Newsletter - March 2009

The 2009 Home Show was a huge success, Thank you !!!

First and foremost, we would like to thank all of our friends, family, and business associates for making our debut at the 2009 Vancouver Home and Garden Show a tremendous success.

Imagination Design - Best in Show!!!

Congratulations to the team from Imagination Design for grabbing the judges’ attention with their perfect combination of design and layout.

The event attracted thousands of visitors from throughout BC, Alberta, and the Northwest U.S., who came to see some the industries biggest names as well as some burgeoning companies and brands.

Q & A:

Allan C. of Richmond, BC asks:

What is th difference between marble and granite?

That's a very popular question that we hear from customers.

Marble and Granite are similar in that they are both natural stones which are cut, shaped, and polished to achieve an end product. That’s about where their similarities end. Marble has unique texture and colour since it is made up of a different combination of minerals, mostly calcium carbonate (seashells). Essentially, marble starts out as limestone and through pressure it changes to its final state.

When it comes to countertops marble has some drawbacks which are due to its structural composition. These drawbacks are: scratching, staining, and etching (dulling)

Scratching: Marble lacks the density and hardness of granite, which is why it can be scratched easily. Although, different types of marble may differ in scratch resistance, one way to determine is by colour. The closer the colour is to solid white, the more it’s scratch resistant. Most highly coloured marble are not as hard, since they have a higher ratio of clay (or silt), making them more susceptible to scratches. But white marble has a major drawback…it stains.

Staining: One of the biggest concerns that we have with marble is the issue of staining (red wine, juice, pasta sauce, etc.). Although the polished surface of marble may look sealed, it is actually quite porous and thus stains like a new shirt on a first date. Pure white marble may be more scratch resistant, but it shows stains more readily. If you consider marble for your kitchen or bathroom, it’s imperative that you apply a special sealer formulated for that type stone. A sealer doesn’t make your marble stain proof, but it will buy you time to clean up the spill.

Etching: The polished surface of marble looks beautiful for the same reason that a shiny new Ferrari draws attention. It looks elegant and expensive. Unfortunately many food ingredients have an acidic pH level that will actually etch (or dull) the surface of your marble. For example: vinegar, citrus, carbonated beverages, and so on. Sealing may provide some degree of protection against etching, but it’s not always 100% effective.

If any of the above cause you concern, you might want to consider granite stone for your kitchen and bathroom. Granite, regardless of colour, has great resistance to scratching, etching, and even staining. I do however recommend to have your granite sealed after installation for added protection.

Do you have a question? email us at soluxcanada@yahoo.com or post it at the bottom of this page.

Cheers,

Ideen

NEW!! - Stone of the month

Name: Baltic Brown

- - Slab

- - Close up

Stone Type: Granite

Primary Colours: Gold and Brown

Country of Origin: Finland