In designing your stone countertop, we will start by taking measurements of the space, including any existing countertops. We will then help you understand your stone options, and help you choose the best type of stone for your application. We can provide input both on the functional and aesthetic properties of the stone. We can help you choose elements that will interface with the stone, including backsplash, sink, and other integrations. We’ll talk to you about your edge options and find the one that best suits your style.

If you’re working with a designer, we’ll handle this step with them, letting the designer remain your point of contact for the project.

When it comes to stone selection, you have numerous options. We work with eight stone suppliers across the Denver Metro area. We’ll let you know which ones carry the type of stone you’re looking for. You can then choose the location that’s best for you. You can either select the stone slab (or slabs) yourself based on the recommendations of your stone consultant, or you can make an appointment to have your stone consultant help you select a slab.

If you have a designer, you can have them help or serve as your delegate for this part of the process.

Once we have the stone slab you’ve selected, we’ll begin templating: marking off the pieces of countertop we need as well as cutouts for sinks, appliances, and other fixtures. This means that all necessary appliances or fixtures need to be available by this stage so that the countertop or stone application can be cut around them. All countertops or surfaces for your stone should be permanently installed prior to beginning templating.

During this process we use laser technology to capture the exact measurements for your stone application and create a digital template of your project. We photo each slab, then lay them out with the digital template, made by our template technicians. We then produce a digital slab layout of your slabs to ensure the best possible design for use of material and the best seam placement for a optimal satisfaction for our customers. Customers are also welcome to offer their input for the layout of the slabs to help create the kitchen of their dreams and truly contribute to the customization for their stone design!

We will need you or your representative to sign off on the template before we begin cutting.

In this part of the process, we will identify areas that need to be cut out of your chosen slab because they are unattractive or structurally weak.

Once we have the template and slabs laid out per our expertise and your approval, we can cut and finish the countertop or stone surface. We use high-quality saws such as our state-of-the-art CNC machinery as well as other tools to ensure precise and accurate cuts. After the cutting is completed, we fabricate the edge profile you selected being done by our CNC-edge machine or the hands of our skilled craftsman – which can take hours or even days of shaping and polishing your stone to the desired piece of art that the stone is capable of becoming. The experience and skill of our team also ensures that all hand-made finishing touches are handled beautifully. We’ll apply a textured finish, including polishing any parts of the underside that will be visible. Visit our Edge Profiles page to see our many edges to choose from.

Some stones are vulnerable at this stage, so we take extra time and care to make sure that the stone is as perfect as it can be. With Granite and Marble Designs, you don’t have to worry. Our team of fabricators are more than qualified to ensure your stone is cared for. This phase typically takes up to a week or so after you’ve approved the template.

Textured Finishes to Choose From

We offer four textured finishes to choose from including:

• Leathered
• Honed
• Caressed
• Polished

Otherwise known as brushed, antiqued or satin, these finishes contribute to the outcome of your stone design. All natural stones and quartz stones take to these textured finishes differently. Some stone slabs come with the finish on them already, but if in the case it does not, we can have the finish treatment of your choosing done, for an additional charge. It typically takes a week to send the slab out and then to get it back before we can start the fabrication process. In addition, we always match the finish on the edge. For example if the slab is leathered, we will leather the edge to match.

The only stones that are not given a textured finish are porcelain and semiprecious which come polished.

For commercial projects such as exterior use or flooring, the finishes would generally include bush hammered or flamed.

Once the countertops are cut, we will bring them to the site for installation. If the rest of the project is ready, the countertop installation is relatively quick. We’ll bond the seams between pieces and/or backsplash as necessary.

After the installation, we will do an inspection with you to make sure the installation is complete and matches the design we agreed on.

Granite is one of the most durable stones in existence. This makes it a popular choice for kitchen countertops, floors, and other applications where it will have to stand up to hard use. Its durability makes it useful in numerous applications, and its natural variety means that it’s easy to find attractive granite slabs for almost any kitchen.

Granite is a very hardy material to work with, however in its fabrication process, it does not take well to certain edge profiles such as a sharped edge or a chiseled edge. These edgings will create fragments from the micas. In order to know how your particular slab will take to a specific edge, we can take a sample of the slab before fabricating your granite.

The hardness makes granite a demanding material to work with, but it also helps make the material open for numerous types of finishes, from smooth polish to honed finish that retains more natural texture. It’s also suitable for every edge option we offer.

Marble is known for its natural veining. This helps give an elegant touch to any room or space. However, marble is much softer than granite, which means that it’s not a good choice for many applications. Any high-use area, such as a kitchen counter, is not a good application for marble, unless willing to out in the maintenance for it. However, its attractive appearance means it’s an ideal choice for aesthetic touches, such as wall finishes.

In the fabrication of your marble design, we take intricate steps to achieve it. Some marbles are more soft and sugary making it difficult to fabricate a mitered edge. This should be taken into consideration during the design consulting phase of your project. Almost any other edge can compliment your marble’s natural opulence.

Engineered quartz is mostly a natural product. It’s composed of more than 90% natural quartz with a resin that bonds it together, ensuring a nonporous surface. The combination of hard stone with strong resin makes it suitable for all applications, including heavy use kitchen counters.