Finding the Perfect Stone

You're finally off to the stone yard/ showroom to pick out your stone. But, what exactly are you looking for? How do you know which stone is a good stone? Here's a short guideline for finding that perfect stone! One of the first things you are going to want to do is check the surface of the stone. Some stones polish smooth while others have dimples, pitting, or fissures running through them. Run your hands over the stone and use a flashlight to check the character of the stone. Being a natural product, fissures and dimples aren't a bad thing. They are characteristics of the stone. But, is it a characteristic you like? Also under good light, check for fractures or deep long lines and scratches that are running through the stone. These may weaken the stone or cause it to break. Sometimes fissures can be cut around. If you have any questions on a particular stone, call your fabricator and get his opinion. Look for blemishes in the stone. Strange swirls or large masses may be an eyesore to you and a selling point to me. Look over the entire slab and choose a stone based on what is visually appealing to you. Your fabricator will have let you know how many slabs you need. If you need more than one, make sure the slabs have consecutive numbers. This just tells you that the slabs are from the same block in the same quarry. Slabs from different areas in the same quarry can vary dramatically. Once you choose your stone, you have the slab(s) put on hold. It's a good idea to have them hold an extra slab or two for you. Make sure you are VERY CLEAR at the showroom about the slabs you want held. You may want to find out how expensive the stone is. Most showrooms will not give you exact pricing but they will tell you if it's in the high or low range. The blue stones are absolutely beautiful and tend to be in the high range. Any uniques also tend to be priced higher. Bring along your cell phone with your fabricators number so you can get the price per square foot on a particular stone. So, which stone is the best stone? It's simply the stone with the perfect color, pattern, price, and characteristics for you.