You know, if your decision was already made and you didn't want advice and opinions, your post is titled incorrectly. Your post is requesting opinions and advice, and you've gotten just that. You not only have your mind made up, but you're actually perturbed that anyone offers a dissenting opinion and you counter with emotional arguments. Sounds like a lot like lust, not love to me. Great for a fling, but not if it leaves you with big regrets when it ends. Love is when your heart goes pitter patter and you know it will be for a long term relationship, because the partner you're infatuated with actually is stable and responsible enough to make it the long haul. The flash in the pan bad boy breaks your heart, cleans out your bank account, and leaves you an emotional wreck. And your brain knows all along that it will end badly, but the gonads just don't want to listen.

hollysprings: bullseye!

bh401 - It is as gorgeous as can be, is it not? As a gelogist, I actually have a piece of this framed and hanging on a wall, like a piece of artwork. I absolutely *love* it, too.

I'm not sure though that there's too much point in putting it to a use that it cannot sustain. If you love it, then honor it in a way that you can keep honoring it! How about as a laundry-room counter that might not see so much action? Backspash? I like that idea because its undulations look very good head-on -- that is, while on the wall I think you can appreciate the 3D prettiness better than parallel to the horizontal ground.

Good luck!

Wise words, hollysprings -- I'm copying and pasting so I can hang onto 'em myself.

Yes, I wanted opinions esp. anyone who has sandstone. which I guess they don't. I appreciate every ones input! Though I did get my feelings hurt a bit. But nobody has told me any disadvantages that I don't already know.I was rather hoping someone who actually had them would chime in. And yes, I believe our decision is final though when I first posted it wasn't. I'm sorry if I somehow affended some of you though I'm not sure how I did. But I can tell how the posts have started getting snarky that apparently I've pived some people by even posting. Thanks to those of you who posted your opinions I believe I'll go back to lurking and not asking.

A forum is about discussion, and exploration of ideas. In the planning stage, that's the time to consider all of the possible negatives for every choice. It's about making what you create be better in both function and form. Because lamenting expensive choices that don't work is just a shame. Folks are just trying to help you make the best decision that you can for your kitchen. And when we see someone planning to take an antique silk kimono to make an apron out of, well, we just have to chime in. Because it will quickly become damaged and is a waste of beautiful and expensive material. Now, you may have enough money to use antique silk kimonos for dishrags every day and then throw them out, and if that's how you want to spend your money, that's how you want to spend your money. But, it doesn't mean that we won't comment that it's not a wise use of scarce resources.

No reason for you to stop posting just because you get opinions that you don't like. That's being pretty thin skinned. But, if you don't want your choices critiqued to make your decisions better, then don't ask for opinions. Because everyone is going to have an opinion. And it's not about you. It's about your choices. It's not a personal attack.

when i saw my house I fell in love immediately.
A friend gave me some advice for when i went back to see it again.
He said to take someone with me and for that person to point out all and any negatives about it.
He said if i can defend each item about the house and still want it then i truly was in love.
That love for this house has remained

To me, it seems this is what you are to do and are doing.

The adice that is given is sincere and should be received as such.

If a negative is proposed about the stone and yet you can defend that and still want the stone then this shows your true connection/affection.love/whatever to the sandstone.

I think what would bother me about the staining is that the stains will break up the beautiful horizontals of the pattern. Most kitchen stains are round: grease splatters, spills, glass rings, tomato sauce, lemon squeeze. In architecture school I took a class on stopping the march of time against building materials. Acid rain is a problem over decades, but do you spill tomato sauce on your house exterior? knock a glass of wine over on it? It's not the same and a different use can't be used to defend its use as a counter. It's fine that you came in with your mind made up. I think that's pretty common on this site. It's not the best use of the experience on the site, however. You've gotten opinions from kitchen owners but also from stone professionals. It's a beautiful stone, but maybe you should think outside the box for how to incorporate it into your home.

