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| The Carpenter Shop |
"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or
believe to be beautiful. " William Morris
believe to be beautiful. " William Morris
Copyright The Carpenter Shop, 2008.
| 358 N. Rockwell Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73127 |
| 405.942.2644 |
| Office Hours: M - F 9 a.m. to 3:30 Sat 10 - 1 Please call to make an appointment as errands and installs close the shop |
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Information on How to Choose a Good Counter Top
1. Lighter colors in granite are generally more maintenance than darker colors.
Lighter colors are generally less dense than darker colors and so therefore are likely
to stain more easily. So you must seal lighter colors more often. On some dark
granites sealing is actually not necessary, you'll actually do more damage to the
sealer than to the granite which may cause the surface to appear mottled or the
polish uneven. Also when companies are trying to sell you granite they'll tell you that
you can put hot pots on it, that you can cut it, that it is nearly indestructible. However
the Marble Institute recommends using trivets, place mats, cutting boards, and
coasters to prevent granite damage.
Using your granite carelessly could do damage to the resin, the sealer, the polish,
and possibly the granite itself. The sealer just slows the absorption of the stain, it
doesn't stop it. Almost every slab of granite these days will have a polyester resin
applied to it at the processing plant. Putting a hot pot on a sealed granite top will
damage the sealer and/or the resin which will lead to a vulnerable location for stains.
Using scouring pads or harsh cleansers to clean the granite will eventually scuff up
the polish which is not easy nor inexpensive to fix. Generally on granite do these
things:
A. Blot spills immediately. Don't wipe it, you'll just be spreading the spill. Typical
items that have staining capabilities are those with an acidic base (citrus fruit, tomato
products, vinegars/wines) and fatty foods, oils or grease. Because of the silicone
sealer, these items will not stain if wiped up within a few minutes. However, the longer
left on the surface, the greater the potential for a stain to form. Also, the darkness of
the granite will affect how visible a stain will be. To be safe, keep plastic or wooden
cutting boards on the counter by the cooking surface and sink, and wipe up spills
immediately.
Lighter colors are generally less dense than darker colors and so therefore are likely
to stain more easily. So you must seal lighter colors more often. On some dark
granites sealing is actually not necessary, you'll actually do more damage to the
sealer than to the granite which may cause the surface to appear mottled or the
polish uneven. Also when companies are trying to sell you granite they'll tell you that
you can put hot pots on it, that you can cut it, that it is nearly indestructible. However
the Marble Institute recommends using trivets, place mats, cutting boards, and
coasters to prevent granite damage.
Using your granite carelessly could do damage to the resin, the sealer, the polish,
and possibly the granite itself. The sealer just slows the absorption of the stain, it
doesn't stop it. Almost every slab of granite these days will have a polyester resin
applied to it at the processing plant. Putting a hot pot on a sealed granite top will
damage the sealer and/or the resin which will lead to a vulnerable location for stains.
Using scouring pads or harsh cleansers to clean the granite will eventually scuff up
the polish which is not easy nor inexpensive to fix. Generally on granite do these
things:
A. Blot spills immediately. Don't wipe it, you'll just be spreading the spill. Typical
items that have staining capabilities are those with an acidic base (citrus fruit, tomato
products, vinegars/wines) and fatty foods, oils or grease. Because of the silicone
sealer, these items will not stain if wiped up within a few minutes. However, the longer
left on the surface, the greater the potential for a stain to form. Also, the darkness of
the granite will affect how visible a stain will be. To be safe, keep plastic or wooden
cutting boards on the counter by the cooking surface and sink, and wipe up spills
immediately.
B. Use a trivet under your pots, pans, & oven dishes. Yes some granitescan take
some heat but don't get in the habit of doing it. On any & all surfaces thermal shock
can occur. This is where a hot surface meets a cold surface. Granite can take hot
temperatures, however there can be unseen fissures that have gone unnoticed
through the fabrication process. When the granite experiences thermal shock (a quick
change of temperature), these fissures might open up and fracture the slab. Also,
stoneware casseroles or pizza stones that are susceptible to thermal shock might
break when they are removed from a hot oven and placed on cool granite. To be safe,
use a hot pad under pans/dishes taken off the stove or out of the oven.
some heat but don't get in the habit of doing it. On any & all surfaces thermal shock
can occur. This is where a hot surface meets a cold surface. Granite can take hot
temperatures, however there can be unseen fissures that have gone unnoticed
through the fabrication process. When the granite experiences thermal shock (a quick
change of temperature), these fissures might open up and fracture the slab. Also,
stoneware casseroles or pizza stones that are susceptible to thermal shock might
break when they are removed from a hot oven and placed on cool granite. To be safe,
use a hot pad under pans/dishes taken off the stove or out of the oven.
