Issue #20: The Stone Circle - Stone & Faucets

September 30, 2005

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In This Stone Circle Issue: What's New at Natural Stone Interiors? Idea this month: Make Your Faucet Work Hints and Tips From the Fabricator: Faucets & Stone Counters Recap of the months "Question of the Week"

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What's new this month at Natural Stone Interiors?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Time seems to fly by these days... there are never enough hours in the day! I can't believe Halloween is already here... So, what's new at Natural Stone Interiors?

We've added a few new kitchen and bath pictures to the picture gallery, quite a few kitchen ideas, a couple of bathrooms and some really unique landscaping ideas!

It's amazing what you guys come up with for creative and unique ideas in your home! I love the pictures... it makes me want to redo our kitchen and add quite a few uniques! I hope the pictures are as inspiring for you as they are for me.

Please keep sending in and sharing your pictures!!!

If you're looking for info on sinks, you'll find it here. We'll keep adding to and updating this info!

Just a quick note on the site map. This is for you... it can make it easier to navigate a site and locate new pages quickly without click, click, clicking. If you go to the site map, all the pages are organized under headings to make it easier to find what you are looking for.

We are contemplating a new look for the site. We would love to hear your preferences and ideas.

As a final note, we would like to say THANK YOU!!! We are in the top 1% of all sites on the web today and it's because of you!

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Idea this Month

You're probably wondering... "What is this?" This is a 3 dimensional picture and also an extreme close up of Crema Bordeaux Dark Granite. It's a picture of how this homeowner solved his problem: A faucet that wouldn't work.

PROBLEM: The faucet wouldn't turn all the way on; it hit against the stone of the upper bar. It also wouldn't pivot all the way. The thick granite backsplash came too close to the faucet; therefore, the overhang of the upper bar was in the way.

SOLUTION: Cut a 4" arch into the upper bar overhang. The arch was cut 4 inches wide and 3/4 inches back. This just barely covered the top of the backsplash. (2 inch overhang - 1 1/4" backsplash leaves 3/4 of an inch to cut)

If you look closely, you'll notice that the edge is bullnosed except where the arch is. The arch has a quarter round edge which flowed nicely with the bullnose.

Why didn't they do a bullnose for the arch? A bullnosed edge would have taken off too much stone and the top of the backsplash would have been visible.

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Hints and Tips: From the Fabricator

One re-occurring problem I run into on stone countertop installs is NO information or INCOMPLETE information on faucets and where you want them located.

There are so many different faucets on the market today that it is impossible to go over each scenario. Some have 4" spreads, others 8" spreads. Some faucets need one hole and others 4. Handle styles and faucet heights all vary. They come with and without soap dispensers, cover plates, etc...

Here are a few things you should consider when purchasing a faucet for your stone countertop.

• Will it work with my sink?
• Type of faucet: Is it wall mounted? Or will it sit on my countertop or sink?
• Height: Will it fit under my cabinet, shelf, raised bar, or anything over top of my sink?
• Handles: How do they turn on and off? If I turn my water on by pushing up on the handle, will it run into my raised bar, granite backsplash, etc.?

Granite is unforgiving when cutting holes so choose your faucet and location of hardware with care.

ALWAYS provide your fabricator with the installation booklet and make sure he/she is clear on locations! And, if all else fails, be prepared to find a creative solution.

HINT* A faucet without a cover plate shows off more of your granite or stone and is much more flexible when locating handles, sink dispensers, sprayers, etc.

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RECAP of this months "Question of the Week"

9/5/05
What is "resining a natural stone"?
Resining is a procedure meant to fix natural flaws in the stone. Fissures and pits are filled with an epoxy resin. This doesn't change the look of the stone but is meant to improve the characteristics of your stone.

9/11/05
How much of an overhang can I have on my natural stone countertop or island?
As much as you want. The Marble Institute of America recommends that you support natural stone overhangs as follows:

• 2cm (3/4")stone - support 6" overhangs and over
• 3cm (1 1/4")stone - support 10" overhangs and over
• The supported area must be anchored to keep it from tipping over.
• An unsupported span of 24" and up to a maximum of 36" is acceptable as long as the stone is supported on both sides of the span.

Use decorative brackets, corbels, or legs for support.

9/18/05
Can I use Natural Stone with a ¾" thickness for my kitchen countertops instead of a 1 ¼" thickness?
Yes. If you decide to go with a ¾" stone, you will probably need to use a sub top (plywood) on top of your cabinets for support. A ¾" thickness is also more susceptible to breaking near sink and cook top cut outs. Your finished edge will also look different on the thinner stone. The preferred thickness for kitchen countertops is 1 ¼".

9/25/05
My stone contractor is recommending that I choose a different stone. What should I do?
Usually your contractor will only recommend a different stone if the one you choose is unsuitable for your project or if it is too delicate or hard to work with.

Get a second opinion.

It is important that you get what you like. If you absolutely love a particular stone and could care less about the maintenance or possible headaches, go with that stone. Fabricators know their stone so do listen to their input.

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