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bodhi_gw

My Super White hunting trip!

bodhi
12 years ago

After calling around to tons of granite suppliers my wife and I drove around all day yesterday and were able to see many different lots of Super White granite! The first time we went out we only got to see one slab so we were very encouraged to be fortunate enough to see as much as we did.

I'm still a little confused about this type of stone. It goes by many different names:

Super White

White Fantasy

White Vermont

Brazilian Arabescato

Donna Maria

Donna Sandra

Even though several places had it listed as some of these different names, they all said their stone was also called "super white". That was definitely the common name everybody seemed to recognize.

Some places call it Granite, some Quartzite, and one place swore it was actually a hard marble. After reading as much as I could find about this stone I'm a little confused. There doesn't seem to be any real consensus. From what I can tell, this type of stone does vary quite a bit. It always has some white/grey with streaks of darker grey to almost black. It lies somewhere on the spectrum between granite and marble and perhaps the lightest versions of this stone do actually have some calcium in them and thus it will etch like marble, but not as easily. Technically a true granite or quartzite shouldn't etch (from what I can tell) but this type of stone seems to have a chance to etch, thus my conclusion it lies somewhere between granite/quartzite and marble, having some properties of both categories but varying from batch to batch.

My conclusions might be wrong, but from all the various reports from owners of this stone I've read, this seems to be a the case. There's plenty of people that have said their super white doesn't etch/stain, and several people that said theirs does a little. This stone is beautiful and often sought by people who love the look of marble but want the durability of granite. Be warned, it *might* still etch/stain a little but should hold up better than the marble you drool over!

I'll be sure to post back here once I live with this stuff in my kitchen for a while. Two kids, love red wine, cook with vinegar a lot, eat/cut tons of citrus, so if it will etch/stain I'm sure mine will!

So, on to the pictures. We were able to see quite a variety of what "Super White" can look like so thought I'd share.

Lot #1: first slab

Lot #1: second slab

Lot #1: zoomed up pic of second slab

Lot #2: This was probably the whitest slab we saw. Closest to marble. Pictures don't do it justice due to the small space I had to take pictures in. I couldn't back way out to get a good full slab shot.

Lot #2: The other side of the first slab. They had 4 total slabs in this lot.

Lot #3: first slab. I think we like this lot the best. Very white but still has movement. They actually had 6 slabs in this lot with several book-end matched sets.

Lot #3: zoomed up pic of first slab.

Lot #3: second slab. Book end matched slab to the first one.

Lot #3: Zoomed up pic of the second slab. Very pretty and unique pattern in the corner here.

Lot #4: From the same dealer as lot #3 but a different "shipment". Very different visually. Much darker veining, very dramatic.

Lot #4: zoomed up pic of the first slab.

Lot #4: Second slab.

Lot #5: first slab

Lot #5: Zoomed up pic of the first slab.

Lot #5: second slab. Looks like bookend to first slab.

There's the slabs I got to see. Thought some of you would enjoy seeing some of the variety out there in one post. Hopefully I can get some info from my fabricator about pricing differences. I got a wide range of pricing non-info from the granite dealers. One used A-H (quoted a D), one actually had a price per square foot listed (think it was $53), and several wouldn't say anything and just told me to have the fabricator call them. I expect it to be pricey but have no clue how bad it is.

Please feel free to vote on your favorite! We're leaning towards Lot #3 as our favorite with Lot #2 as our second choice. A huge difference in pricing would probably sway us to either one.

Comments (21)

  • susanlynn2012
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love all the Super White Slabs! I like them all but #3 is my favorite with #2 my second favorite just like you!

  • kammererk
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lot #3 is beautiful. #2 is my 2nd favorite. Around here, they all ususally look like lot #1 - which seems like a different stone altogether.

  • beekeeperswife
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful! This is what we are going with too.

    I like #3, #4.

    The first one with the circles looks too much like pods to me. I'm afraid something will hatch out of them. It's a textural issue, I guess.

    Where are these slabs at? All I hear is "nobody has it....blah blah blah"

  • MichelleDT
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great timing...this is what we are doing too...Mister (yes, he saw them on the screen and grabbed the mac away from me) and I prefer #1 or #2 but we love the chunky rock look (Mister has an obsession with rocks and geodes).