For those who have money coming out
the wazoo & want everyone to envy you,
there's material for counter tops made
from semi-precious stone & gemstone.
Antolini Luigi & Co
the wazoo & want everyone to envy you,
there's material for counter tops made
from semi-precious stone & gemstone.
Antolini Luigi & Co
| Did you know... tops are toxic heavy metals? Studies have shown that naturally occurring toxic heavy metals in granite become bio available when moisture, skin oil, or cleaning products change the valance state of the elements. The filler of choice in solid surface is ATH. ATH is refined from bauxite ore and looks like a white powder. Bauxite is a form of clay, which means that when it comes to the natural vs. Artificial thing, solid surface starts as one of the most abundant and natural minerals on earth. global warming? Wood absorbs carbon dioxide whether its in tree form or plank form. Harvesting of trees just leads to more planting of trees & young trees absorb more CO2 than old trees. can lead to superbugs or potential allergies in children? |
For more information on counter tops
please visit these sites & web pages:
Kitchens.com Counter Top info.
"Green" Countertop Comparison Chart
Granite & Resin, How & Why
please visit these sites & web pages:
Kitchens.com Counter Top info.
"Green" Countertop Comparison Chart
Granite & Resin, How & Why
Care & Maintenance of Granite Countertops
Staron is Greenguard
certified for low or no
emissions of harmful or
chemical gases.
certified for low or no
emissions of harmful or
chemical gases.
Any granite that you're interested in will be
tested for radioactivity before we will sell it to
you. We have testing equipment! And our
supplier is testing as well.
tested for radioactivity before we will sell it to
you. We have testing equipment! And our
supplier is testing as well.
Advice on choosing a Solid Surface Countertop & Other Materials
1. Try to avoid colors with small particulates or solid colors. Large particulate colors
camouflage small messes more easily than the small particulate colors (not that this is
an excuse to be a slob). Some small particulates are better than others. One solid
surface color that I know you shouldn't pick is Avonite River Moss because it shows
fingerprints, oil, even if you wipe it wrong, it'll show. Avonite has a lot of really
spectacular colors but this is the worst color. It used to be one of my favorite colors in a
sample chip but since we've had it in our showroom I think it's awful. But we also have
Avonite High Desert in our showroom which is a small particulate, it holds up well &
doesn't show the fingerprints or oil that River Moss shows. So go with a lighter color if
you do choose a small particulate color.
2. Lighter colors with large particulates in solid surface are wonderful for no
maintenance kitchens. We have Avonite Jurassic in our kitchen & it's wonderful. The
large particulates fool the eye & make minor scratches or food debris inconspicuous.
It's not necessary to have to scrub your counter tops on a daily basis. I work long
hours in the shop & the last thing I want to do when I get home is clean the kitchen
before I cook. Since solid surface is a bit softer than quartz or granite, scratches do
occur more frequently (they are always repairable) but on a lighter color its a rare
problem. Really dark colors in solid surface are not recommended for heavy use
areas especially in a high gloss which requires more maintenance & know how to
repair. Also consider that quartz is comprised of polyester resin & quartz chips. We
know from experience that polyester resin is not UV stable which means that in a
kitchen with lots of natural light, your quartz white counter top may one day be yellow.
3. Also consider using an integral sink that will allow you to wipe messes right into the
sink rather than having to circumvent the seam between a self-rimming sink & the
counter top. I chose a single bowl integral sink so that we could wash large pots & the
broiling pan without angling it or creating a mess on the counter top. If you choose a
stainless steel under mount sink choose one with a brushed texture rather than one with
a polish. The highly polished stainless will show water spots more than the brushed
texture. In our previous kitchen I had an inexpensive Home Depot drop in stainless
sink that held up relatively well for several years. On the flip side, we installed an
expensive special order undermount stainless steel sink for a customer and it looked
dirty almost immediately.
Sometimes the less expensive products made for the "everyman" hold up better than
the most expensive products, go figure. Case in point, the Consumer Reports surveys
of appliances usually show that the average priced appliances are less maintenance
& easier to repair than the most expensive models.
