.Granite. .Marble.  .Travertine. .Onyx. .Slate. .Lime Stone. .Comparable Concrete.  .natural Quartz.  .Soapstone. .manufactured quartz.

Listed below are multiple materials Bedrock Granite has perfected manufacturing. Over the past 23 years many new products have come and gone. The only material that has stood the test of time and has been used for centuries is Granite. All other types of materials have fallen short of granite. Bedrock Granite will manufacture and install all the types of countertops listed below, and provided every customer with an education on what ever type of product being purchased.

NEW........ COMPARABLE CONCRETE COUNTER TOPS (GRANITE)

At Bedrock granite we have the perfected a solution for the look of concrete tops with out all the maintenance   
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.Granite.
Granite is the hardest natural surface you can install for your kitchen countertops. Second only to diamonds in terms of hardness, granite is an increasingly popular natural surface for countertops because of its unbeatable toughness. Most granite is also impossible to scratch. Granite slab used to be seen as more of a high-end product for wealthy people, but today more and more average people are installing it in their kitchens.

One of the main advantages of granite is its extreme heat resistance, meaning you can place hot frying pans and pots directly on the countertop without fear of damaging it. Being a natural material, you might expect there to be a very limited range of colors available for granite countertops. However, this is not the case. Since granite is quarried from many locations around the world – from Brazil to Texas to Sri Lanka – the variation in colors from quarry site to quarry site is impressive. From jet black, to deep green and rich red, the choice of colors is impressive. Also, each granite countertop will have its own unique pattern of colors unlike any other, with speckles, splotches and stripes that you will appreciate for years to come.

.Marble.
Considered the Cadillac of countertop surfaces by many people, marble is an expensive, higher-end surface with stunning natural beauty as its main selling point. Marble countertops have much the same finish as granite, but the rich details, crystals and earthy colors are preferred by many buyers for kitchen installation. India is one of the world’s largest producers of high quality marble block for manufacture into countertops.

Marble can have a huge variety of textures, colors and depths, depending on the temperature and pressure at which it was formed, as well as the minerals and moisture present. For example, pure calcite marble is white, marble containing the impurity hematite is red, marble with the impurity limonite is yellow and serpentine impurity is green. Quartz crystals are the result of low temperature marble formation.

Because it is very heavy, difficult to mine and cut, marble is one of the most expensive surfaces you can purchase. However, for some people, no expense is too great for the privilege of enjoying marble’s cultured, crystalline beauty of infinite variety in their home.

Like most other stone countertops, marble does tend to stain. However, if you take care to clean up any spills immediately and take regular steps to maintain the surface you should have little trouble. Use a damp rag to clean your marble countertop and buff it dry with a chamois about once a week to keep it looking its best. You can also purchase specially formulated marble surface polishing agents containing tin oxide, which will extend the life and enhance the beauty of your countertop. Any serious or deep scratches should be referred to a professional for repair and restoration.

.Travertine.

Evoking a feeling of antiquity within your kitchen can be as adding travertine. Formed deep underground near hot bubbling springs, its classic pits and pores reflect true essence of old-world style.

The variety of shapes and sizes offered within the travertine family are truly remarkable, and it can be found in both tile and slab formats. Tile sizes range from miniature mosaics to the grand 36-inch tile.

Travertine Color Variations

Travertine's color palette normally resides within the confines o fearth tones, beginning with the palest hues of ivory and descending down through the reach, deep shades of gold, red, and brown. Its predominant color trait is that it actually never appears as one solid color, but instead the perception is swayed by inherent tonal variations and veining characteristics. Only after laying out a sizable portion of tile do you begin to perceive the overall coloration.

Just as diverse as the available sizes and color tones of travertine is the vast array of surface textures. While honed remains the most popular for slabs, choices for tile include saw-cut, polished, tumbled, chiseled-edge, pillowed, brushed, bush hammered, and undulated. Some of these tile finishes are not particularly suitable for countertop surfaces, such as pillowed or undulating finish.

.Onyx.

