There is nothing that compares to the beauty of natural stone. Granite, marble and limestone countertops offer richness, timelessness and lasting beauty. No synthetic stone can match that. Granite countertops are a natural material with a one-of-a-kind beauty created only in nature, which will never go out of style. It is an investment homeowners will never regret. Granite countertops add character and warmth to kitchens, baths and other areas of the home.

Forged from volcanic fire, granite is second only to diamonds in hardness, which makes it one of the most durable stones available. Tile Liquidators seeks out the most exquisite granite in the world in colors you may have only imagined. Granite is ideals in kitchens since it is highly stain, scratch and heat resistant and also very low maintenance.

Tile Liquidators offers complete satisfaction with your granite countertop project from consultation to installation and everything in between. Our sales staff will help you to choose the perfect color and edge detail to g with your space. We will make your project as worry-free as possible.

The staff at the Tile Liquidators will easily guide you through the steps from selecting the stone to maintenance of your new beautiful countertops.

Selection
The first step of the process will be to select a stone. You can either choose from an in-stock piece or order a stone from one of our major suppliers. We have plenty of vanity sized in-stock pieces which are priced very reasonably. The type of edge or edges will then be selected. The edge, the type of stone, and how many cut-outs will determine the cost of the project.

Templating
Our trained experts will measure and make an exact template of your kitchen, bath, or special project. The template will contain information regarding the location of sinks, seams, and edges.

Fabrication
Our fabrication process is broken down into stages. The first involves cutting the slab of granite into the general shapes of the countertop. The pieces cut from the first stage will be placed in a fully automated machine where edge treatments will be ground from the stone.

Polish
We hand polish all our edges and cut-outs for a perfect shine. Automated machines generally leave grooves and lines in edges. Our hand polishing techniques avoids this problem for a perfect finish.

Installation
Installation is the final stage of the process. Several members of our team will deliver and install slabs. We will also install the sink. Our installation doese not include any plumbing or electrical work.

Sealing
After the installation, our crew seals the granite. This seal is good for a period of approximately one year. The granite should then be resealed. Tile Liquidators sells all the proper sealing and cleaning products for your countertops. Both are extremely simple processes.

If you are concerned about bacterial contamination of your kitchen countertops, granite and stainless stee are the way to go. That is what a study by the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based organization that develops education materials and research for the retail food industry shows.

The study measured the bacteria resistance capacity of six common countertop materials. Each surface was contaminated with E-coli (nearly two billion of th emicroorganisms), washed and rinsed with soap and water and then sanitized with a vinegar-and-water solution. The results are shown below.

Surface Microorganisms ELIMINATED by cleaning:
Stainless Steel: 85,113,804
Granite: 79,432,823
Plastic Laminate: 498,884
Tile: 293,765
Concrete: 32,810
Wood: 2,080

What about staining and sealing?
While not all granite have the same physical characteristics, most granites have naturally low moisture absorption rates. Therefore, staining of your granite top, especially when highly polished, is normally not an issue. With that said, it is a common practice by our fabricators to apply a sealant to the countertop for added security. Future applications of the sealant will only take a cotton cloth, sealer and a few minutes of the homeowner's time. The only caution we tell our customers about granite staining is to avoid any hot grease or oil. Hot grease and oils can penetrate the stone and leave dark spots. Foods with hot grease or oils are cookies, pies, pizza's etc. These hot foods should never be set directly on the granite or any natural stone for that matter.

Can you scratch granite?
Second only to diamonds, granite is one of the earth's hardest stones. With that, few materials have the ability to scratch your granite. Therefore, one can be rest assured that granite will not scratch under normal conditions.

Can you chip granite?
While one of the most aesthetically pleasing stones, granite is also one of the hardest. Unless you are heavily abusing your countertop with a hammer or another excessive force, granite is unlikely to chip. Yet in the event that it does, you should save the chips and bring them to your fabricator. They will be able to use the chips to repair your countertop.

Are granite countertops easy to care for?
Absolutely. Tile Liquidators carries a granite cleaner which is as easy as spraying it on the granite and whiping it down to keep it looking new for years to come. In the event that you may not have a bottle of cleaner at home use a mild dish soap and water. Do not use cleaners containing ammonia as they will leave a dull film on the top of the granite.