General Articles Caring for Your New Granite Countertop  Now that you've invested in Granite/Marble counter-tops, we at Distinctive Granite & Marble want to make sure they stay as beautiful as when they were first installed. Just follow these simple steps: • Everyday cleaning with any kind of glass cleaner without ammonia • Wipe up after cooking • Have your countertops resealed every 5 years We hope you enjoy your new counter-tops for years to come and find these tips to be useful. Feel free to contact us for any future projects you may have. Go to Top of Page A Household Name The name "Distinctive Granite & Marble" is known throughout Long Island.  Our Custom fabrications can be found in the most modest of homes to the most superior upscale residence. For 25 years, hundreds of builders, contractors and homeowners have relied on our services.  Why? Because Distinctive Granite & Marble will provide top quality service, expertise and competitive pricing. Within the walls of our 14,000 sq. ft. showroom and fabrication facility, can be found an expansive selection of materials, hi- tech machinery that enables our uniquely skilled craftsmen to produce the most beautiful kitchen and bath counter tops as well as fireplace surrounds, outdoor barbecues and other applications, along with a knowledgeable and friendly staff. For years to come we will continue to do what we do best, providing quality custom fabrication and installation of all granite, marble, quartz and tile, making Distinctive Granite & Marble a household name. Go to Top of Page Work of Art Have you ever visited The Metropolitan Museum of Art?  Displayed there are some of the most amazing paintings by Van Gogh and Picasso gracing the walls.  In many galleries you can study the paintings, ponder the story or meaning behind them, as well as sit close enough to see every brush stroke used to create it.  Each artist and each era is different, each Work of art is unique in it's own way.  Some will walk by a painting, stop and critique the brush marks and color mixtures, or perhaps not even glance at it at all, others will stop and absorb all the details and admire the beauty. Selecting a granite slab should be approached in the same manner.  That vein,  blotch, fissure or pit mark, are what make up the beauty of the stone, created by the artist, Mother Nature. Each mark, permanently set by the movement of the earth.  That is what creates its character and uniqueness. I, for one, would not have asked painter Johannes Vermeer (Girl with the Pearl Earring) "Paint me the same exact picture, but without the earring, nor would I purchase the painting and have the earring cut out. These details are what make the portrait and we can only imagine the story of the girl wearing it. In other words, why would you want to alter "A work of art." Go to Top of Page Okite Quartz Made in Italy, Okite is the newest in quartz surfacing.  Okite is a high performance, low absorbent, engineered product that is easy to clean and maintain. It does not absorb odors or even the most common greases and is resistant to heat and scratches. Okite is comprised of 93% quartz and 7% resin.  Though man made, It maintains some of a natural stones characteristics, while improving on others.  They are the first and only manufacturer of quartz based surfaces to introduce a veined "Marble Look" line.   This extremely non-porous material does not require sealing or polishing, making it an ideal product for any commercial, institutional or residential project. Okite was featured on the HGTV show "I want that". Distinctive Granite & Marble offers Okite Quartz Slabs for fabrication and has nine (9) Colors available in stock:  Giallo Michaelangelo, Crema Botticino, Crema Marfil, Verde Aquamarina, Verde Imperiale, Grigio Bordiglio, Marrone Ambrato, Giallo Fiorito and Crema Penna. To view these colors come in to Distinctive Granite & marbles showroom or for more information go to www.okite.com. Go to Top of Page Radioactive Banana Yes, Potassium is a radioactive element, and this radioactive element is vital to our good health.  It is essential for the body's growth and maintenance.  Potassium is also necessary in order to maintain normal water transport between cells and body fluids.  It also plays an essential part in the response to nerves of stimulation and in the contraction of muscles. Our soil, in which foods are grown, contains many radioactive elements.  Radium and thorium atoms are found in all humans, acquired from the food we eat. Construction materials such as cement, cinder blocks, bricks and granite contain small amounts of radioactive materials that are found naturally in the material used to make them.  They were present when our earth was formed. While natural minerals such as granite may occasionally emit radon gas, the levels are very low.  The EPA believes the principal source of radon in homes is soil gas that is drawn indoors through a natural suction process.  The EPA has no reliable data that concludes that granite used for countertops are significantly increasing our indoor radon levels. The Marble institute of America has announced the conclusion of a four month study on popular granites used for kitchen counter tops.  The study shows conclusively that granite is a safe material for kitchens   To learn more about radon go to www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citiguide.html. Or go to www.marble-institute.com for "The Truth about Granite." Go to Top of Page Websites by Ideal Copyright © 2009 - 2011 Distinctive Granite and Marble. All rights reserved.