Bh401,
Are you crazy? Yes of course you are. And I love crazy.
It is the eccentric ideas of this world that make our homes
more magnificent. It was someone with a fanatical idea
that discovered keeping food in a refrigerator (ice box)
was brilliant or using wood instead of a dirt floor was
nicer. Having indoor plumbing, or task lighting or
undermount sinks...
Someone with an outlandish, passionate, wild, ingenious,
imaginative, innovative and yes CRAZY idea is what makes
our kitchens fantastic.

You will probably start a delicious trend that the rest of
us will read in House Beautiful magazine. I have heard
that sandstone is easier to maintain than concrete counters.
You may be on to an entirely new and wonderful material
for a kitchen. And, Sandstone is considered eco friendly.
Why? Because it is more than likely that you found your
sandstone locally this helps with transportation emissions.

Go with your crazy heart on this one and enjoy the ride!
~boxerpups

I used a friable stone with a rosy stripe on the exterior of my home. The stone is in rough blocks and I had the masons chisel it on the edges to accelerate the wear in order to help our home blend in with its 140-year-old neighbors, even though its neighbors are not close. Occasionally, I find a bit of gritty debris on the veranda where there has been some additional stone wear. I love the look and feel of our stone; it is one of the most complimented aspects of our home. DH stood with the masons, choosing which face of every stone to expose. So, I understand the appeal of stone. However, were we to use a stone like that inside our kitchen on a work surface, I would worry about grit getting into food, the ability to clean the surface effectively, whether Counteriffic works on it without degrading it, etc. That said, I have never felt a sealed sandstone counter top and admittedly have no idea of how smooth they can be or how intact they can remain as my exterior surfaces were specifically treated for rusticity. I would definitely want to interview the people who clean and serve in that bar where the sandstone counters appear; ask them how the countertops feel when they run their palms over them. Do they feel sandy or gritty? I'd want to know how they were sealed, too, and how they are cleaned. I don't prepare food directly on countertops, except for pastry dough on my marble ones, but I do drip things that need to be wiped up--frequently. What would happen with mustard, mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar, Port, dishwashing liquid, grape juice, etc.? Anyway, just some thoughts.

This thread yanked me right out of lurkdom....
Thank goodness for members like Boxerpups who are kind supporters and also for members who offer an opinion, useful suggestions for alternatives and a good natured "good luck" because they realize that the OP lives in a free country and has a mind of her own.

Of course the OP is in love with the sandstone and if she is comfortable with the maintenance, so be it.

Responders who get their panties in a bunch when an OP doesn't do a 180 based on their opinion are very annoying. That goes to their snarky comments and their perception that some "rule" wasn't followed because they interpreted the thread title to be misleading. For the sake of those who *used to* enjoy the atmosphere of the forum, offer your opinion and save your bullying, it's not working, the OP isn't changing her mind and is now offended and annoyed.
It's like Mean Girls in the Kitchen around here sometimes.

That's my 2 cents, saved up for a while. Back to the occasional lurk!

Rookie,
YOU ROCK!!!
~boxerpups

"Yes, I wanted opinions esp. anyone who has sandstone. which I guess they don't."

And that should tell you something bh. Not trying to be snarky but on this forum many, many folks have chimed in about various reputedly hard-to-maintain surfaces starting with good 'ol marble.

The fact that not a single reader, active or lurking, has used sandstone on a forum that is literally read on a worldwide basis seems significant to me.

Then again, I'm a person who gave up on marble knowing I am not a patinaholic ;).

Ann

bh401, can you please get a sample of your stone, seal it with whatever is recommended, make tests with various acids and impacts, take photos and show us all the results? If you're wise (as well as crazy ;-) ) you'll be doing those tests, anyway. Such concrete information would be interesting to the forum members, and might help out anyone who contemplates sandstone in the future. Thanks, and all the best with your decision and renovation.

It's not sandstone, but I wanted the look of limestone for my "guest bath" and decided to go with Crema (Creme? Something like that) Limestone from Caesarstone. "Kitchen Obsessed" people might be able to tell the difference, but everyone who comes in our house comments on the "limestone counter".

