Stone Selection
Selecting a natural stone can sometimes seem overwhelming. However, making some decisions before you start can help. This section explains how the selection process works at EPIC Stone.
Our showroom hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
Before You Arrive:
- Browse our website and our page on Facebook– Check out the variety of stones available to get an idea of what color range you like, and what patterns are appealing to you. What colors draw your eye? What will compliment your décor?
- Come prepared – If possible, bring a cabinet sample, floor sample, paint, fabric or other piece of décor to see if the stone color you select will compliment your home. You will be able to hold them up to the actual slabs to see if they go with your design. Since natural stone can have such a large variation, samples are not always accurate. Colors can vary from lot to lot, as well as patterns. That is why it is important to bring your samples with you, so you can compare them to the full slabs and make the right choice for you.
- Research – EPIC Stone is a wholesale stone supplier. We do not sell directly to the general public, so you cannot purchase your material from us directly. You will need to have a contractor, cabinet dealer, or stone fabricator that you are working with to be able to order countertops or tile.
- Make sure that you feel comfortable with your fabricator. It’s important to work with helpful people that you trust during this process. Remember, this should be an enjoyable experience.
- Ask & Listen. Has a neighbor or friend recently purchased granite? Ask them about their experience, and who they used to do the work.
- Check with your contractor, cabinet dealer or stone fabricator to find out how many slabs will be needed for your project. By doing this, we can make sure you reserve enough material to complete the job properly.
- Think about what kind of finish you would like for your new countertops. At EPIC Stone, we can offer materials in the traditional polished finish, as well as brushed or honed finishes. Honed finishes have a smooth feel, but with a much lower sheen. Brushed finishes have the matte look, like a honed finish, but they have a texture to them. Brushed finishes are sometimes referred to as suede, leathered, or antiqued. All natural stone that we carry can be made available in polished, honed, or brushed finishes.
- EPIC Stone is not able to give you prices in regards to your material. However, to assist in your selection, we apply a group system to the material. The groups go from 1-10, with group one materials being the lowest price category. Your contractor, cabinet dealer, or stone fabricator may have a differing group system then this, so check with them to make sure you are looking for material in your price range. Prices are based primarily on availability of material, not quality; lower priced materials tend to be more readily available.
Helpful Hints
- Any questions regarding maintenance, installation or pricing of your countertops should be directed to your fabricator.
- Since we do not fabricate countertops at EPIC Stone, we do not have a remnant area or boneyard. If you are looking for smaller pieces and do not want to select a full slab, you are welcome to browse through and find colors you might like. You can then talk with your cabinet dealer or fabricator about remnants they have available that would work for your particular need.
- You can select the specific slabs you would like to put on hold for your project or simply use your visit to get an idea of which stone you would like.
- EPIC Stone will hold material for 30 days. Extensions are granted on a case by case basis, and special arrangements will be made with your contractor, cabinet dealer, or stone fabricator.
- You do not need an appointment to visit our location, but if you have already decided on a color, and are wanting to hand select your individual slabs, we recommend that you call ahead to verify our stock of that color. As our inventory is always changing, we want to make sure we have your specific color in stock when you are ready to choose.