Hi everyone,
I hope you are all well...
I have been a little distracted for a bit, but I have just started work on a few more posts that should catch your fancy!
Please view this blog over the next few weeks to get a real feal for what has happened, what is happening and what will happen to the granite worktops industry!
Speak soon....
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Monday, 20 July 2009
Granite worktops can be heavy!
Wow man,
We fitted a worktop today - I was only present for the first part of the job as the work was extremely specialist and my colleague handled the project - not that I am not a specialist, but he is a specialist in this type of job..
My point is that the customer has a 20/20 slab and the worktop peice was so heavy, that it required four of us, one on each corner to lift and position the damn thin... Damn!
Some customers think that they are able to lift and install worktops for themselves, but this one was a reall no no! This particluar customer wanted to perform the installation at first, but actually agreed on site that he was glad he chose otherwise!
Anyway, my colleague has just got back to the office and he said that the customer was more than satisfied - they had an angola worktop with the most perfect island unit you could ever imagine!!!
Arrivaderci
We fitted a worktop today - I was only present for the first part of the job as the work was extremely specialist and my colleague handled the project - not that I am not a specialist, but he is a specialist in this type of job..
My point is that the customer has a 20/20 slab and the worktop peice was so heavy, that it required four of us, one on each corner to lift and position the damn thin... Damn!
Some customers think that they are able to lift and install worktops for themselves, but this one was a reall no no! This particluar customer wanted to perform the installation at first, but actually agreed on site that he was glad he chose otherwise!
Anyway, my colleague has just got back to the office and he said that the customer was more than satisfied - they had an angola worktop with the most perfect island unit you could ever imagine!!!
Arrivaderci
Friday, 17 July 2009
Granite Worktops North
So, you need a granite worktop and you come from North England?
Well, here is a good start for your project!
Granite worktops are a fantastic product and can truly make that focal point to a traditional or contemporary kitchen! Swirling colours or plain designs whatever your preference, there are many places up north to get your stone...
Heck it's not all Grim ;)
If you are based in Manchester, then a good place to start is MisterMarble. Being based in Middleton, they serve the entire area of Manchester and some of the surrounding areas.
Specialise with a number of home related products including; granite worktops, stone bathrooms and other kitchen and bathroom accessories such as sinks and taps.
They are open Monday to Saturday and even bank holidays and with their online quote system you could get an online worktop estimate today.
With a wide selection of colours and patterns to choose choose from, this kitchen and bathroom supplier is worth the visit!
If you are based in Liverpool, then The Worktop Center is a perfect choice. Being a third generation family business and being established since 1950, The Worktop Center specialises with kitchen worktops and can offer you over 700 patterns and designs to choose from...
If you live a little further a field say York and are looking for a kitchen or granite worktop surface then a great place to start is J.W. Smith (Masonry) Ltd. As well as offering kitchen and other home granite surfaces, they are also able to supply granite head stones and memorial products.
The suppliers that I have listed are only a few, but hopefully they will give you a fair start to your project.
If you are searching Google for company listings, then the following search strings may help!
Have fun!
Well, here is a good start for your project!
Granite worktops are a fantastic product and can truly make that focal point to a traditional or contemporary kitchen! Swirling colours or plain designs whatever your preference, there are many places up north to get your stone...
Heck it's not all Grim ;)
If you are based in Manchester, then a good place to start is MisterMarble. Being based in Middleton, they serve the entire area of Manchester and some of the surrounding areas.
Specialise with a number of home related products including; granite worktops, stone bathrooms and other kitchen and bathroom accessories such as sinks and taps.
They are open Monday to Saturday and even bank holidays and with their online quote system you could get an online worktop estimate today.
With a wide selection of colours and patterns to choose choose from, this kitchen and bathroom supplier is worth the visit!
If you are based in Liverpool, then The Worktop Center is a perfect choice. Being a third generation family business and being established since 1950, The Worktop Center specialises with kitchen worktops and can offer you over 700 patterns and designs to choose from...
If you live a little further a field say York and are looking for a kitchen or granite worktop surface then a great place to start is J.W. Smith (Masonry) Ltd. As well as offering kitchen and other home granite surfaces, they are also able to supply granite head stones and memorial products.
The suppliers that I have listed are only a few, but hopefully they will give you a fair start to your project.
If you are searching Google for company listings, then the following search strings may help!
- Granite worktops York
- Granite worktops Manchester
- Granite worktops Liverpool
- Granite Worktops North
Have fun!
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Absoluto granite for kitchen worktops
Absoluto granite is one of the blackest granites available and the premium is truly premium!
I suppose to a customer looking for black granite worktops then black probably means black, but to a stone specialist, this is definitely not the case.
There are three main types of absoluto; African absoluto, Indian absoluto and China absoluto and these are the three I will be discussing today.
African Absoluto, also known as Zimbabwe Black is an extremely sort after stone and with this in mind; it is also hard to obtain too... It tends to not be as black as the other types of absoluto and can be a little misty within, but all in all, this would definitely make your kitchen into a million dollars!
India absoluto can actually be more misty within than the Afrinac granite, but the absoluto from India is probably the best absoluto that money could buy!
