Often times clients are wanting to update a bathroom that has a plastic laminate countertop. To keep it affordable – they can select a small granite remnant from our scrap pile that was left over from another project by Portland Marble.
Call Portland Marble (503) 235-9240 to update your bathroom inexpensively.
A common question about black granites is “Why is the deep black in my granite seem to be fading?” The best way to prevent this is to go through a reputable supplier that only buys first-quality material, which means they will not be doctored in any way. It is important to view the slabs in person and not purchase based on price alone.
Some vendors buy the cheaper blacks with more “white graining,” and they dye them to hide the defects. Chinese Blacks are becoming very popular due to their low prices, but can be prone to “shakes and vents.” They may also have a grainy appearance, but are oiled or dyed to hide the defects, which will eventually fade, slowly revealing uneven color.
If you suspect it is dyed, you can perform two tests:
1) Take a clean white cloth with acetone on it, and wipe the stone to see if any residue comes off.
2) Take acetone and apply to a different section and wipe the stone with a white cloth – if there is any color transfer, the stone is dyed
Black Granites from India such as Absolute Black, Absolute Black Premium, and Absolute Black Super Premium, are all first-quality, dense black granites, not dyed or oiled. Black Galaxy has an extremely dense black background with bright gold specks which are due to the presence of Bronzite. This is very important to view in person so you can see the quality of the black to make sure it was not dyed.
South African Blacks, common name Zimbabwe Black, have a tight “rice-grain” effect, but are not as dense as Indian Blacks. Nero Impala is also from Africa, but should be categorized as Gray, not Black due to the coloring and grain structure.
Canadian Blacks such as Cambrian Black and Mesabi Black have a “rice-grain” effect with a silvery reflection. Atlantic Black has a slightly larger pattern also with a silvery reflection.
Call Portland Marble (503) 235-9240 or email us for any further questions you may have regarding countertop materials.
info@portlandmarble.com
Portland Marble Work’s team can turn a slab of quarried stone called “White Springs Granite” into a kitchen island with a Specialty Full Bullnose Ogee edge.
Photo credit: McCall Design
Complete kitchen remodel!
This homeowner client used Engineered Caesarstone – Ocean Foam Quartz for their counter tops and kitchen table.
They then tricked it out with Custom Recycled Glass Slab Nook Counter and Backsplash.
Photo credit: McCall Design
Photo credit: McCall Design 
Photo credit: McCall Design
Over the years there has been a lot of bickering back and forth between the makers of “engineered stone” and “natural stone” suppliers. Lots of arguments and misinformation about stains, heat resistance, and what looks natural. So let’s get one thing clear: they are different products with different advantages. Both are pretty easy to keep clean and sanitary. Both are very hard and resist scratching. Both cost about the same to install as a kitchen countertop. But in the interest of acquiring market share both industries have engaged in a winner take all approach. That was unfortunate. But designers and home owners have 
been turning the tables on both industries by coming up with “Two Tone” kitchen countertop designs that incorporates natural stone with engineered stone. From an aesthetic standpoint the reasoning is quite simple. The island get’s to be the wild or elegant show piece while the surrounding counters offer a complementary consistent color. The effect can be quite stunning. From a functional standpoint, it means you can take advantage of the engineered stone as a food prep surface while having marble as your centerpiece.
