Frequently asked questions

Choosing the right stone depends on the area of use, durability, appearance, and maintenance needs. For kitchen countertops, granite is a durable, heat- and stain-resistant option, while marble offers a luxurious look but requires more care due to its susceptibility to staining and etching. For bathrooms, marble is popular for its elegance, but quartzite is a good alternative for durability with less maintenance. For high-traffic areas like floors, granite or travertine are ideal due to their resistance to wear.

In terms of appearance, granite offers a wide variety of colors, while marble is known for its timeless beauty and veins. Quartzite combines the elegance of marble with the toughness of granite. Soapstone is a low-maintenance option with a soft, rustic look. Granite and quartzite are generally easier to maintain, while marble requires regular sealing and prompt cleanup of spills.

While most stone countertops, like granite and quartzite, are heat-resistant and can withstand brief exposure to hot pots or pans, it’s not recommended to make it a regular habit. These stones can handle moderate heat, but repeated exposure to high temperatures can cause damage over time, such as cracking, discoloration, or thermal shock.

To protect your countertop surface and ensure its longevity, it’s always best to use a trivet, potholder, or heat pad when placing hot cookware on your countertop. While stone surfaces are durable, taking extra care with heat protection will help preserve their beauty and integrity for years to come.

Yes, at Stone Fabricators, we offer a variety of custom edge profiles to give your stone countertops a unique and personalized look. Some popular options include:

• Eased Edge: A simple, soft edge with a slight rounding, offering a modern and clean look.
• Bullnose: A fully rounded edge, often used for a smooth, softer finish that works well in both traditional and contemporary settings.
• Ogee: A more decorative edge with an S-shaped curve, providing a classic, elegant appearance, often seen in luxury kitchens and bathrooms.
• Mitered Edge: A sharp, angular edge where two pieces of stone are joined at a 45-degree angle, creating a bold, modern look that can add extra thickness to the countertop.

In addition to these standard profiles, we can work with you to create edge designs tailored to your specific style and preferences. Whether you’re looking for something sleek and minimal or intricate and decorative, we can help bring your vision to life.

The finish of your stone affects both its appearance and maintenance.

• Polished Finish: This common, high-gloss finish enhances the stone’s color and pattern, creating a sleek, reflective look. It’s easy to clean but shows fingerprints and smudges more easily.
• Honed Finish: A matte or satin finish with a smooth feel, offering a more natural, subtle look. It’s less likely to show smudges but can be more prone to staining and wear, requiring regular sealing.
• Leathered Finish: This textured, satin finish gives the stone a rich, sophisticated appearance. It hides fingerprints well and is low-maintenance but still requires sealing to prevent staining.

Each finish offers a unique look, so choose based on your style preference and maintenance needs.

Stone surfaces, natural stones in particular, are not difficult to maintain, but they do require some attention due to their porous nature. To protect the stone and keep it looking beautiful, it’s important to seal the surface. At Stone Fabricators, we seal every stone top upon installation to provide an initial layer of protection. Regular sealing will help maintain the stone’s appearance, prevent stains, and ensure its longevity.

While stone surfaces are durable, they can be sensitive to acidic substances like vinegar, lemon juice, wine, and certain cleaning products. These acids can cause etching, which is a dull, discolored spot on the stone. To protect your stone, it’s best to clean up spills immediately and avoid prolonged contact with acidic liquids.

If an acidic spill occurs, gently blot the area with a clean cloth-do not wipe, as this can spread the acid across the surface. After cleaning up the spill, we recommend applying a stone-safe cleaner to restore the surface.

While a general guideline is to re-seal your stone once a year, the most effective way to determine if it’s time for a re-seal is to perform a simple water test. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the surface:

• If the water beads up: Your stone is still well-protected, and no re-sealing is necessary at this time.
• If the water soaks in or darkens the surface: This indicates that the protective sealant has worn off, and it’s time to apply a fresh coat of sealant.

For Honed surfaces, we recommend reaching out to a professional for assistance to ensure proper care and maintenance.
Regularly checking and re-sealing your stone will help maintain its beauty and longevity for years to come.

