Jacksonville Granite

Jacksonville Granite was established in 2005 with one employee. We started our business by templating, fabricating, and installing at the customer's home. We set up our mobile shop in the customer's driveway and hand fabricated every piece of artistry.

Today we have 15 plus employees, most of whom are 3 to 10 years vested. We are a family owned business and consider our employees family as well. We believe our employees hold the highest regards in quality, pride, honor, and are the most talented and respected craftsman in the trade. All of our employees are drug tested, background checked and fully insured.

Countertop shopper’s guide

The purchase of granite, marble, or quartz countertops is an investment in your home that will last a liftetime.  As with any investment, research is an important first step.  We here at Jacksonville Granite thought it would be helpful to put together a Shopper’s guide to help educate you on the process of stone countertop fabrication, installation, and maintenance as well as a few considerations to help you in selecting a material.

Deciding on a stone

The first step would be choosing a material to have your countertops made from.  There are a few different options, so let’s have a brief look at them.

Granite/Quartzite

Granite is a natural stone and the most popular choice for countertops.  Granite comes in a myriad of colors and patterns so you are sure to find one that suites your décor.  This natural stone ranks 7 out of 10 on the mohs scale of hardness (A Diamond ranks 10) and is nearly unscratchable.  Granite is also extremely heat resistant and will not be harmed by hot pans.  Your granite countertops will need to be sealed to protect against staining.  Sealers have come a long way in the recent years, are easy to apply and can last for up to 20 years.  Overall, granite is a great low maintenance and durable option for your countertops with unmatched natural beauty.

MARBLE

Marble is a natural stone known for often having attractive veins and patterns.  Marble is softer than granite and therefore not as scratch resistant.  Most marble ranks 3 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness and is heat resistant.  Your marble countertops will need to be sealed to protect against staining.  Sealers have come a long way in the recent years, are easy to apply and can last for up to 20 years.  Overall, marble is a very beautiful choice for countertops but careful consideration should be made when choosing this stone.  Talk to your fabricator about whether or not marble is right for your particular application.

Soapstone

Soapstone is a natural stone normally found with a very soft polish and attractive look.  This stone is impenetrable and therefore cannot be stained making it a great choice for countertops.  Soapstone needs no sealer.  In fact you cannot seal it because of its non-porous nature.  Some people will apply oil to the surface to enhance the color of the stone.  Soapstone is softer than granite and therefore easier to scratch.  Light scratches are easily repaired with 220 grit sandpaper.  Overall, soapstone makes for a great countertop due to its beauty and non-porous nature.

POMPEII, CESEARSTONE, CAMBRIA, PRIZMAS, SPECTRUM, COSMOS, HANSTONE, , LG-VIATERA, ZODIAQ

Quartz or engineered stone is a composite of quartz and resin manufactured for countertops.  There are several brands of this type of countertop material.  This type of manmade material comes in a variety of colors and usually has a more consistent pattern across the slab.  Quartz countertops are not as scratch resistant as granite but harder than marble.  There is no need to seal Quartz countertops.  It is not a good idea to put hot pans on the surface of these countertops as they can be permanently damaged by the high heat.  Overall, quartz countertops are relatively heat and stain resistant while offering a wide variety of colors to choose from.

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE ESTIMATE?

There is more to the cost of countertops than just a square foot price.  For instance, there are often charges for the things like cut outs, sinks, edge profiles, etc.  Here is a list of things to ask, if there are any additional charges.

• Template
• Slab layout consultation
• Edge profiles
• Sink
• Cut outs for sink, cooktops, outlets, etc.
• Faucet holes
• Custom shapes
• Radius corners
• Bar top support (what options do you offer?)
• Tear out and removal of existing countertops
• Sealing countertops (5 year – 25 year)
• Wait 24 hours for sink to set before plumbing
• Dishwasher Brackets
• Mirror Removal

The “Hidden Corbel”

www.Mcorb.com

Aesthestics and Strength

The Mcorb is a superior corbel that gives unmatched support for the entire bar top and countertop over-hang while remaining nearly undetectable.  Ordinary corbels are usually made of wood and are always visible making it important to select the right style that goes with the décor of the rest of the house.  Decorative corbels are expensive and offer far less support than the M Corb.  Beyond just strength and support, the M Corb comes prime white and is easily painted to match bat top trim, concealing it further.

Practical and fuctional

Normal corbels or brackets take up space under bar top and dictate where people can sit, as well as where you can put bar stools or chairs.  The M Corb however, frees up all this space so that people are no longer cramping their knees and are able to sit wherever they wish.

Once the M Corbs are in place, setting and seeming the bar top is much easier and requires very little trimming.

Make your countertops stand out from the rest

As a fabricator and installer of stone or quarts countertops, you want to stand out from the crowd.  By offering our customers the option of having M Corb installed you give them a more stable and strong installation of their bar top or countertop overhang, as well as a custom and unique look that is highly functional, setting yourself apart from the rest.  The M Corb is very affordable and come with a lifetime guarantee.  Fabricators tell us that nearly every customer they do work for request the M Corb and it has increased their referrals as well.