Before you buy stone, read this

Short, practical guides from a yard that cuts and sells stone: what to check, what goes wrong, and how to avoid it.

1. Care, 6 minute read

   Caring for marble flooring in Indian conditions

   Hard water marks, why phenyl and acid cleaners dull marble, sealing, etching, monsoon damp, yellowing, grit, and when a floor needs re-polishing.

2. Kitchens, 6 minute read

   Granite vs marble for Indian kitchens

   How granite and marble actually hold up against heat, turmeric, oil and acid on an Indian kitchen counter, and where marble still belongs.

3. Buying, 6 minute read

   How to match granite and marble slabs from one lot

   What a block and a lot are, why colour shifts between them, how bookmatching and vein-matching work, how much extra to order, and what to photograph.

4. Finishes, 6 minute read

   Polished, leather and flamed granite finishes

   How polished, leather (lapatro), honed and flamed finishes are made, how each looks on dark and light stone, slip, cleaning, and where to use which.

5. Buying, 6 minute read

   Slab thickness: 16, 18, 20 and 30 mm explained

   What 16, 18, 20 and 30 mm granite slabs are used for, roughly what they weigh, how to measure on site, and why thin is not always cheap.

6. Buying, 6 minute read

   What to check when buying granite by the square foot

   How square feet are measured, thickness tolerance, cracks versus fissures, resin and mesh backing, wastage, loading, and what to agree in writing.