What is the best countertops ever

Do you have granite or natural marble surfaces in need of repair, refinishing or restoration? The Natural Stone Restoration Alliance has developed a true warranty plan for natural stone surfaces. It's called the "Oops Factor Plan^TM", for the accidental dilemmas that occur like chips, scratches, sealing and staining.

Members of the Natural Stone Restoration Alliance are an independent group of stone restoration professionals specialized in restoring, repairing, and refinishing a wide range of natural stone surfaces. This includes granite, natural marble, travertine and many other natural stone products from all over the world.

Seeing the need for a legitimate warranty program for the maintenance and repair in the natural stone industry, Josveek Huligar, one of the founders of the NSRA, developed a protection plan offered to the homeowner, fabricator or kitchen and bath designer to accommodate the repair needs of natural stone. Finally, there's a unique plan offered by stone restoration specialists that can accommodate a customer's post installation stone repair needs. As Josveek claims, "We are sure that you have heard of companies that offer warranties on natural stone. But when you read the fine print, they don't really warranty anything. NSRA members are kept up to date on the latest restoration techniques. We use state-of-the-art tools and the finest materials for repairs. We follow up on service requests within 72 hours, provide realistic estimates, and we make every effort to schedule and complete work quickly and efficiently. We make the extra effort to be timely and customer-friendly."

Plans start at as little as $250 a year. The "Oops Factor Plan^TM" ranges from a basic plan that will keep the stone sealed and protected to a customized plan where all issues of stone are covered; even altering the surface to different finish, if desired by the owner.

Natural Stone Restoration Alliance One Year Residential Natural Stone Protection Plan:

Level One
This basic protection plan covers the most essential needs of your stone surface. This provides the client with a technical evaluation, a professional cleaning is performed, and the freshly cleaned stone is treated to a complete protective sealing.

Level Two
This enhanced plan covers Level One as well as additional repairs. Chips, scratches, etches, stains, and normal wear and tear are also covered. Restrictions apply with relation to settling, intentional neglect, abuse, or seam failure.

Level Three
This advanced plan covers both Level One and Level Two with additional repairs. Additional repairs include customizing seams to make them less noticeable as well as matching and altering the surface the clients' wishes i.e.: honed, polished, satin, and antiqued. This plan covers all issues with the stone surface: settling, structural settling, and seam failure, natural characteristics of the stone such as fissures, water lines, and color manipulations with the exception of intentional physical abuse or cracking the stone due to excessive weight.

Huligar went on to say "This plan is not designed to eliminate the need for a quality installation. This plan is designed to make sure that the stone holds up to the abuse of the other trades that may be working in the house. How many times have you walked into a room that was under construction and saw coffee spilled all over the stone? What about the plumber and painters who drag their tools over the stone and damaged it? How many times has someone picked the wrong finish for the application or simply had a change of mind about the finish after the stone has already been installed? This is what these three plans protect. That is why it is called oops. If a mistake can happen, we have a plan to fix it."

To learn more abut these plans, contact your nearest stone supplier or log on to http://www.nsraweb.com/ to find you're nearest participating NSRA member.

A rock-solid reliance on granite
BY JOY KRAFT

Design trends - especially for kitchens - are changing constantly, with each invention prompting a new generation of ovens, refrigerators, sinks, cabinets, flooring and finishes.

Today's decisions on materials and finishes, many in the spotlight at next weekend's Kitchen Bath & Design Show at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, are in danger of being dated before a hammer lands its first blow.

Granite may be the exception to the rule.

Though designers and homeowners continue to flirt with new and unusual countertop surfaces, from stainless steel to glass, granite is holding its own as the most popular upscale choice since it entered the mainstream 10 to 15 years ago.

"For a long time the choice for higher-end kitchens was solid-surface material," says Brian Till, designer at Renewal of Cincinnati in Walnut Hills. "Granite came in 2 centimeter slabs and had to be built up to get it closer to the 1¼- to 1½-inch standard thickness, so there was a lot of labor involved. It got to be quite costly.