This isn't an already completed kitchen to be politely sugar sweetly ooh'd and ah'd over, regardless of if the design or the decor really works. This is the selection stage, where you're trying on things for size. This is where you need to know the reality of living with your choices. Stating the truth , or even just an opinion, isn't "being mean". Being "supportive" of unwise choices comes nearer being "mean" in the long term. It's conflict avoidant codependent behavior that doesn't truly help anyone in their decision making process.

The admonishment to "say something nice or don't say anything" is one of the reason's I rarely post in this forum, despite being a long term GW member as well as a professional in the field. At least in the plant forums if you tell someone that a plant isnt' suited to their climate and will freeze over winter, and they disregard your very sound and experienced advice, they'll only be out maybe $30 for that rose. Making a 6K mistake is much harder on the pocketbook to live with, especially since the OP has been repeatedly cautioned to test a sample to determine if it fits her idea of patina, or it's damaged beyond her abilty to absorb every 3-5 years replacement costs.

Sue36
That is a great idea. Finding a corian or quartz with
a look of what you are going for. Brilliant.

Bh401,
I did a little search and maybe some of this information
can help you. It seems Sandstone is often used for floors,
bathrooms, tiles, outdoor kitchens... I do not know about
you but my outdoor grill takes on lots of grease. I am sure
an outdoor Sandstone kitchen can take the acid rain,
grilling grease, wine spills, mustard stains and abuse
better than my indoor bullet proof granite.
I still say go for what makes your heart sing.
Life is far too short to worry.
~boxerpups

This is from: http://www.eonstone.com/b_natural_stone_sandstone_maintenance.html

"In recent years, Sandstone countertops have become more and more popular in both the bathroom and kitchen. Beauty of a sandstone finish is their texture or matte appearance, their adaptability and their style. However, sandstone does require some care to keep sandstone in just installed condition. "

This is a quote from Brownstoner website:

http://www.brownstoner.com/forum/archives/2006/09/soapstone_count.php

" I have a sandstone countertop in my kitchen and love it. The thing to be careful about, according to my kitchen designer is to make sure the surface is appropriate for use. Loveless Stone sandstone is sealed, honed, waxed, and burnished. I have no problem with stains, and I clean up with a damp rag. Loveless Stone is an amazing company, and backs up all their installations ."

10 Great Alternatives to Granite Counters Check out the
link from Houzz.com

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/your-kitchen-10-great-alternatives-to-granite-counters-stsetivw-vs~138308

"..........These natural sandstone such as autumn brown sandstone, raj green sandstone, kandla grey sandstone, agra red sandstone, modak sandstone, etc., can be used for tile, culture stone and others. Our wide range of natural sandstone is suitable for both domestic and commercial use..."

http://www.naturalstoneexporter.com/natural-sandstone.html

Sandstone Questions answered from Loveless stone.
http://www.lovelessstone.com/faq.htm

Canadian Woodworking forum an issue with Sandstone

http://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/showthread.php?12113-Sandstone-Counter-top&s=a0feda2febb57beaa7b18c9381f2aed6

How To Clean Sandstone Countertops
By Veronica Hawkins

Sandstone is a material that has been continually gaining popularity as a countertop because of its texture, appearance and its many other uses. It has been used to build a wide range of things from bathrooms, kitchens and various construction projects. As beautiful as these sandstone furnishings are, they also need special care to maintain their condition. Sandstone can be ruined easily and when it is ruined, it would be difficult, if not impossible to fix. Here are some tips how to clean and maintain sandstone countertops.