4. One of our most favorite materials in the Made by God category is Soapstone. They
actually use this for fireplace surrounds so heat is a non-issue, but it is recommended
that you begin a regiment of oiling the Soapstone with mineral oil to give it the rich dark
patina that will occur naturally over a period of time, placing a hot pan or dish on the
Soapstone will wear away the oil buildup so you must oil that spot again afterwards &
also the stone will absorb the heat quickly so food that you want to keep warm will soon
be cold. Soapstone is non-porous, it is softer than granite & quartz but like solid
surface, scratches can be polished out.
1. Try to avoid colors with small particulates or solid colors. Large particulate colors
camouflage small messes more easily than the small particulate colors (not that this is
an excuse to be a slob). Some small particulates are better than others. One solid
surface color that I know you shouldn't pick is Avonite River Moss because it shows
fingerprints, oil, even if you wipe it wrong, it'll show. Avonite has a lot of really
spectacular colors but this is the worst color. It used to be one of my favorite colors in a
sample chip but since we've had it in our showroom I think it's awful. But we also have
Avonite High Desert in our showroom which is a small particulate, it holds up well &
doesn't show the fingerprints or oil that River Moss shows. So go with a lighter color if
you do choose a small particulate color.
2. Lighter colors with large particulates in solid surface are wonderful for no
maintenance kitchens. We have Avonite Jurassic in our kitchen & it's wonderful. The
large particulates fool the eye & make minor scratches or food debris inconspicuous.
It's not necessary to have to scrub your counter tops on a daily basis. I work long
hours in the shop & the last thing I want to do when I get home is clean the kitchen
before I cook. Since solid surface is a bit softer than quartz or granite, scratches do
occur more frequently (they are always repairable) but on a lighter color its a rare
problem. Really dark colors in solid surface are not recommended for heavy use
areas especially in a high gloss which requires more maintenance & know how to
repair. Also consider that quartz is comprised of polyester resin & quartz chips. We
know from experience that polyester resin is not UV stable which means that in a
kitchen with lots of natural light, your quartz white counter top may one day be yellow.
3. Also consider using an integral sink that will allow you to wipe messes right into the
sink rather than having to circumvent the seam between a self-rimming sink & the
counter top. I chose a single bowl integral sink so that we could wash large pots & the
broiling pan without angling it or creating a mess on the counter top. If you choose a
stainless steel under mount sink choose one with a brushed texture rather than one with
a polish. The highly polished stainless will show water spots more than the brushed
texture. In our previous kitchen I had an inexpensive Home Depot drop in stainless
sink that held up relatively well for several years. On the flip side, we installed an
expensive special order undermount stainless steel sink for a customer and it looked
dirty almost immediately.
Sometimes the less expensive products made for the "everyman" hold up better than
the most expensive products, go figure. Case in point, the Consumer Reports surveys
of appliances usually show that the average priced appliances are less maintenance
& easier to repair than the most expensive models.
4. One of our most favorite materials in the Made by God category is Soapstone. They
actually use this for fireplace surrounds so heat is a non-issue, but it is recommended
that you begin a regiment of oiling the Soapstone with mineral oil to give it the rich dark
patina that will occur naturally over a period of time, placing a hot pan or dish on the
Soapstone will wear away the oil buildup so you must oil that spot again afterwards &
also the stone will absorb the heat quickly so food that you want to keep warm will soon
be cold. Soapstone is non-porous, it is softer than granite & quartz but like solid
surface, scratches can be polished out.
Products We Sell
Many of you may be aware of our effort to test & encourage the granite
industry to test their material to ensure the safety. We have already
begun testing granite & have gotten our granite supplier in Abilene to
test his material. He has gone so far as to send detection instruments
down to Brazil for his buyer to test bundles of slabs before he even
commits to import the granite. But if for some reason a slab is missed
they test the material as it comes out of the shipping container. So you
can rest assured that the material you are putting in your home will be
safe for you, your family, your pets & the future homeowners.
Please see http://solidsurfacealliance.org/blog/ for more information.
Also see an article on Green Building Elements.
industry to test their material to ensure the safety. We have already
begun testing granite & have gotten our granite supplier in Abilene to
test his material. He has gone so far as to send detection instruments
down to Brazil for his buyer to test bundles of slabs before he even
commits to import the granite. But if for some reason a slab is missed
they test the material as it comes out of the shipping container. So you
can rest assured that the material you are putting in your home will be
safe for you, your family, your pets & the future homeowners.
