Granite
One of the world's most popular stones. Composed of quartz, feldspar, & mica, forming in hundreds of colors, quarried worldwide but most often from Brazil, Spain, India, & China.
The only natural stones harder than granite are rubies, sapphires, & diamonds!
An ideal choice when performance, color texture, ease of maintenance, & durability are of the highest importance making it a favored Charelston Granite Countertop material.
Marble
A metamorphic rock formed when limestone undergoes intense heat & pressure, found primarily across Europe and India, forming in a range of colors dependent on its mineral combination. Color & true beauty will intensify over time and with use.
Typically softer than granite, it tends to stain, etch and scratch more easily. However, there are many simple precautions you can take that will keep marble looking like new for years to come! Marble is commonly used for fireplace, bar-top, backsplash and bathroom designs.
Onyx
An easily identifiable stone due to its bands of alternating colors like red, yellow, brown, and black from the intergrowths of the quartz and moganite. Onyx is a unique natural stone that originates from dripstone deposits of limestone caves. When water drips from stalactites and stalagmites within these caves and evaporates a compound called calcium carbonate is left behind. This causes the stone’s colorful veins, swirls, and patterns unique to onyx.
Predominantly used as a statement piece, light accent, or as a backsplash in bathroom and kitchens.
Porcelain
Porcelain countertops are made from non-porous ceramic clay that contains various minerals, such as kaolinite and silica. Like all porcelain products, the material is baked in temperatures ranging from about 2200-2650 Fahrenheit. These extremely high temperatures produce a durable countertop material that is resistant to scratching, cracking, UV light, and naturally heat.
Porcelain countertops have been popular in Europe for years but it wasn’t until recently that they began gaining popularity among Americans seeking a unique, stylish surface.
Main uses include flooring and tiles, countertops and backsplashes.
Quartzite
A hard metamorphic rock which starts out as sandstone, & is converted into quartzite through heating & pressure related to tectonic compression. Its density makes quartzite mostly resistant to erosion & volatile weather.
Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzite often occurs in various shades of pink & red due to varying amounts of iron oxide.
Quartzite can be used to cover walls, as roofing tiles, flooring & stairs steps but is often simply used for decoration & countertops.