�Keep a piece of sandstone that you can use to experiment cleaners with. If you do not know anything about cleaning sandstone materials and you are not sure about the cleaner you want to use, you can use the sandstone to see the effects so that if you make a mistake, you won�t ruin the whole thing. If you were not able to keep one, you can use an inconspicuous area for testing.
�As soon as you acquire your sandstone countertops, make sure to do sealing to protect the material. Since the methods for sealing are different for each product, you should read the label and instructions first and follow directions to ensure effective use of the product.
�When you are done sealing the sandstone, you just have to maintain the seal. The best method to keep sandstone countertops clean is by being careful of what you do around them. Clean spillages by wiping them with a clean cloth immediately, as theses spillages can penetrate and are absorbed by the sandstone. You do not want this to happen. Simply use mild cleaners that are untinted, unscented and pH balanced in order not to damage your countertop. Try to avoid acidic materials getting on your countertop since it could easily damage and remove the polished surface.

http://www.contractortalk.com/f48/stone-counter-top-black-spots-82196/

Here is a link that might be useful: How to clean Sandstone

Oh dear forgot to add these.
~boxerpups

Mountain Valley Stone

Mountain Valley Stone Sandstone

Limestone counter (thought this was pretty) Sandstone floor

Vanity Top view Sandstone

Counter Sandstone

Cladding sandstone

Sandstone steppers from Rockface

Sandstone tile

Rajpura Green Sandstone India

Sandstone in bathroom I am not sure exactly where
I got the impression it was the sink and counter
but it looks more like a quartz with the shiny appearance.

Sandstone sample

bh401, I hope you come back to read the latest posts, GW'rs have given you such comprehensive information on sandstone. Like you, I love it. Unlike you, I know I couldn't tolerate what my messy cooking would do to the pattern in the stone. I have a friend who has a sandstone fireplace surround. It's gorgeous, and of course isn't subject to lemon juice and vinegar or all the other stuff we all cook with, so the stunningly beautiful pattern is intact. Good luck with your choice, whether it's lust or love, and please come back to tell us what you've done, how you like it, and show us some photos, so we can all learn.

Thanks so much boxerpups and others who offered advice in a noncondisending tone.

As stated above, my husbands best friend has sandtone that is majorly abused. (spilled drinks-alcoholic and sodas, v8 juice,BBQ sauce, mustard and those are only the ones I know of) Still looks great despite needing a new waxing.
The other countertops(I would say at least 125 feet) I have seen are at the "Cow Palace". An extremely high end cattle producer friend of ours who has a lodge&cattle sale barn(I know that sounds strange but I'm talking beautifully done) They host multimillion dollar cattle sales with Big Name buyers and social events with 100's of people. The counters still look awesome(brand new).
And yes, I have spoken to them about the upkeep. I was just looking for other inputs from people who have had,seen, or dealt with sandstone.
I so appreciate all the input(even the ones that I felt expressed their opinions in a way that said-I was an idiot for not agreeing with them)
New ideas start all the time-concrete counters?that's strange. Some live one, some die. You never know until you try.
I will try to post how my counters work for me, though the house will not be completed till February.
Thanks again for those that made me want to come back with my head held high.

bh401,

I am glad you are back and I'm looking forward to living vicariously through your beautiful vision:)

Me too! Can't wait to see them. My friend's fireplace surround is unbelievably gorgeous. I go there to visit her fireplace!

Limestone counter (thought this was pretty) Sandstone floor

You sure that's not travertine flooring? Limestone is not recommended for flooring. It is softer than travertine. Travertine is a stone left over from a natural process of limestone:

"There are far more geological similarities than differences between travertine and limestone. Both are formed by the settling of plants, animals, sea shells, sand, and mud on the sea beds. As millions of years pass, this sediment continues to settle and the weight of additional settlement causes the limestone and travertine to compress and harden. This process creates the fossils frequently found in both of these stones. If, at this stage, hot water rich in carbon dioxide from hot springs percolates through the limestone and dissolves some of the stone leaving behind inclusions, holes or voids, travertine is formed. As the water resurfaces, the sudden drop in pressure and change in temperature causes the water to release carbon dioxide gas. The calcium carbonate or limestone then re-crystallizes as travertine."

We have honed limestone counters in four bathrooms, sealed and no problems. A friend of mine had them in her kitchen, last house, and had someone come in and clean/reseal once a year. They are beautiful, but a year goes by quickly.

bh401 - can't wait to see what you end up with! I love anything different.

boxerpups: Oh my...those pics are making me weak in the knees, especially the steppers and wall garden area...and I'm getting the vapors from that bathroom! Smelling salts!!!

