Your Guide to Stone & Tile Excellence
Frequently Asked Questions
At Central Stone & Tile, we believe an informed customer is a happy one – just check our reviews! Whether you are curious about the stone fabrication process or need advice on maintaining your kitchen countertop replacement, we’ve gathered the most common questions here to help you move forward with confidence.
For daily maintenance, mild soap and water is your best option. If you prefer a dedicated cleaner, always choose a non-abrasive, ammonia-free product. We highly recommend Bar Keepers Friend to keep your surfaces looking like new, which can be purchased from our showroom.
Yes! We have a wide variety of remnants at a great price, perfect for a bathroom vanity, laundry room, or small accent piece. Stop by our Garden City Showroom to browse our current selection.
- Granite: A natural stone (similar to marble and quartzite) quarried from the earth. Each slab is unique, heat-resistant, and porous, meaning it requires periodic sealing to maintain its beauty.
- Quartz: A manmade, engineered stone highly favored for being stain and scratch-resistant. Because it is non-porous, it does not foster bacteria, making it a popular choice for high-traffic kitchens and bathrooms.
Most definitely! Because natural stone has significant color and pattern variations, we strongly encourage all clients to hand-select their specific slabs. If you don’t find the perfect match in our on-site inventory, we can coordinate with our preferred vendors throughout the Treasure Valley to help you “tag” the right stone for your project.
We pride ourselves on an efficient turnaround. Once your design and materials are finalized, we will schedule a date for digital templating. For most projects, the final countertop installation takes place within two weeks of templating.
We accept cash, personal or business checks, and all major credit cards. While we do not offer in-house financing, we strive to provide competitive pricing for every budget. We do not charge credit card fees.
To know if your countertops need sealing, perform the water test: pour a small puddle of water on the surface and wait 10-15 minutes. If the water beads up, your sealant is fine; if it absorbs into the stone and leaves a dark spot, it is time to reseal. Generally, natural stone should be sealed every 1 to 5 years. Quartz and ultra compact slabs do not need to be sealed, as they are non-porous. Sealer for your natural stone countertops can be purchased at our showroom.
Granite: you can place hot pans on granite without causing immediate damage, as it is highly heat-resistant. However, it is not recommended to do so regularly because extreme heat or thermal shock can damage the sealant, causing discoloration, or potentially crack the stone over time.
Quartz: you should not put hot pans directly on quartz countertops. While quartz is heat-resistant, it is engineered with resin binders that can melt, scorch, or discolor at temperatures typically exceeding 250-200 degrees Fahrenheit. Direct heat from pots, pans, or slow cookers can cause permanent damage or thermal cracking
Contract/Warranty Information
- All natural and manmade slabs, including but not limited to, granite, marble, onyx, travertine, quartzite, quartz, porcelain, Dekton, etc (hereafter referred to as “stone”) come with a (1) year labor warranty (fabrication/installation) only. The warranty is limited solely to stone that was purchased from Central Stone and Tile (hereafter referred to as CST). Should a warranty issue arise, it is at the sole discretion of CST to repair versus replace the issue piece/s. This warranty is limited to normal wear and tear and does not cover damages resulting from other trades, misuse, abuse, prolonged exposure to elements, neglect, mishandling, unauthorized modifications, structural settling and/or damage that is due to an act of God. This warranty is issued to the original purchaser, whose name appears on this contract and is not transferable. Damages that occur up to 1 year after completion will be repaired on a service charge basis. Some products sold by CST may have a limited warranty provided by a third-party manufacturer or vendor. Remnants are sold “as-is” with no warranty and are your responsibility to inspect prior to purchase.
- Stone slabs may differ slightly in shade, color, pattern, finish, etc from the samples provided in CST’s showroom. These variations are normal and are not considered flaws.
- Pits, fissures/cracks, finish imperfections, etc are normal in natural stone slabs. These are normal and are not considered flaws.
- Quartz, porcelain, Dekton, etc and other man-made slabs are not perfect- they are manufactured and each manufacturer has a general tolerance for slight imperfections, especially in terms on thickness and minor surface irregularities.
- Quartz manufacturers warn against putting anything hot on their surfaces. Heat related issues that arise are not covered by this warranty.
- Natural stone slabs will be sealed prior to install, if required. CST is not responsible for stains or scratches that may occur in stone after installed.
- Seam placement will be determined solely by CST. Seam placement will be discussed at template and customer feedback will be considered when deciding where they go. Ultimately, slab size and jobsite conditions/environment will determine where seams are placed.
- Custom digital slab layouts are available on projects requiring more than (1) slab, sometimes for an additional fee. Tolerance is necessary for lining up veins/pattern through seams due to software limitations.
- Any slab materials remaining after 30 days of completion become property of CST unless storage arrangements have been made.
- CST is not responsible for moving or disconnecting electrical, plumbing, appliances, etc. If for any reason something must be moved we are not responsible for any damages that occur, or fees may apply to return after arrangements have been made.
- Alterations to stone, walls, or cabinets may be required onsite and CST will do their best to keep any dust/debris to a minimum. Incidental damage- CST is not responsible for MINOR nicks/chips to walls, floors, cabinets, appliances, etc.
- Unless otherwise negotiated, a 75% deposit is required for materials and fabrication to schedule template. Once an estimate is approved and a deposit is made, there will be a $250 fee deducted if the order is cancelled for any reason. Jobs under $1,500 require 100% payment prior to template/fabrication.
- Change orders may be issued if details are altered at template. Such details include changes to overhangs, edge details, slab materials, etc.
- Change orders may be issued if jobsite accessibility is an issue. This includes, but is not limited to, installers waiting for rigging equipment to get stone materials into a house, and/or homeowners requesting installers take indirect routes to get to where pieces need to be installed. These situations add unexpected time to our installers day, thus accruing additional cost from the customer.
- Any products or services that have not been paid in full have no warranty.