"Now, most granite and stones come in 3 centimeter thicknesses ... so labor is not as extensive."

Its beauty and practicality keep granite at the top of the kitchen wish list. Now, homeowners and designers are taking granite out of the kitchen into other rooms for use as bar tops, fireplace mantels and surrounds, tub decking, shower walls, flooring insets, even furniture.

A poultice is an absorbent material applied to a surface to draw out a stain. It can be a powder, paper or a gel. The most common poultices in use today are powders. A number of powders are very absorbent and are ideal for stain removal. Some typical powders used in poultices are the following:
clays and fullers earth
talc
chalk( whiting)
sepiolite( hydrous magnesium silicate)
diatomaceous earth
methyl cellulose
flour
Clays and diatomaceous earth are usually the best. Do not use whiting or clays containing iron. When using acidic chemicals, the acids will react with the iron and may cause yellowing of certain stone surfaces. It is best to purchase poultice powder materials from a reputable suppliers of products for this purpose. Some typical paper poultices are:
cotton balls
paper towels
gauze pads
Paper poultices can be quite effective on mild stains. They are easier to apply than powder poultices and are also easier to remove. Gel poultices are usually thick chemical gels that are designed to be applied to a stain with the use of powders or papers. They work effectively with certain stains. When purchasing poultice materials ask if they contain stain removing chemicals or if they need chemicals added. Some powder and gel poultices contain chemicals, and all you need to do is add water. Never mix additional chemicals with a poultice that contains its own chemical formulation.

Once the stain is identified, the following steps can be followed:

5. Apply the poultice to the stain being careful not to spill any on the non-stained areas. Apply approximately one-quarter-inch thick overlapping the stain area by about one inch.

6. Cover the poultice with plastic (food wrap works great). Tape the plastic down to seal the edges. Allow the poultice to dry thoroughly. This is a very important step. The drying of the poultice is what pulls the stain from the stone into the poultice material. If the poultice is not allowed to dry, the stain may not be removed. Drying usually takes from 24 to 48 hours.

7. After 24 to 48 hours, remove the plastic.

8. Remove the poultice from the stain. Rinse with distilled water and buff dry with a soft cloth. If the stain is not removed, apply the poultice again. It may take up to five applications for difficult stains.

9. Some chemicals may etch the marble surface. If this occurs, then apply polishing powder and buff with a piece of burlap to restore the shine.

A lot of you guys like to mix your own poultice . Well here is a warning about one of the chemicals that you may thing of using, simply because a lot of people would tell you to use it. Before using any chemical are taking someone advice, please do your own research on the dangers of the mixtures. If you all see anyone on this site give advice that is potential dangers, please speak up and let forum know what the dangers are.

DANGERS OF HYDROFLUORIC ACID
In the body, hydrofluoric acid (HF) reacts with calcium and magnesium ions and can disable organs whose proper function depends on these metal ions. Exposure to hydrofluoric acid may not be initially painful, and symptoms may not occur until several hours later, when the acid begins to react with calcium in the bones.
Under most circumstances, hydrofluoric acid exposure results in severe or even lethal damage to the heart, liver, kidneys, and nerves. Initial treatment to hydrofluoric acid exposure usually involves applying calcium gluconate gel to the exposed areas. If exposure is high, or too much time has passed, a calcium solution may be injected directly into a local artery or surrounding tissues.
In all cases, hydrofluoric acid exposure requires immediate professional medical attention. If coming in contact with human skin or bone, the acid can severely burn and then decompose the bone. Exposure to small quantities of this acid on less than 10% of the body can be fatal, even with immediate medical treatment. Highly concentrated solutions may lead to acute hypocalcemia, followed by heart attack and death, and will usually be fatal in as little as 2% body exposure.
This substance is extremely toxic and has the capacity to kill upon exposure rather than simply damage skin and eyes. It should be handled with extreme care, beyond what is given to hydrochloric, sulfuric, or other mineral acids.