March-April 2010
Welcome to Surface Products bi-monthly newsletter. In this issue learn more about the following topics:
 The Countertop Source’s Winter Blowout Sale!
For 2-Days ONLY, we're Offering Prices up to 75% OFF Remnants & Slabs and free in-home consultations! Come out and see us February 26-27th! Bring us your drawings (with dimensions) of your kitchen, island, vanity, desk or table top and we can help you find the
perfect piece of Granite, Quartz or Solid Surface. Next you’ll choose your edge, backsplash and other options. Order this weekend and you can have your new surface installed, for
a fraction of the cost!
Only the Countertop Source offers all of the leading brands. Click on the pdf below for more details!
 
 Introducing Saratoga Soapstone: Created Purely By Nature
Beginning with its unique aesthetic qualities, the benefits abound…
- Hand selected in Brazil, this surface is quarried with no synthetics.
- Extremely durable yet versatile and soft to the touch; easy to cut and shape.
- Heat and Stain Resistant: acids and alkalis will not harm the surface; household items will not stain.
- Non-porous- sealer is not required.
- Exudes subtle elegance with soft colors and light flowing veins.
Grades of Stone 101
Do you know where your stone came from? Will your granite provider still be around if you have any questions? Are they affiliated with reputable companies?
There is no universal grading system for granite. Granite quarries may have a different grading system than factories and suppliers. Some will make their own decisions as to what they call “First” or “A” grade natural stone. A slab may be downgraded for several reasons. Spots and coloration are taken into considerations and usually will not affect the quality of the stone. Cracks and fissures can be more problematic. Fractures or surface fissures in slabs may become more apparent when the countertops are processed exposing weak areas. These slabs may be intended for something other than countertops.
Some companies are selling granite slabs as top quality when in reality they may not be. It is important to know about your countertop provider. Do they have reputable suppliers ? Have they seen where the stone is mined and trust their sources? Surface Products is the exclusive provider of Artisan stone in the Carolinas. Artisan stone has a lifetime warranty. All materials come from quality companies who have been in the industry many years. For more information click here.
 Habitat DeCon Services
Habitat's DeCon team can salvage up to 85% of a building's materials for reuse or recycling, offsetting building removal costs, conserving landfill space, and supporting the building of Habitat homes in your county.
How it Works
A Skilled Habitat For Humanity contractor carefully removes the cabinets the customer is replacing prior to the installation of the new set. The reclaimed cabinets are then sold at one of the area Restores. All of the funds raised by the ReStores are used to build Habitat Homes in the Charlotte area.
To learn more, click here.
The Truth About Radon
In response to a recent surge in concern regarding the risks of Radon, we would like to present some helpful information and literature for your review. Especially for those of you who have heard bits and pieces of unsettling news regarding Radon levels in Granite. First, radiation is all around us, in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the sun’s rays, and even preventative medical procedures (X-Rays). The levels found in granite are just fractional values of established thresholds for environmental safety. All rocks have a small amount of radioactivity due to the presence of minerals containing the radioactive elements uranium (U), thorium (Th), and potassium-40 (40K).
Since Granite typically contains more of these elements than other rocks, it will be more radioactive than slate or marble. However, when measured, the levels are quite low. For example, if you were to sit on your countertop all the time, over the course of a year, the levels would be about one quarter of the annual radiation dose from all sources. And, if you were a few inches away from the granite (i.e. when doing the dishes), then the dose would be too low to measure.
For more information, click on the pdf below.
International Civil Rights Center & Museum
It was 50 years ago this February that 4 freshman from Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina were refused service at the F.W. Woolworth Co. lunch counter in Greensboro, NC. The store closed in 1993 and the building is now the home of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. Surface Products, Inc. recently completed work in the 30,000 square foot building on South Elm Street.
 When the four young African American men were refused service, they continued to sit at the counter in silent protest. They returned the next day and the next. After a week more than a 1000 protesters and counter-protesters filled the store. It was not until July of that same year that the counter became desegregated.
The museum's grand opening was February 13th. What is evident is how much has changed in the past 50 years.
Look for more information on the museum at these sites.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/arts/design/01museum.html
http://www.sitinmovement.org/newsroom/image-gallery.as |