Onyx is similar to travertine in the way it is formed, resulting from water dissolving existing limestone and re-depositing it as a new type of stone known as sinter. In limestone caves, onyx is formed by drip water, in the formation of stalagmites and stalactites. It is quartz crystals fused together into thin layers of stone. This stone is as well used as a mineral gem.

Onyx is a spongy brittle stone and is best suited for areas without hard wear. This beautiful stone is characterized by its translucence, and could in fact be backlit for remarkable and dramatic effects.

Onyx is a calcareous stone and prone to engraving and discoloration from acids such as ketchup, lemons, alcohol, and domestic cleaners. Great care is required to preserve the natural splendor of this stone. Similar to limestone, onyx is a softer stone best placed where it won't be used or ill-treated on a day to day basis. It is porous and requires sealing.

.Slate.
You may think of slate more as a roofing material than a high quality kitchen and bathroom countertop surface. However, some people in the building industry consider slate a superior natural stone product for countertops than both marble and granite. The main reason for this opinion is that slate has an extremely low absorption rate, which means it is more stain resistant and less likely to harbor dangerous bacteria. This naturally low porosity also means the best slate needs no sealing, like marble and granite do.

Slate’s structural strength is well known. It is formed over millennia from ancient beds of clay and silt that are subjected to extreme geological forces until they become dense sheets of crystalline mica. You probably think all slate is a dark gray, or black color, but this is not true. While most slate is a darker stone, there is significant variation in terms of color, with red, green, blue and purple varieties available.

Slate is quarried all around the world. Some imported slates are of an inferior quality and will fade or delaminate over time. However, American slate quarried in locations such as Vermont has a high silica content, which is a crucial ingredient in dense, durable slate which is best used on countertops. This density also means slate can withstand the direct heat of hot pots and pans placed on it - a handy advantage in busy kitchens.

Caring for your Slate Countertops

Caring for your slate countertops is simple – just clean them with a gentle detergent, as you would for any other household surface. However, it is recommended that a light coating of food grade mineral oil be applied to your slate countertop directly after installation to keep them in top condition.

.Lime Stone.
Limestone is probably a material that you associate more with great monuments or architecture, rather than a countertop for your home. Canada is the main source of quality limestone in North America.

Limestone resists humid climates very well, so its use in hot and stuffy kitchens makes sense. However, since one of limestone’s main ingredients is the highly reactive calcium carbonate, it does not mix well with acidic solutions. Prolonged exposure to low pH (acidic) substances will cause erosion of all limestone surfaces. Limestone is also an extremely heavy material, which makes manufacturing and installation more expensive.

Being a natural stone product like granite or marble, the range of available colors for limestone countertops is dictated by what is currently being quarried around the world. There are, however, some shades found in limestone that do not exist in other natural stones, such as particularly vibrant blues.

Different varieties of limestone are less porous; they will absorb less liquid and last longer. Some of the best limestone used in countertops is almost as hard as granite. But no matter what type of limestone you choose for your countertop, it is important to have the surface properly sealed to prevent acidic solutions such as vinegar, mustard and citrus juices staining or eroding your precious investment.

How to Remove Stains from your Limestone Countertop

Being porous, Limestone can be easily stained, unless it is properly sealed. However, removing stains from Limestone countertops is not as difficult as you may imagine. In fact their very porous nature allows the use of what is called a poultice to re-absorb the stain out of the limestone. Poultices are either made with a powered whitening agent like hydrogen peroxide or a chemical reducing agent. The poultice is wet with distilled water and then applied to the stain and allowed to dry for 48 hours. After this time the stain will have been absorbed into the poultice, which can then be rinsed away – along with the stain.

.Soapstone.
Soapstone is a unique material with excellent characteristics for use in home countertops. You may not know much about this stone, but it has been used by humans for centuries for many purposes, including tools, vases, fireplaces and sculptures. Soapstone is becoming increasingly popular again for use as kitchen countertops because of its soft and warm feel. Consumer reviews regularly rate soapstone as one of the best countertop surfaces available.

