Quartzite--fairly new stone/need advice
Jamie Tarence
7 years ago
Hello! I am looking at a fairly new Italian quartzite called Naica. It is similar to Taj Majal, Madreperola and Perla venata. I have 2 dilemmas: First, I am reading reviews saying that some quartzites etch just like marble. I would love to know if this stone is "soft" and prone to etching. Second, I would love to have suggestions for a backsplash if I chose this stone. My cabs are Manchester Tan (BM 81) with light glaze, but I want to lighten the kitchen without being stark. Thanks so much!!!!
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (10)
Jamie Tarence
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Need advice on soil additives for new rock garden
Comments (9)Pudge, Actually, it's kind of a funny but it's unlikely that most of the rocks you're seeing are really "from" your area. Most of the rocks we see at surface on the prairies were actually transported from large distances away by the movements of the glaciers... (Same where I grew up in central Sask... strange that one would become a geologist in the relative absence of rocks! Or of outcrops, at least!) I believe the nearest outcrops of in-situ bedrock (i.e. older than glacial age; exposed at the surface) would be up along the Hanson Lake Road area, approaching The Pas, and in the Shield area to the east and southeast, and in the Cypress Hills to the west...(I'll have to check this, against a map of Saskatchewan geology, though, to be sure that there isn't some pre-glacial strata outcropping in the river valleys in the area.) So, anyway, the rocks you see in the fields, and in the young glacial deposits that are dug up as gravel pits (after being eroded/transported and weathered down into gravel), were generally transported by glacial action, generally from the Shield area. So, the rocks you see are likely to be a mix of sedimentary, volcanic and metamorphic, since they were picked up across the vast terrain along which the glaciers moved. Yes, it's very likely that some of your rocks are granite or other volcanics, others are metamorphic (schist, gneiss), some are sedimentary (limestone, sandstone); the quartz cobbles or boulders could have had a variety of origins (may have been weathered out of very-coarsely crystalline volcanic rock, or from fracture-filling; or sedimentary from fillings of cavities, or metamorphic from recrystallization of sandstone). The sparkly ones may be schist, a metamorphic rock containing abundant flat, shiny crystals (biotite and muscovite) that are all aligned by heat and pressure and folding. Anyway, that may be a little more than you wanted to know, LOL! Sorry, I can't think of a good website offhand for rock ID but I'll think about it and ask at work......See MoreNew To Hydroponics, Advice Needed :)
Comments (12)What is the cover material made of? Is it shade cloth? That's fine, but it comes in different kinds that allow in different levels of light. You will have to find the one that suits your weather, and you may have to change it at different times of the year. If you attach it with wiggle wire, you can take the cover off and on easily. The cheapest way to build your tank is to simply make a wooden frame and put a pond liner in it. I'd use 2x12 or 2x10 treated lumber. Put 2 metal brackets on each corner to reinforce it. Obviously, keep any sharp edges off the pond liner. My own design for a lid uses a very common white fiberglass paneling that comes in 4x8 sheets. Sandwich a layer of styrofoam between two pieces of that paneling, hold it together with galvanized bolts and washers, and seal the edges with clear silicon. The lid is the most expensive part, but it lasts forever, and your tank will cost very little compared to buying a pre-formed plastic tank. You can get by with just styrofoam as a lid, but it will wear out much more quickly....See MoreTaking care of my new Granite - need advice
Comments (16)I bet you got lots of info about your granite. Good info for the alcohol and water cleaning mix. The first thing you want to do is test the porosity of the stone. Something I think the fabricator should have known more about. Its easy to test- puddle up some(2) palm sized puddles of water and let them sit on the top in various locations for 10 or 15 minutes. Then wipe away the water with a paper towel and see if it left a darker mark. If so your tops are porous-If not they have either been sealed or possibly resined at the point of processing or the stone quarry. This material comes from brazil fyi. If the slab has a mesh backing it could have been resined and you wont need to seal it. The sealer will not absorb into a non porous surface. Again something your installer should have explained to you. Being resined isnt a bad thing so dont worry. You can do some research about it online if you like. Anyway the important thing is that you know the character of your stone. so you can maintain it in the simplest matter and enjoy its beauty for years to come. Ammonia can and will breakdown sealers but many folks say it wont damage stone. Cant be sure it wont affect a resin however. I say why use it as there are so many other products to safely use. I like to tell folks to use a no rinse ph neutral cleaner for stone. Its pure logic when you think about it. If you use a product such as a soap that needs to be rinsed eventually after many months there will be buildup of the soaps which even when rinsed will leave a residue. I am in many homes where if I slide my finger across the stone it smears like grease. A dilution of alcohol will fix that right up most of the time. But why get to that point the soap residue atracts soils. I recommend for daily cleaning one of these types of cleaners with a ph range of 7-9 so that if you do have sealer properly applied(thats another story)it wont degrade it. That means you can get many more years out of the sealer. Yes the way to check is the water test. Every stone should be treated and tested individually. I would think the fabricator would attend to the sealing and educating the customer in regard to that and the ongoing maintenance of the stone. It isnt a cookie cutter product and that service should be included in the price of the stone. Stu Rosen www.mbstonecare.com www.stoneshine.com...See MoreNeed advice on new pool, Blue Square, Haywood, UV, Zodiac...
