We recently made a special dining table for a client in northern California. The table, from our Vector line, had a 60" round black granite top, and cherry wood pedestal. We just received this message from our client:
The Vector table was delivered and set up this afternoon. Delivery and setup were flawless.
The table is beyond beautiful. The design, engineering and construction are perfection. It is a work of art. I am more pleased than I could have imagined or anticipated.
Thank you so very much. I will use and treasure this table for the rest of my life, and no doubt it will be used and treasured equally by many others after me.
--David
We're a little overwhelmed by such high praise, David. It means the world to us. Thanks for the photo!
Hello Diana and Monte,
I just wanted to get a quick note off to let you know that the credenza and display cabinet arrived just fine yesterday. It was delivered on a truck with the lift gate which allowed it to be deposited at our front door. With the installer who helped during our office construction we managed to break down the extremely well constructed shipping crates which withstood the vigors of the cross country trip with no damage. The quality of the crates was an indication of what was to come.
All the pieces were free of any damage including the specially requested granite top for the credenza which is just beautiful. The media cabinet required the muscles of a couple of electricians who were working on another suite in our building but with their help we got it into my office without incident. We got the shelves and doors installed and they all fit perfectly. The lighting in the cabinet works just fine and the glass shelves are beautiful, and with the mirrored back, will show off the Steuben glass to maximum effect.
The brushed stainless steel is flawless and has a very nice crisp appearance which is just what I was looking for. It contrasts very nicely with the light stained ash. The sizes of the pieces look excellent in the office, not being too big or too small. Monte, I appreciate your judgment call on the hardware. The sandblasted lock looks great with the door hinges and both complement the look of the stainless steel side panels very well.
You have been super people to work with throughout this whole project. Everything was extremely professional and I appreciated your patience as we worked out all the details as to dimensions and finish. You obviously take great pride in your work and have every reason to be what with the outstanding quality of the materials you select and the skill with which you fashion them. Thank you very much! I'm very glad that I came across your site on the internet while looking for furniture for my office. --Charles
We received this question from a reader:
Q. Today a Zimbabwe granite counter was installed in our kitchen. It was thereafter cleaned by a house cleaning company, I presume with regular cleaning material. Afterwards it showed stripes which we can't get out anymore. We only tried with water, as we did not dare to use any strong material. Please advise if and how we can solve this.
A. You will need to ask your stone fabricator as they probably used a sealer on the stone and you will want to make sure that the cleaning products you use are compatible with their sealer. On stone finished with our sealer, we use a glass cleaning product (Windex) for difficult streaks.
This granite will be used as part of a multiple piece conference table top, held together with a T-bar in between each piece of granite. Mace stops frequently and measures the bevel against the T-bar, to make sure the edge of the bevel and the edge of the T-bar line up perfectly. This takes time, but ensures a perfect fit and seamless appearance to the finished conference table.
As more and more homeowners create "outdoor room environments," placing a granite table outside seems like a natural. After all, granite is a durable material, and granite monuments can remain outdoors for hundreds of years. A granite dining table or cocktail table can add the perfect touch to an outdoor living space. There are a few factors to consider before purchasing a granite table for outdoor use:
What is the granite finish? Polished granite is a hard finish which can withstand exposure to the elements. On the other hand, honed granite is much more porous and more likely to stain. Honed granite is not recommended for outdoor use.
Will the granite table be exposed to sunlight? Many granites are treated with a resin to smooth out the surface. This resin is invisible, and as durable as the stone under normal conditions. However, under constant exposure to sunlight the resin will discolor and will eventually create a yellow cast in the granite. Because of this, we do not recommend granite in a location where it will be exposed to full sun.
How much maintenance are you willing to do? Polished granite typically requires almost no maintenance. However, when used outdoors you may choose to seal the granite for additional protection. In addition, if you place your dining table or cocktail table in a shady location to reduce sun exposure, you may find yourself frequently cleaning up pollen, tree sap, bird droppings, etc.
Can the table base be used outside? Be sure that your table base is designed for outdoor use. Direct exposure to the elements as well as the increased humidity outdoors can be a problem. Some metals are more rust-resistant than others; make sure you know all the materials your table is constructed from before placing it outdoors.
Of course all of the factors above depend on your local climate. If you live in an arid region like the Southwest, you will have much more leeway in placing a granite table outdoors. If you live on the coast, salt in the air will be yet another issue.
Honed Absolute Black Granite has a beautiful satin finish, making it very popular in modern home design. Unfortunately, the Honed finish is somewhat porous, and shows discoloration from fingerprints and liquid stains. Many unlucky homeowners have installed Honed Absolute Black Granite countertops because they loved the look, and then found out too late about fingerprinting when the marks appeared on their brand new countertops.
At Stoneline we offer both Polished and Honed Absolute Black Granite table tops, though we do not recommend Honed for kitchen countertops due to the fingerprint issue. We have recently learned of another granite finish which may provide an alternative to Honed: Antiqued.
Antiqued Absolute Black Granite is a textured surface which diffuses reflected light, for a satiny appearance similar to the Honed finish. Our first look indicates that Antiqued granite is more impervious than Honed, and appears not to show fingerprinting to nearly the same degree.
Antiqued granite deserves a closer examination as a possible alternative for high-use applications like family dining tables and kitchen countertops. We will post again when we have more information on how the Antiqued finish holds up to long-term use. In the meantime, keep your eye out for Antiqued Absolute Black Granite.
Before shipping a custom designed table, our artisans assemble the table and make any adjustments necessary to make sure all the parts fit together perfectly.
For this oval conference table with brushed steel base and granite top, the process took artisans Rob, Bart, Mace and Brian almost three hours. Now watch it happen in thirty seconds! Press "play" to begin the slide show:
Honed Absolute Black Granite has developed a reputation as a difficult or problem material due to fingerprints showing on the stone. We have even seen columns calling honed absolute black granite a "nightmare" which no one should ever use.
It is true that honed absolute black granite requires more maintenance than polished absolute black granite. And it is not possible to completely eliminate fingerprints. For that reason we do not recommend honed absolute black granite for high-use applications like kitchen countertops. But fingerprinting doesn't have to be a nightmare. Understanding the honed finish and knowing how to work with it are the secrets to success with this beautiful stone.
In some cases, the reason that finger prints show up so much is that the final wash step has not been performed properly. Many crews emphasize multiple applications of Mineral Oil, while we emphasize getting it off again. With oil left on the surface, every time you touch it, you move oil around. The oil is meant to saturate the stone so that the pores do not accept oils from fingerprints. Fingerprint oils will show up as a stain if the pores are not evenly colored by oil already. We suggest the following technique to achieve an even finish:
Re-apply a thin layer of Mineral Oil so that the surface is consistent in color. (Use only cotton rags or a heavy weight paper towel/ shop rag for all steps.) Remove as much excess as possible with dry rags. Clean well with a large sponge, water and a mild dishwashing soap (we use Dove because it has a mild de-greaser). It is important not to apply dish soap directly to the top. Apply soap to the wet sponge. Wash well and rinse extremely well with wet rags. After the top has dried, we use Windex on a rag to even out areas that might still seem a little darker than the rest of the stone due, to too much oil left on that area.