Bh401,

It's very good to know you're happy with your decision, but please understand why you've gotten so many strong reactions. It's not that people are trying to bully you, get you to agree with them, or change your mind. It's that you started out by asking if you were crazy and said, "Quartz went with the indistructible/ easy maintence theme of the this house." [sic]

These are words that in the culture of this forum absolutely BEG for disagreement. They say, "I know I'm making a huge mistake here and I need you to talk me out of it. Please!"

Yes, you've said since you first wrote these words that you're convinced you were not crazy and that you'll be happy enough with the high maintenance and care in order to get the look. That's fine. It's an informed decision. What you can't really expect of people who aren't reading each word as carefully on a Sunday morning as you will on your own thread, is get them to lose that first impression from your first post. It's okay if their opinions don't jibe with yours. You don't have to convert them. Just accept that your choice is one that most people couldn't live with it and let them tell you why. That in no way cuts into your ability to love your choice for decades to come.

As I said before, and others have also mentioned, it's worth getting samples and doing tests so that you'll really know what you're letting yourself in for, rather than relying on what you've seen in other installations and extrapolating, but sometimes a leap of faith is good enough.

My own choice was tile. In my mind, ceramic/porcelain tile is the most functional kitchen surface one can get, and I find grout very easy to clean. The standard reaction to tile on this forum is that tile is miserable and grout is a nightmare. So when I comes up, I defend tile so that there's balance to the thread, just as Boxerpups and others have defended your sandstone. I got tile for the perimeter of my new kitchen. I love my tile. And it's okay that other people are scared of it. I find it no-maintenance, "bullet-proof" and exceedingly beautiful. It's okay that other people don't agree. If you or I were interested in lockstep agreement we'd get giallo antico or absolute black granite and be done with it. We're a bit different, so people disagree, but that's what makes this forum great! We're all here together, all sharing our opinions and helping each other find our ways.

Thanks

boxerpups-LOVE ALL THE PICS! And yes that bath is to die for!

plllog-I'm glad you understand that everyone is different and went with what you wanted. You guys have great ideas on things but in the end it's to each their own. I just felt rather bullied by not say-"ok, you guys are right. Maybe I did rather mistitle my post. Didn't really think I was at the time. Again, sorry.

Who knows in a few months, I may post "I was in fact, CRAZY!(but I don't think I will) Either way, I'll be sure to let you know(even if it means I have to eat crow!)

I am fascinated with sandstone. It is one of Ohio's natural wonders as well. How did your counters turn out? Can you post images and let us know how they've held up?

I too am eager to see how this turned out. I wonder if there is a reason the original poster never came back to show off her counters. My guess is that she might be too afraid of a slight "hate to say I told you so, but I told you so" tone.

Oh come on. How many people don't update posts months after the fact? And comments like this don't help.

I must be in a grouchy mood today but for heaven's sake! The sandstone is STUNNING!! From a quarry local to the OP, and I for one would love to see and hear how they are working out as I had never even heard of sandstone counters before.

There might be a 'slight I told you so' tone from some (self righteous and annoying individuals) but there sure wouldn't from others. Just a sincere interest.

Bah, I'm taking my grumpy self off for a hot cup of tea before I read any other posts today!!

Read Hollyspring's postings above. The original poster says she was originally going for a maintenance free kitchen then decides to switch to a material with the exact opposite properties based on looks alone. Her original posting asked for advice and when people were honest with her she completely disregarded the advice with flimsy justifications that were a complete 180 from how she wanted to handle things previously. Then when she was called out on that she was thin skinned and took it as a personal attack and decided she would no longer post. If you want advice be ready to hear something you dont want to hear. I don't think the original poster understood that.

As for the "self righteous and annoying individuals" I think that the tone you read into those postings might be a reflection on how you interpret things rather than the intended tone.

I too wish the OP would come back because I love sandstone. I spent my childhood summers with with grandma in the Missouri Ozark where there seems to be nothing but sandstone.

