questions

Maurizio,

I have several questions that I believe you can
answer--I have paid Findstone the $5 for your contact
info and then saw your webmail link on the site--How
do I pay for your advice at this time? Please let me
know as soon as possible. The forum at Findstone is
great and I appreciate your knowledge and your
willingness to share for a reasonable price...

Situation:

We are building a new home in San Antonio, TX.
We are the general contractors.
We want the beauty of stone but would like to make
wise choices before we purchase.

General Questions:
1. Do you know anything about the quality of products
offered by BuildDirect.com? We are looking at
Travertine tile and perhaps granite from them. They
sell "Agra" and "Tiana" brand granite.

2. Any input on the supplier Code Impex
(www.codeimpex.com) ? They have travertine and marble
and limestone.

3. Any input on www.stonelocator.com and their
products? travertine tile specifically.

4. Is there any difference in quality between products
sold as Italian travertine and Turkish Travertine or
Mexican Travertine? Both BuildDirect and Code Impex
are produced in Turkey and someone had told me it was
inferior and that is why it is cheaper.

Counter Questions:
1.Is there a granite kitchen countertop that is highly
resistant to major wear and tear (heat cold spills
etc).

2.How do travertine and marble and limestone perform
in bathroom counters--is one better? seal or no seal?
any risk with very hard water?

3.Do you have any information (realizing that you may
not) on how granite counters compare with stained
concrete counters in the kitchen?

4. Do you have any supplier recommendations for
granite kitchen counters? and travertine slab /
limestone slab/ marble slab suppliers for counters?

Floor Questions:
1.Is a matte finish (honed or brushed or tumbled)
travertine indoor flooring durable and easy to
maintain? What is involved in keeping it looking nice?
I have heard the widest range possible on this
subject.
2. Do you have any supplier recommendations?
3. Is there any risk to the stone in putting in a
heated radiant floor underneath the stone that will be
intermittently turned on?

Shower/Bath Questions:
1. Is travertine a good choice for showers and baths?
should it be polished or honed?
2. Are there any special installation/preparation
steps or considerations compared to ceramic tile?
3. How do you care for such stone tiles?
4. Suppliers?

Thank you for your time and please let me know how I
can reimburse you for your assistance.

Best Regards,

Derek Guillory