Lhylcn- sealing should ideally be done both by the fabricator in his shop, and again in your kitchen once installed. Most sealer manufacturers I've spoken to say there's no exact number or times it should be done, but it usually takes several applications until every part of the marble is sufficiently sealed. This is tested by letting water sit on the surface of the marble and making sure it beads up well rather than soaking right in. Honing is just a process that makes the marble "dull" rather than shiny. It's a personal preference. My Vermont Danby marble is very honed, very little sheen. Red- two things that have etched my marble instantly are tomatoes and lemon juice. I'd think ketchup would etch, too, being tomato-based. Etching, though, seems not to bother most marble owners, myself included. You can only see it in certain lights, and it's a part of the patina of the living stone. As far as staining, my counters are sealed with Porous Plus 511, and could easily handle ketchup sitting on them for awhile with no stains. I've had coffee droplets that splashed from the Keurig sit overnight and just wipe up the next morning. I have no stains at all. The counter have only been in for about 2 months or a little less, but I've cooked a lot in these months, have had house guests and hosted Easter at the house, no stains! That said, the Vermont Danby marbles are known for being less porous--and therefore a bit more stain-resistant--than many other marbles.

Anyone who has put the Calacatta Vicenza, any regrets? I’m leaning towards that for my kitchen but I want my counter tops to be mostly white with just little specks of gray here and there. In some pictures I find Kitchens who have huge chunks of gray and very busy. Any opinions? I was also thinking about cashmere Carrara? Any help is appreciated

Hi! Countertops get installed Thursday! I can try to find tiles, and then will post everything once installation of tops is done.

What i originally wanted was the Statuary and was settling for the classique they said I could get. I am guessing the price was so high for it the builder just said no. And the standard quartz they have is fossil gray, iced white, and stellar gray. All the regular granites they carry are brown tones. Beginning to regret building again, seeing the slabs at the stone place and then being told NO you can't have that by the builder is beyond depressing. And now I am stuck on what floor color to do if we go with the silver cloud. I feel like it has to be light to mid tone but I don't want to do gray tones as with gray tinted cabintes, and repose gray wall paint a gray floor might be overkill. The quote for Lazio Plus for the main floor is 8673, but the idea of ripping out standard hardwood to replace it after will probably cost even more. If we did standard hardwood its a #2 random width red oak with these colors as options: Classic Gray, Provincial, Natural, Jacobean, Antique Brown, and Early American. Help!! And Groveraxle you are right we had already told them to forgo hardware so we can pick our own after and are doing standard lights to upgrade after so we have more options and costs less. So at least I got that part right. :) I LOVE the cabinets just need to find the right floor and counter to go with.