Lenore, who is installing the granite slab shower? Start there and make your priority be hiring a VERY experienced tile professional - one you have vetted carefully to insure that their qualifications meet your design requirements and product selections. Stone slab installations are not for the B team, and especially in a wet area. Can it be done? Yes, depending upon the structure over which a solid surface stone is installed and the methods used. We install solid surface shower walls regularly, but from an empty cavity which we build to meet all specific design and installation specifications, including the pan. A solid stone slab cannot be supported by the pan (it is not meant to support a slab wall). A slab wall is pinned and tied so it is self supported, not supported by a pan. This is a very complex installation. A LOT to consider. As one example, the thickness of your slab? 2cm. 3cm? (effects the weight load on the space). And I could go on. After you have carefully vetted the qualified tile contractor, have this conversation with them. If you question or want to clarify their recommendations, check back or seek professional advice from other qualified sources. Please consult with a professional onsite. Good luck with your project.

It is a softer and more porous stone. It might require a bit more care...timely clean-ups and periodic sealing...if you want it to remain pristine and purdy. Oily lotions and potions can stain it, usually it's just a slightly darker blot. Almost looks like a small puddle that hasn't quite dried. So oils can cause more of a discoloration than a stain like a red wine stain. If you want a "set it and forget it but dammit it had better look beautiful for the next 30 years" material than marble might not be the best choice. If you don't mind wiping, don't mind sealing, don't mind the occasional poultice, if you can suffer the occasional "oh @#^$ how did that get there..." discovery without having a breakdown...then have at it. Or you can just let it go and enjoy the homeowner-induced patina. Great material, you just need to know hat to expect.

Without a doubt all this stone classification is confusing to consumers.We work on stone everyday and it would be impossible for us to know the names and characteristics of every surface we worked on. To keep things simple we can id most stones by their grainy or veiny look. Granites being grainy and marbles being veiny. However with so many types of stones being used today that doesnt always work so we use the lemon test which tells us if a stone has calcites and will etch and just how porous it is. We check as best we can for signs of resining . Checking the edge of a slab for drip marks and also checking the surface. If the surface looks like glass with no natural pitting inherrent in most granites or igneous stone there may be the possibility of a resined slab. I dont think a resined slab is a bad thing for consumers but if your a stone refinisher and you service(top polish) a resin slab by taking out a scratch or damage you may not be able to match the factory finish properly. I think consumers should think the same way and not be to concerned regarding names and classifications. They should be informed and educated to do the proper testing of the stone they want to purchase. A large investment of a product you will be putting into the busiest parts of your home. Kitchens,bathrooms and family rooms are where most spills and acidic products are used. Purchasing porous stones can be solved by sealing to a certain extent. Make sure you know how porous the surface is before you commit to the purchase.Its an easy test just puddle up some palm sized puddles of water and let them sit on one or two areas for 10-15 minutes and then wipe away. If you see a darker mark then you know the stone is absorbing the water that stone will require sealing. I am in homes and businesses everyday and we dont see that much true staining,stains that are darker than the stones surface. We do see alot of staining that is lighter than the stones surface which is always etching. This occurs on stones such as marble,limestones,travertines and any stone that contains calcites. It would be wise to see just how much sealer a porous stone will require to be really sealed. I believe some stones are so porous that sealing them could be classified technically impossible. The definition of a impregnating sealer is a product that temporarily inhibits the intrusion of staining agents. Yes there are better sealers coming on the market but most are just marketing at its best or worst. Use well known brands and dont trust everything you hear. Anytime you hear someone tell you a product is just like granite please test for your self. It doesnt matter what they call it only how it will perform in your home. Most important make sure you are working closely with the fabricator. Make sure they are credible and have lots of references and history. Make sure they want you to be as educated about the purchase you are going to make as can be. Test-Test -Test. Shopping for stone surfaces can be tedious

Thanks Lily Spider :) My inspiration photos all have marble counters lol!!! butI think I'm back on track again - I love classic and I wanted real stone so I think thats why I went the black granite route (though I guess this seems strange after considering marble!)… I've always liked honed black granite and I need to be somewhat practical re the kids - one of the reasons for the kitchen reno (besides the fact that we moved here a year ago and the current kitchen is awful) is to provide space for the kids to be able to 'eat in kitchen' at the peninsula during the younger years while they are still messy (i.e. dropping food everywhere) and to provide a place for them to color/hang out etc while I'm cooking…I don't want to be on top of them the whole time which is why I ruled out the stones that etched/stained/scratched - I think the black granite is a good compromise for me and usability for them and will work in well with the other components of the kitchen…thanks for getting me back on track Lily Spider (my husband almost had a heart attack when I said I was second guessing lol)