    Second choice is #4.

    So beautiful and so exciting! How close are you to installing it? I can't wait to see it in your kitchen.

  • abfabamy
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love movement and drama, so I'm a sucker for lot #4, second slab...followed by lot #3. But lot #2 is a great mimic of marble, beautiful!

  • bodhi
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    These were all in Cincinnati OH or Louisville KY.

    Speaking of something hatching out of the rock, at one place they had a small slab of something with fossils in it! It was pretty cool but crazy expensive!

    We also saw several examples of geode slabs. They were smaller slabs like 4'x4' and filled with colorful geodes cut in half. Really stunning to look at. Didn't take any pictures, but I'm sure Michelle's hubby would've loved those!

  • MichelleDT
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nooooooo....I am not telling him there are slabs with geodes in them. Good thing u don't have pictures!

  • farmhousebound
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love Lot #2 first, #3 second - can't wait to see one of them in your kitchen!

  • dragonfly08
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I like lot #2 the most, then #3. We're also doing Super White and I'd say my stone is somewhere between #2 and 3 (surprised?). Isn't it amazing the variation between lots? They are all gorgeous, so you really can't go wrong!

  • mydreamhome
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I like lots 2, 3 & 4. If you want your countertops to make a statement & be the eye-catcher in your kitchen, #4 is the way to go. Are you having a large island? An idea may be to do lot 2 or 3 on the perimeter & 4 on the island for some drama (provided the color isn't all that different). 4 is my favorite, though.

  • boxerpups
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    WOW, striking!
    My vote is 3.

  • MichelleDT
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What did u decide?

  • beachpea3
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ..#3 or #4- They are stunning! Good luck!

  • bodhi
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for all the feedback!

    We're going with Lot #3. I was able to speak with the fabricator about placement and I think we can get the look we want and get all our countertops out of 2 slabs. We won't know for sure until he does his exact measurements though. I was a little surprised to get a bit of pushback with this initial request though. My KD and fabricator both said that you usually need to buy the slabs first and then the fabricator can discuss exact cuts once they are on hand. However, once I got the fabricator on the phone and explained my concerns about movement and color changes he was more than willing to sit with me and go over many pictures to discuss where certain seams and cuts would likely need to be. Its all an educated guess when looking at pictures, but it still is very useful if you ask me.

    Can't wait to see them in place. We should begin the remodel in a couple weeks!

  • brianadarnell
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I love lot #3. Gorgeous.

  • kaysd
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lot #3 was my favorite of the bunch. Congrats on your beautiful stone -- can't wait to see pics of it installed.

  • peonybush
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    #3 is my favorite too. Beautiful!

    The zoom up of #1 scares me...looks like a hand with 3 fingers on it.

  • Nicole
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Has anyone found this on the west coast? Specifically So. Cal. I can hardly find any!

  • cheryldee
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've been obsessed with Super White ever since I saw it at a stone yard. With that much movement, not afraid of staining, but wondered how it was holding up in the etching department? And is it bothersome? Bodhi, might you post a photo of your kitchen? Thanks so much for your posts!

  • andreak100
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    cheryldee - we had thought about this for our kitchen, so I did a lot of reading about it. In regard to etching, it seems like it varies from slab to slab - some have an etching issue and some don't. And the degrees of etching seem to vary as well. It seems like you almost HAVE to get a piece from your exact slab to test it (or at the very least in your same lot) because it sounds as if the calcium content varies quite a bit. Definitely do a search for Bee's new kitchen (beekeeperswife) - she has some gorgeous Super White. And. Has. Etching. Even though the piece she was given (from a different lot than hers, as I understand) to test didn't etch. :( Best bet is to proceed very cautiously if you want this and aren't okay with etching.

    So many get this as an alternative to marble because they don't want the etching issues...but it's not a given that it won't etch. So, if you are okay with etching, you may do just as well going with a marble.

  • djmarb
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bodhi, did you install your super white? Any etching problems? Did you get polished or honed? Any regrets?

    Thanks!
    DJ