Comments (3)Thanks for your feedback. Regarding the 2 pumps, I asked the same question as my previous system only had one pump and based on the Jandy valve the water would either come out of the returns or the infloor system. The answer I got from several PBs was that a separate pump is what the Infloor cleaning mfgs recommend. This way the pressure for the infloor does not go thru the filter and the pressure does not change depending on how clogged the filter is. This seems brain dead to me that I would have to run 2 pumps to use the infloor system. I can probably have them only use 1 pump like my old system, but they tend not to like being told how to install the systems different from the manufacturer directions. I spoke with Blue square company and the system consists of 3 parts: The rotary heads - basically the same design as all the rest The manifold - This does not have any electronics but only has a simple gear drive system to switch zones. So this is a plus to me as electronics tend to fail and really are not serviceable. The drain - it is a different design which can swallow bigger debris (ie. leaves) and only 1 is needed for anti-entrapment vs the conventional design where 2 are required. It is an interesting design and a small plus. From their perspective they are innovating, you can argue how much a plus it is. Any more feedback? ]...See More
PROLustro Italiano
7 years ago
hartntex
6 years ago
Ada Maynor
13 days ago
Related Stories
KITCHEN STORAGEKnife Shopping and Storage: Advice From a Kitchen Pro
Get your kitchen holiday ready by choosing the right knives and storing them safely and efficiently
Full Story
BATHROOM DESIGNDreaming of a Spa Tub at Home? Read This Pro Advice First
Before you float away on visions of jets and bubbles and the steamiest water around, consider these very real spa tub issues
Full Story
HEALTHY HOMEHow to Childproof Your Home: Expert Advice
Safety strategies, Part 1: Get the lowdown from the pros on which areas of the home need locks, lids, gates and more
Full Story
THE ART OF ARCHITECTURESound Advice for Designing a Home Music Studio
How to unleash your inner guitar hero without antagonizing the neighbors
Full Story
KITCHEN COUNTERTOPSKitchen Counters: Quartzite Offers Strength and Beauty
Eye-catching patterns and a natural pedigree make durable quartzite a popular alternative to granite and marble
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDES9 Hard Questions to Ask When Shopping for Stone
Learn all about stone sizes, cracks, color issues and more so problems don't chip away at your design happiness later
Full Story
BATHROOM DESIGNBathroom Workbook: 7 Natural Stones With Enduring Beauty
Not everyone wants a marble bath. Bring organic warmth to counters, walls or floors with these hard-wearing alternatives
Full Story
MATERIALSHow to Use Local Stone in Your Landscape Design
Locally sourced stone is a gorgeous and durable landscape building material
Full Story
LANDSCAPE DESIGNGarden Walls: Dry-Stacked Stone Walls Keep Their Place in the Garden
See an ancient building technique that’s held stone walls together without mortar for centuries
Full Story
LANDSCAPE DESIGN5 Gravel and Stone Types for a Rockin' Landscape
Give your garden design some textural bam with pebbles, granite, river rocks and other permeable materials
Full Story
chiflipper