http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath The Best Materials For Kitchen & Bath Discussion by Gratian Fernandes Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:02:30 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en To serve as a bit of a follow-up from a post by Gratian about the safety of granite countertops in the home, here's a link which talks about EPA approval of granite countertops as a "biologically inert natural stone for usage of various types indoors." I guess I'm a bit worried ... http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=18 Hey good people - Rob here. I've been scouring youtube for some cool instructional videos, and found this one about profiling and polishing granite countertops. Note that the information is great, but the guy's voice tends to be a bit soft, especially when compared to the grinder which he ... http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=17 A while ago a story was published in a solid surface trade publication about the use of granite countertops and the release of Radon gas. This produced a myth that granite countertops are dangerous. It was quickly discovered that the author of the story worked for a company making laminate ... http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=15 File this under tooting our own horn, but our Pedra modular granite countertops have appeared on TV recently. The show is Movin' Up, which is featured on TLC (the Learning Channel), and of course we've got on a clip our News Room. Watch it here. The couple you ... http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=14 I am often asked by customers if our granite is 1st quality and free of fissures, pin holes, so I decided to share this information for the benefit of those who are buying granite.    Fissure    A fissure is a natural formation within a single intact mass of stone.  Fissure is not a defect, so ... http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=13 Granite being hard and brittle, the edges can get chipped if not handled gently on work tops. Small chips on counter top edges can be restored to its original beauty in an inexpensive way. Many products are available in the market and Bonstone Natural Stone Repair Kit is one of ... http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=12 A wide sellection of materials are available out in the market and choosing the type of countertop for your remodel or new home can be a major dilemma these days. The information below should guide to choose the most suitable product for your project. Plastic Laminates Until a few years ago, plastic laminate was probably ... http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=11 I often get asked by DIY customers on how to cut granite. Straight cuts - A hand held wet circular saw with continues diamond blade is recommended.  Water feed supply is a must to eliminates the harmful dust particles common in dry cutting applications. A felt lining is recommended on ... http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=10 This is a most common question asked by customers. Polishing is done by diamond pads and is available for hand held grinders or hand pads.  For small jobs on residential counter tops, diamond hand polishing pads are used to perform light on-site polishing/recovering of scratches and other hand polishing jobs. ... http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=9 Here's a great breakdown about granite found on the natural stone gallery site. http://blog.builddirect.com/kitchenandbath/?p=8