Please see http://solidsurfacealliance.org/blog/ for more information.
Also see an article on Green Building Elements.
For anyone who wants to save the environment while you remodel your kitchen
quality products made to last. The most sustainable building material is the
one that lasts the longest!
is for your information & to give you some idea as to what is available. Please contact us if you have a
serious interest to purchase any of these materials.)
quality products made to last. The most sustainable building material is the
one that lasts the longest!
is for your information & to give you some idea as to what is available. Please contact us if you have a
serious interest to purchase any of these materials.)
Standards contacted the owner of the Carpenter Shop, Al Gerhart,
and asked him to re write their countertop section. Interior Graphic
Standards is the college text that is used to train Interior Designers
and Architects and is renowned as the most comprehensive
material reference manual in the industry.
breaking scientific work on granite countertop material safety risks
from radon, radiation, and heavy metals. His work lead to numerous
scientific studies on consumer safety and worker safety, including a
nationwide alert sent out by the CRCPD to state and national
radiation officials. Al has co authored studies that were presented at
AARST conferences(radon scientists), Health Physics Society
conferences (radiation safety), Industrial Hygiene conferences (toxic
heavy metals and radiation dosages of granite workers), and other
industry conferences. The Carpenter Shop has hosted numerous
scientific studies on granite worker safety that were tests were
conducted by Health Physicists, Industrial Hygienists, Aerosol
Particle experts, O U Medical Center experts, OSHA experts, and
NIOSH experts, many of whom had doctorates in their respected
fields.
Al expanded the Interior Graphic Standards countertop chapter three
fold, added information on granite countertop testing and durability,
bringing much needed information to the design community. Very
little was changed from the initial draft that Al turned in, mainly the
addition of a few tables and illustrations. As industry professions
become better trained in the reality of their countertop choices, the
consumers will benefit from more durable and more affordable
countertop materials.
and asked him to re write their countertop section. Interior Graphic
Standards is the college text that is used to train Interior Designers
and Architects and is renowned as the most comprehensive
material reference manual in the industry.
breaking scientific work on granite countertop material safety risks
from radon, radiation, and heavy metals. His work lead to numerous
scientific studies on consumer safety and worker safety, including a
nationwide alert sent out by the CRCPD to state and national
radiation officials. Al has co authored studies that were presented at
AARST conferences(radon scientists), Health Physics Society
conferences (radiation safety), Industrial Hygiene conferences (toxic
heavy metals and radiation dosages of granite workers), and other
industry conferences. The Carpenter Shop has hosted numerous
scientific studies on granite worker safety that were tests were
conducted by Health Physicists, Industrial Hygienists, Aerosol
Particle experts, O U Medical Center experts, OSHA experts, and
NIOSH experts, many of whom had doctorates in their respected
fields.
Al expanded the Interior Graphic Standards countertop chapter three
fold, added information on granite countertop testing and durability,
bringing much needed information to the design community. Very
little was changed from the initial draft that Al turned in, mainly the
addition of a few tables and illustrations. As industry professions
become better trained in the reality of their countertop choices, the
consumers will benefit from more durable and more affordable
countertop materials.
My advice on granite countertops is to not use them! I wouldn't have granite
cheap to buy, sells at a huge markup, easy to sell, but eventually the quality of the
material will ruin a shop's reputation. Add to that the risk of working granite, the
dust can expose workers to enormous amounts of radiation as the dust settles in
their lungs. Scientific studies monitored by PhD level government scientists working
in our own shop have recorded massive over exposures, dwarfing the levels that
even the nuclear industry is allowed to expose workers to. Past that, the sink rails
and cooktop rails will eventually crack, not a question of if but when.
Beyond doubt it is the absolutely worst countertop material that has ever
been created.
cheap to buy, sells at a huge markup, easy to sell, but eventually the quality of the
material will ruin a shop's reputation. Add to that the risk of working granite, the
dust can expose workers to enormous amounts of radiation as the dust settles in
their lungs. Scientific studies monitored by PhD level government scientists working
in our own shop have recorded massive over exposures, dwarfing the levels that
even the nuclear industry is allowed to expose workers to. Past that, the sink rails
and cooktop rails will eventually crack, not a question of if but when.
Beyond doubt it is the absolutely worst countertop material that has ever
been created.