China absoluto is probably the most popular with consumers. This is probably because it is in a large supply and it is also probably the cheapest of the three here. China absoluto is also known as Shanxi Black granite, this being due to it being quarried from the Shanxi region of China.
Incidentely; my Auntie just had her kitchen worktop resurfaced with Shanxi black and I must say that it looks absolutely fabulous!
Cya
I suppose to a customer looking for black granite worktops then black probably means black, but to a stone specialist, this is definitely not the case.
There are three main types of absoluto; African absoluto, Indian absoluto and China absoluto and these are the three I will be discussing today.
African Absoluto, also known as Zimbabwe Black is an extremely sort after stone and with this in mind; it is also hard to obtain too... It tends to not be as black as the other types of absoluto and can be a little misty within, but all in all, this would definitely make your kitchen into a million dollars!
India absoluto can actually be more misty within than the Afrinac granite, but the absoluto from India is probably the best absoluto that money could buy!
China absoluto is probably the most popular with consumers. This is probably because it is in a large supply and it is also probably the cheapest of the three here. China absoluto is also known as Shanxi Black granite, this being due to it being quarried from the Shanxi region of China.
Incidentely; my Auntie just had her kitchen worktop resurfaced with Shanxi black and I must say that it looks absolutely fabulous!
Cya
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Edge profiles for granite worktops and other products
Had a really interesting customer come in today looking for small pieces of granite to be fashioned into bases for trophies and medals. The guy is a manager of a local young-persons football association and has been charged with the job of getting the old ones renewed, for their coming events.
The bases are to be made from Absoluto black granite; a popular choice used for granite worktops and bathroom vanities and will have an OG edge profile - the customer was actually surprised to hear how much they would cost; but I explained that it was the OG edge profiling that was upping the price and not so much the cutting or the granite itself, for that matter...
Its interesting how edge profiles can make such a difference to the price; I found a good website recently that displays granite worktop edge profiles in a visual format; and quite useful for getting an understanding of how the profiles would look on a slab of stone.
Anyway, the actual work required to do these trophy bases is quite minimal, so dispite the cost of the OG edge profile, the overall costs were not that high..
Remember; there are quite a number of differing edge profiles for stone and OG is just one of these!
Over and out ;)
The bases are to be made from Absoluto black granite; a popular choice used for granite worktops and bathroom vanities and will have an OG edge profile - the customer was actually surprised to hear how much they would cost; but I explained that it was the OG edge profiling that was upping the price and not so much the cutting or the granite itself, for that matter...
Its interesting how edge profiles can make such a difference to the price; I found a good website recently that displays granite worktop edge profiles in a visual format; and quite useful for getting an understanding of how the profiles would look on a slab of stone.
Anyway, the actual work required to do these trophy bases is quite minimal, so dispite the cost of the OG edge profile, the overall costs were not that high..
Remember; there are quite a number of differing edge profiles for stone and OG is just one of these!
Over and out ;)
It's not all just about granite worktops!
I spend so much of my time using stone for commercial purposes, that I sometimes lose track of other reasons for digging up rock.. There are quite a few!My mother is a Geologist and so I have gained a fair amount of knowledge throught the years, just by knowing and having conversations with her..
The image to the left is of an archeological dig site that was actually going on in Cedars Park, Waltham Cross. What can be seen here is the start of a road, but it was also around the start of my dinner and I needed to be off! lol
It was actually quite a nice day - my Sister met us there; she had brought her two children for the ride!
I find it interesting that if you remove a few grains of soil from the surface, then stones can be seen, but what may first appear as a handful of stone, could later prove to actually be the top of a wall, which is exactly what we are looking at here.
Cedars Park was home to the central control for England and although this is the case, there is little documentation that remains, so this dig was sort of essential!
Speak soon...
P.S. Sorry it took a while to post this - sort of happened a few days ago, but I was with my Dad at the time and the pics were on his camera; needed to wait for the email!
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Granite worktops start off as large slabs!
It really is interesting to look at granite before it is turned into something that carries aesthetic qualities! Although, with this said; I do feel that there are many pieces of stone in their slab form, which carry their own value when it comes to beauty...The picture to the left shows a number of white / beige coloured stone; the images are actually of marble, although you can just about see some slate at the end, if you look closely.
This particular centre is located in Hertfordshire, UK, although there are a number in this location, so I will keep you guessing ;)
I suppose later on down the track I might reveal my mystery place to you, but for now shoppers, it is gonna stay a mystery...
So, like if you had to choose, would you choose, marble, slate, granite, quart, composite this, composite that, the list goes on and arrist'...
They guy at this place truly knew his stuff, this stone... that stone.. black stone white stone, quartzite... ultra light... Damn, I wish I had had my pen and paper chuckle chuckle...
No, seriously though; I do like it when you get a knowledgeable person and this person was..
While I was at the centre I was also luck enough to see some really golden travertine; I mean like this stuff is really sort after and I put an order in straight away.. Like I could shift this stuff any day of the week - imagine.. this stone is of the plush design...
Opps... Is that the time.. I gotta crash ;)
Sweet dreams..
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