I rarely post because there seems to be a Negative Nancy in every thread. Ive worked in customer service a long time and think these are probably the people you can bend over backwards for but are NEVER satisfied. I don't think rehashing the argument is the way to get the OP to come back.

Yes, please come back and show us how it all went. Some people sound judgmental on the page, but most of us just want to learn and/or are trying to help. I bet the counters were/are still AWESOME.

My FR is adjacent and somewhat open to my kitchen, and the predominant feature in that room is a sandstone fieldstone fireplace with a sandstone ledge the length of the room that is (now that I've sanded off the crayon scribbles of my beloved nieces and nephews) STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL and it's all Ohio sansdtone from the Berea formation, pretty much right under my house. It is such an eye catcher I would love to be able to use this stone in my own kitchen in some way.

Do let us know how your choice turned out for you!

Realism, I read the whole thread.
My take is that people are allowed to change their minds - even if it's a 180 from what they originally were going for and as far as I am concerned "I love the look" IS a valid excuse for changing her mind even if it sounds flimsy to you!

That is no reason to jump all over someone. She wasn't saying that people were wrong in their concerns. She was saying she understood the concerns but didn't care and would deal with it anyway.

Yes you could call that 'disregarding advice', but you know what this isn't a group project. This is HER kitchen. And sometimes hearing all the negatives makes you realize that DESPITE the negatives you STILL want it. It's an informed decision.

So yes, I may be grumpy and the tone may be a reflection on me, but other people picked up on it too and in rereading I haven't changed my mind. I think people who say 'I told you so' are both annoying and self righteous.
So there! ; )

Realism, the problem is, some people don't realize that their "intended tone" can get lost when it's written. The point some of the people above make, which continues being ignored, is not necessarily that people have a problem with someone disagreeing with them, but the WAY in which it is done. One can express disagreement without insulting someone, but many here either don't realize it or don't care. The written word doesn't have the benefit of being accompanied by a person's mannerisms or facial expressions. I think if people took maybe a second to read their responses before posting, they might re-word much of what gets posted so it doesn't seem so harsh.

I really would have like to have seen the end result with the sandstone, but alas, will have to wait for another brave soul to come along...

Here's a picture stone/sandstone bathroom we installed a few years back so very proud of it.

coloradoroots- Wow that is quite the bathroom. That shower is over the top. I'm sure you enjoy it.

Iowacommute- I too have worked in customer service. I have found that many times people ask for advice, ignore it completely and do whatever they want, and then complain when the things you warn them about occur. There seems to be an epidemic of avoiding taking blame for our your own actions in society these days. I think one of the main reasons for that is no one likes to be honest these days. We just encourage people by telling them how amazing and beautiful things are even if its bad advice. Sometimes being nice to someone can lead to worse consequences than being honest.

KBSpider- It goes both ways. Just because you don't understand my intended tone doesn't mean I have to be saccharinely sweet to make you feel better. I am being honest and calling someone out on their inconsistencies. If you are going to ask for advice and then simply disregard all that advice then don't ask for advice in the first place and especially don't get offended when people don't tell you what you want to hear.

Quite simply put, people here confuse honesty with a personal attack. There was no name calling and quite frankly some of the snark was minor at best. If the words written here are really that hurtful then think people need to grow thicker skin. The real world is not like a kindergarten classroom. We all can't be winner and not every idea is amazing.

I know this is an old thread but I'm a new member and I thought I would share some pictures of the sandstone countertop we had installed last week. This was done for our basement wet bar so it won't see as much use or potential for staining as a kitchen countertop would. It will be interesting to see how well it holds up but I'm not expecting any problems.

Another image

This is a picture of a sandstone we did a number of years ago. The entire kitchen is this material. It was kiln fired to harden the material. This pic was taken 3-5 years after install and there was no etching or staining but there was some chipping along the eased edges.

Cool examples! Calgary, yours looks similar to Wild Sea which we have. Love that cross-bedding. Kevdp, that type of sandstone is usually more porous but it looks well-sealed. Great to see these examples, thanks for sharing!

