Living with stone
What each stone is like to live with
Two tables: first the four families compared, then the figures for every specimen in the catalogue. The where-not-to-use column is here on purpose — it is what separates specifying from selling.
Families compared
Reference range for the family, not for the slab. The figure for the slab is on each stone's record.
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| Type | Granite | Marble | Quartzite | Engineered stone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness (Mohs) | 6–7 | 3–4 | 7 | 5–6 |
| Absorption | 0.1–0.5% | 0.2–2% | 0.1–0.4% | ~0% |
| Direct heat | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Acid (lemon) | Resists | Etches | Resists | Resists |
| Price band | 2 of 4 | 3 of 4 | 4 of 4 | 3 of 4 |
| Where not to use | Light granite on a kitchen worktop with no sealer: oil enters the pore and the mark darkens over time. | A heavy-use kitchen worktop: lemon, vinegar and wine etch the polish, and the mark reads dull, not dirty. | A worktop exposed to acid without confirming the origin: part of what is sold as quartzite is dolomitic marble and etches just the same. | Outdoors in direct sun: UV yellows the resin, and it does not come back. |
By specimen
The same figures, stone by stone, straight from the catalogue.
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| Stone | Type | Dominant mineral | Absorption | Sealing | Direct heat | Scratched by | Keep away | Stains with |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nero Marquina NEM-01 | Marble | Calcite | 0.4% | Every 12 months | No | Knife · Grit · Metal | Acid · Chlorine · Abrasive | Wine · Coffee · Oil |
| Nanoglass NGL-02 | Engineered stone | 0% | Not needed | No | Grit · Metal | Abrasive · Bleach | Does not stain | |
| Branco Paraná BPN-03 | Marble | Dolomite | 0.5% | Every 12 months | No | Knife · Grit · Metal | Acid · Chlorine · Abrasive | Wine · Coffee · Oil |
| Branco Ceará BCR-04 | Granite | Plagioclase | 0.4% | Every 24 months | Yes | Grit | Acid · Abrasive | Wine · Coffee · Oil |
| Preto São Gabriel PSG-05 | Granite | Plagioclase | 0.1% | Not needed | Yes | Grit | Acid · Abrasive | Oil |
| Taj Mahal TJM-06 | Quartzite | Quartz | 0.3% | Every 24 months | Yes | Grit | Acid · Abrasive | Wine · Oil |
| Silestone Calacatta SLC-07 | Engineered stone | 0.02% | Not needed | No | Grit · Metal | Abrasive · Bleach · Steam | Does not stain | |
| Café Imperial CIM-08 | Granite | Alkali feldspar | 0.3% | Every 36 months | Yes | Grit | Acid · Abrasive | Oil |
| Travertino Romano TVR-09 | Marble | Calcite | 2% | Every 12 months | No | Knife · Grit · Metal | Acid · Chlorine · Abrasive | Wine · Coffee · Oil · Rust |
| Mont Blanc MTB-10 | Quartzite | Quartz | 0.16% | Every 12 months | Yes | Grit | Acid · Abrasive | Wine · Oil |