Caring for your stone surfaces is easy with a few simple steps. Here are some tips to keep your stone looking beautiful and lasting for years:

• Cleaning: Use a mild dish soap or stone-specific cleaner with warm water and a soft cloth or sponge. Avoid harsh chemicals, such as bleach or ammonia, which can damage the stone’s surface. Always clean up spills promptly, especially acidic liquids like wine or citrus juice, to prevent staining.
• Sealing: Most stones, are porous and should be sealed periodically. We recommend sealing your stone surfaces annually, depending on the type of stone and the level of use.
• Avoid Abrasive Materials: Never use abrasive pads, steel wool, or harsh scrubbing tools, as they can scratch and dull the surface. Stick to soft cloths or microfiber towels.
• Heat Protection: Use trivets or hot pads under hot pots, pans, or dishes to prevent heat damage. While some stones are heat-resistant, excessive heat can cause cracking or discoloration.
• Preventive Care: Consider placing mats or coasters in high-traffic areas or under objects like vases or appliances to prevent wear and tear.

By following these simple guidelines, your stone surfaces will remain in excellent condition and continue to enhance your home.

If your stone surface gets damaged or chipped, it’s best to call a professional. Our Stone Restoration department specializes in repairing and restoring damaged stone surfaces to their original beauty. We offer expert services for everything from minor chips to more extensive repairs and can help restore the functionality and aesthetics of your stone countertops.

If you’re dealing with damage, don’t hesitate to contact us for professional guidance or to schedule a repair. Our team is here to help keep your stone surfaces looking their best.

The pricing variables include: the complexity of your project, the type of stone required, the edging design selected, the number and type of sinks, faucets and cook tops, and the removal of existing countertops. We also offer services that can make your project unique: custom cuts, special features, scalloped corners, clips and corbelled corners, radius arcs, and additional installation and removal services.

Once you have made your decision to proceed and have submitted your deposit, we will schedule a field measurement ideally within one week. Typically, we will fabricate and install within 15 business days of the completion of the field measurements. It is difficult to begin a project if there are unanswered details or missing fixtures. Additionally, shorter lead times are possible for smaller and less complex projects.

This is where your cooperation makes a difference. In order for your project to progress on schedule, we need your assistance in advance of two events: Field Measurement and Installation. Missing elements will delay the process.

Changes in specifications after the field measurement may delay your project.

We need the customer’s cooperation for a smooth project. You can expect our Project Managers will proactively request the following, in pursuit of a smooth, successful completion:

• Material Selection and location of material (if not in our inventory)
• Edge profile selection
• Sink templates and/or sinks to be used (if applicable)
• Cabinets installed and leveled
• Faucets, soap dispensers, cook tops, etc.
• Signed Proposal
• 50% deposit

Yes! At Stone Fabricators, we provide installation services for all of our stone products. Our experienced team handles the entire installation process, ensuring a seamless and professional experience from start to finish.Before installation, we recommend ensuring that the area is ready—this includes having your cabinets or base surfaces properly prepared and level. We’ll take care of the rest, including measuring, cutting, and placing your stone with precision.

The process of purchasing custom stone is more detailed than, for example, buying carpeting. As with any purchase, you need to determine what criteria are most important to you.

Are you searching for the absolute lowest price or looking more for overall superior value? Is timely completion important? How heavily do you weigh the quality of materials and workmanship of both the fabrication and installation? Do you value responsive service, integrity, and the caliber of people that you deal with and will have working in your home? Be prepared to ask tough questions to determine the proper fit with a reputable source.

We make it easy for you to participate in the process of selecting your stone and your options. You will need to start by providing us with some measurements or contact our sales department to set up an in-house estimate. If you just want to get an idea of cost, you can email or fax a sketch of your project to us.

A combination of advanced technology, superior cutting equipment, and meticulous, well-trained installers ensures that Stone Fabricators provides the cleanest seams available from a fabricator in the St. Louis area. Unlike some of our more cost-conscious competitors, your Stone Fabricators’ project manager will be happy to show you the planned location of the seams for your project.

Our layout designers work to minimize the number of seams required for your project, another difference that sets Stone Fabricators apart. Additionally, our digital capabilities make it possible to match the natural patterns of the stone, minimizing the appearance of the seam(s). This step makes Stone Fabricators’ projects stand out from our competition.