Karin, the cross bedding is awesome and pretty much the main reason why I wanted to go with sandstone. As a Geologist, I needed something that I felt was more unique than standard granite and that stone provided a unique feel.

The stone company was actually going to cut the stone the opposite way so that the part against the wall now would be at the edge. This would have actually added more variation and cross bedding but it also would have put the stone the wrong way up (geologically speaking.) I could not have lived with the countertop knowing the stone was the wrong way up.

Ha!

I am also a geologist, also chose Wild Sea for it's cross bedding and unusual texture (without being over the top). I also fussed with the templating so that the cross beds would be right side up. It would be all wrong to have it upside down as you can clearly understand. Every visitor soon learns that the paleocurrent direction in our kitchen was left to right. When I got the stone installed I sent pics to my geo-friends with a little photo-scale card on the countertop.

Nice that you can appreciate all of that! If you stick around this forum you can join in to answer the slew of rock questions that come in.

Have you checked out your stone with a hand lens yet? Lots to see in there.

Karin, I have not had a chance to really look at my sandstone yet. I've just been too busy trying to finish the rest of our renovation work and now that spring is just around the corner it will be outdoor project after outdoor project.

The counter is in the basement on a wetbar which I really don't use at this point. I'll have a bunch of geo-buddies come over at some point and we will give the stone a good analysis.

What, if any, product did you seal your sandstone with? The guys that did our stone did a great job and at a good price but unfortunately their after service care stinks. I'm still trying to get a scrap piece (sink cut out) and they haven't told me if I need to seal the stone.

Yes, I think you'll definitely want to seal it. I don't know what was used on ours, the fabricators did it.

Have fun geeking out over your stone, whenever you get a chance to do so!

I applied a sealer this weekend and it brought a lot of colour out of the stone that wasn't really visible before. It brought a lot of reddish grains out which weren't highlighted before and it makes the stone match nicely with our reddish Siligranit sink. I'm installing a reclaimed brick backsplash this weekend which should look awesome with the counter top.

Nice! Share pics please, when you are done.

@bh: I, personally would never have butcher block countertops--I don't even want a wood cutting board. To me, they are bacteria breeders. I feel the same about any cookware that I can't soak in soapy water. But, that is my personal opinion. I'm sure many people would probably think I am wrong and off my rocker.

Just because we ask for opinions, doesn't mean we are beholding to the those opinions. An opinion is a personal prospective on something. Sometimes, we ask for opinions, but what we really want is confirmation for our decisions. (I love these pants. I'm going to buy these pants. Do they make my butt look big? We don't REALLY want an opinion on our butt, we want confirmation that we should buy the pants.)

I know that there are a lot of very good GWers here. Heck, there are a lot that are absolutely amazing! I think you got some good advice here about testing your samples first. If you do that and you are still in love with sandstone, go for it.

Please make sure you post your pics, so we can see the finished product.

Canuk, just fyi, hardwood cutting boards are bacteriostatic and "cleaner" than plastic boards that have been knife scarred. That's not an opinion, it's a fact. See the excerpt below from a study by Cliver at UC Davis.

That's the difference between a good GWer and an amazing one - we amazing ones do our research first.

"Our safety concern was that bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, which might contaminate a work surface when raw meat was being prepared, ought not remain on the surface to contaminate other foods that might be eaten without further cooking. We soon found that disease bacteria such as these were not recoverable from wooden surfaces in a short time after they were applied, unless very large numbers were used. New plastic surfaces allowed the bacteria to persist, but were easily cleaned and disinfected. However, wooden boards that had been used and had many knife cuts acted almost the same as new wood, whereas plastic surfaces that were knife-scarred were impossible to clean and disinfect manually, especially when food residues such as chicken fat were present. Scanning electron micrographs revealed highly significant damage to plastic surfaces from knife cuts."

Here is the nearly completed reclaimed brick backsplash. It was a little bit more work than I expected which is why it was not completely finished this weekend. I got kind of lazy towards the end and needed a break.

Very nice, indeed! Looks like it was well worth the "little bit more work than ... expected".