Just remember – it may be called soapstone, but it cannot be used as soap! This name came about because of the unusually soft feel it has – similar to the feel of dry soap. This soft feel is due to the presence of talc in the soapstone. Talc is one of soapstone’s main ingredients, along with magnesite, dolomite and chlorite. Soapstone is an extremely old stone, being anywhere from 300-400 million years old, depending on where in the world it comes from. Vermont and Brazil are two of the world’s major producers of quality soapstone. Prices for soapstone are comparable to granite.

One the most notable features about high quality soapstone is its inert nature. This means it will not react to household cleaners or spills of acidic or alkaline liquids such as juices and vinegar, which marble and granite will react to. Another excellent characteristic of soapstone is that if it is stained, the stain does not seep deeply into the structure of the stone. This means with a little light scrubbing or sanding you can erase the stain and return your countertop to its original state.

Cost of Installing Soapstone Countertops

Having your home fitted in soapstone could cost you anything up to $50 to $90 per square foot – with most slabs measuring on average 30” by 72”. Slabs with unique details can cost significantly more, and home owners also need to factor in the cost of design work, the shipping and transport of the slabs, and cutting charges.

Most kitchens use 1 ¼” thick slabs, this rules out the need to add a sub base to any existing cabinets.

Many companies also give you the option of having part of the slap fitted with drainage grooves – these are neatly carved into stone.

.natural Quartz.
Quartz (sometimes called Quartzite) is another natural stone material used to make kitchen and bathroom countertops. It is sought after primarily because quartz is a crystalline substance of much beauty and depth that adds shimmering good looks to any surface.

Natural quartz is an extremely hard and dense material that can usually deal with high temperatures and pressures without damage. The surface of natural quarried quartz can be incredibly smooth, making it highly desirable for countertop use. Quartz is also just as strong as both granite and marble due to its tough internal structure. It is also far less porous than both of these surfaces, meaning less fear of stains permanently damaging the surface.

There are other types of engineered quartz available that tend to be cheaper than 100% natural mined quartz. Both Cambria and Technistone brands have engineered quartz ranges currently on the market, each with around 25 color choices. Ground quartz particles are added to a small amount of colored resin (around 5%). This mixture is than baked, pressed and polished. The resulting material is extremely non-porous, very hard and has a baked-in shine that will not dull substantially over time. The depth of sparkling quartz crystals and overall shine in engineered quartz countertops like these is very appealing to the eye. Although ­– being an engineered product – is does not quite have the same natural variety of grain and texture you would find in a natural quartz slab. However, if you desire the look of quartz without the maintenance problems, Cambria and Technistone’s engineered quartz ranges are a good compromise.

.manufactured quartz.

Technistone kitchen countertops are a new quartz-based product. The Technistone range was released in 2000 to much praise from the building industry. Technistone surfaces take the best elements of natural granite and quartz surfaces (namely their sparkling, speckled beauty and incredibly hard-wearing nature) and improve them by making them non-porous and available in a large range of colors. Technistone has an incredibly smooth finish and the way lights play off its surface will draw visitors to your home towards it like a magnet.

With 26 colors now in the Technistone range, you have a good chance of finding one that will match the decor of your home. Technistone colors cover the spectrum from white to black and everything in between.

Technistoneis made from crushed quartz, and a small amount of pigmented resin, which is then baked. The surface is extremely dense and non-porous, meaning it is heat-resistant, chemical resistant and easy to clean. However, Technistoneis not scratch proof  the manufacture does not recommend placing hot pots and pans directly on the surface, as it is not entirely heat proof.

Technistonehas many uses in the home – from kitchen countertops to bathroom surfaces and even wall panels. Technistone surfaces can be cleaned with just a sponge and water, or with a mild non-abrasive, non-bleach cleaner for more stubborn marks. Technistone also comes with the assurance of a 10 year warranty against manufacturing defects. Prices of Technistone countertops range from $60-$90 per square foot, depending on the color and other options chosen by the buyer.

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