes from Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa. Marble is mostly from Italy, Spain, and Turkey. Slate is imported from Brazil, India, and China. Soapstone is imported primarily from Brazil, while limestone comes from Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and Brazil.
Q. Are there additional colors available?A. Our standard and expanded inventory color selections represent the most popular design colors. Imperial Marble & Granite maintains a constant inventory of our standard colors and exotic colors so that any project - large or small - can be fulfilled quickly from available inventory. Our expanded selections can be available in just a couple of days. There are new stone types being discovered and imported every month, and our strong relationships with multiple importers allows us to offer virtually any natural stone that can be found. If you are interested in a new and unique stone type – just ask us!
Q. Do I have to come and choose my slab? A. Whether you choose to view the slabs in person or not, by choosing to do business with us, you can expect only the finest of materials to arrive at your installation. Natural stone varies in color, markings, textures, and movements. Therefore, we encourage slab selection. Especially on more "exotic" stones that have a lot of movement or unique coloring and patterns.
Q. May I choose where I want what on my slab? A. Definitely! We understand the investment you are making with a project like this, and we want to assure 100% satisfaction. Of course, it has to be within reason. Just remember that since Imperial offers such a quick turnaround time, if you want to lay out your templates on the stone, you must come either the day or the day after your template. Otherwise, your installation will be delayed.
Q. Will my countertop have visible seams?A. Most granite installations will require at least one or more joints called seams. During layout and design, Imperial will always try to minimize the number of seams required. Additionally, when seams are necessary, we will locate them in areas of less traffic to minimize their appearance. Finally, Imperial's installation team is the best in the business. Our seams are outstanding! They are trained to color-match the epoxy joining adhesive to minimize the appearance of the visible seams.
Q. Can you scratch or chip granite?A. Granite is one of the hardest stones available. It cannot be scratched in ordinary use; even a knife blade will not scratch it. It can only be scratched with specially sharpened tools designed to work with granite, like tungsten and diamond tools. Granite will chip only in cases of severe abuse with a hammer or impact tool. In the unlikely event that your granite is chipped, the mark can be filled with a granite dust and epoxy mixture. Granite will not crack with ordinary use.
Q. Can you stain or burn granite?A. No. You can't burn it with ordinary use. Granite is highly resistant to staining. The only caveat is that a few colors may absorb some moisture with prolonged contact. Usually no evidence remains when the liquid is removed and the granite dries. A problem could arise with prolonged exposure to a dark-pigmented liquid.
Q. Will Imperial seal my Natural Stone?A. Definitely! Our installation team will seal the stone in front of you in order to show how easy it is.
Q. How often do I need to re-apply stone sealer?A. Many so-called "experts" advise re-applying stone sealers on an annual (or more frequent) basis - they are in all likelihood just trying to get you to buy more of their expensive sealer. Imperial doesn't advise any preset "calendar" for re-sealing, and over-application of sealer can build up over time and cause a haze on the surface of your countertops. The frequency for re-sealing depends on the type of stone installed and the amount of use that the countertops see. An easy "rule of thumb" is to closely monitor the area around the sink. If you begin notice water that does not bead up or soaks into the stone within 10-15 minutes, then it's probably time to re-seal. Applying a sealer is easy, you can apply a liberal amount of sealer in the evening before going to bed and just let it penetrate and cure overnight.
Q. May I use my existing sink and faucet?A. Absolutely! However, it is common with natural stone counter tops to use an under-mount bowl to maximize the beauty of your countertops and provide a seamless look. Single hole faucets are also used to minimize clutter and maximize utility. Ultimately, it is the customer's preference!
Q. Is granite a do-it-yourself product?A. No, not likely! Granite fabrication is a specialized trade that requires extensive training and practice in order to produce high-quality results - not to mention the expensive diamond tooling and equipment. Imperial employs fabricators and installers with years of training and experience. Even a small vanity countertop can weigh over one hundred pounds, so safe handling is another concern that you need not worry about when buying from Imperial. Mistakes are inevitable with do-it-yourself projects, and when working with natural stone, small errors can be VERY costly - you can easily exceed the cost of our installed prices with just one small slip-up or miscalculation. When you choose Imperial, you are guaranteed professional results from the initial design through fabrication and final installation.
Q. What do I do if I run into a problem?A. Call us. We are very experienced in installations and can usually help you through any problem or at least suggest a course of action.