KITCHEN/VANITY COUNTERTOPS PROCESS:
First, an estimate for the cost of the preparation, fabrication and installation needs to be determined. Customers can provide a simple drawing/sketch of their existing countertops with rough measurements at the time of their visit out two locations, Center City Philadelphia or Paoli, PA., where they can consult with our salespeople on choosing the type of the material (Granite, Marble, Quartz, Travertine etc.), design ideas and an estimated cost. You can also email or fax us your sketch.
In the next step we can pick out the color of the material. When picking natural stone, customers can choose from a range of colors supplied by various stone vendors or pick from our own inventory. Philly Marble & Tile will determine how many slabs will be needed for the project.
In Quartz/Engineered Stone countertops, customers can safely pick from samples as they are manmade and colors/patterns are consistent unlike natural stones.
Once the material and color selection has been made, Philly Marble will place the orders for slabs as soon as the deposit is paid. For slabs that are not in our inventory please allow 3-10 days for delivery to Philly Marble's fabrication facility. In the case of a material that is in Philly Marble's inventory we will schedule an installation at the earliest available date.
Customers can sign and give us their deposit along with job contract in-person or via email/fax.
After receiving the deposit and completing the contract, Philly Marble will arrange to do a template of the counters at a mutually agreed date and time. We will need about 5-10 business days to perform the fabrication. The length of time will depend and vary on the time of the year, material and job's requirements.
The Installation will take a couple of hours generally and Philly Marble will clean and apply a sealer upon installation. It is the customers' responsibility to reconnect their plumbing, electricity and gas hookups. Final payment is due after the job is finished.
COUNTERTOP CARE & MAINTENANCE
Use natural and gentle cleaners for natural stone countertops. Warm water and detergents, or cleaners designed for natural stone are recommended for daily cleaning.
You can potentially damage your countertops using cleaners that contain strong chemicals and solvents, or cleaners that are too abrasive or acidic. Strong chemical containing cleaners such as oven cleaners should also be avoided. These cleaners may cause damage to the finish and remove existing sealers, making the stone more susceptible to stains and bacteria growth in the pores.
Granite/Quartzite
Do use Hot pads or Trivets. Granite & quartzite has extreme heat tolerance however sudden and high changes in temperature may cause damage to the stone. We generally recommend using pads and trivets for hot pots and pans.
Reseal with a water-based sealer
Most granite and quartzite counters require periodic sealing. Using a water-based penetrating sealer and sealing your counters every 6 months to one year, depending on the color/type of the stone is highly recommended.
As a rule of thumb the lighter the color, the more porous the stone
Lighter-colored natural stones are usually more porous than darker ones, requiring more maintenance and needing to be re-sealed more often.
Marble
Marble is softer and always more porous/fragile than granite. Due to the nature of marble, these counters are more susceptible to scratches, pitting, chips and stains. It is usually more appropriate for low-traffic areas. Marble has high heat tolerance, but sudden and extreme temperature changes can damage the stone or finish so using pads and trivets for hot pots and pans is recommended.
Marble counters require periodic sealing. Use a water-based penetrating sealer, and reseal your marble counters every 6 months to one year as a preventative measure.
Travertine/Limestone
Limestone is softer and typically more porous than marble. Because of this, limestone counters are more susceptible to scratches, chips, pitting, and stains. It is more appropriate for low-traffic areas.
Use Hot pads or Trivets
Travertine/Limestone can tolerate a lot of heat, but sudden changes in temperature may cause damage to the stone just like any other natural stone so using hot pads or trivets are again recommended.
Travertine/Limestone counters require periodic sealing. Just like any other natural stone, using a water-based penetrating sealer, and resealing your counters every 3 months to 6 months is recommended.
Quartz/Engineered Stone
Don't polish Engineered Stone/Quartz
Engineered Stone/Quartz counters should not be polished. Polishing may dull or damage the existing finish from the manufacturer and it would be very difficult to restore.
No need for sealing.
Since engineered stone/quartz counters are not porous, no sealing is required as this is the main appeal of going with engineered stone/quartz vs natural stone.
Quartz has a very high heat tolerance, but sudden changes in temperature may even damage these materials. Using pads and trivets for hot pots and pans can prevent problems.
