Hey there-
I’m making a couple of pieces that I’d like to put marble tops on, but I’m having a little more difficulty finding it than I would have expected.
Local cabinet shops have been unwilling to give up their sources (perhaps they think I’ll compete with them?), and calling local fabricators just gets me answering machines with no one calling back. I figured fabricators would be the way to go.
I ven called a local monument company (Schlitzberger’s) and they said they’d give my number to someone, but no luck there yet either.
I figured it would be easy to pick up some remnants even, like stuff left over from a kitchen countertop job.
What have your experiences been with trying to source marble?
If you’re in the Houston, TX area (I’m in Galveston) do you have anybody to recommend?
Replies
I'd be looking at stone type sources and forums...not woodforums. Yellow pages in other states. There's a magazine called period homes that has a mixed media of sources from metal, glass and stone. Do a google serach! Do a yellow page search on the web.
I figured there would be a few kitchen cabinet guys who had done marble or granite, who might be able to share what they do. Do they go to a fabricator, or straight to an importer? Do fabricators hang on to remnants?
If only I could check out the forums at Fine Stoneworking magazine... :)
Kevin
http://www.stoneworld.com/
Learn how to search and you won't have to ask others to help.
Libraries are still helpful as well as a good Barnes and Noble magazine rack. The web is cool but not the only place to look. The Sweets Catalog is a good one as well as the Thomas Register
http://sweets.construction.com/directory/
If you would be interested in granite ,Get ahold of Dakota Granite,Minot ,S.D. They were the only ones who would talk to me about granite that I needed for my window sills. The suppiers that the monument guy has used for 30 years refused to do the job ,and one that has been trying to get his buisiness wasnot very receptive of doing window sills. The guys at Dakota Granite were very helpful and more than happy to get my buisiness.
Kevin,
In an article on sandpaper sharpening in Popular Woodworking, they recommend getting flat pieces of marble from stores that sell cooking implements, i.e. the flat, round or square pieces of marble used to roll pizza dough - maybe they would be big enough for a small table top, or the type of woodworking piece you are working on.
Ed
Kevin
I wish you were here in Atlanta. I pass a place that sells marble and granite on the way home from my part time job. Granite is very easy to come by here as GA. has tons of it is quarried here. Not as sure about the marble. You might even check the "box" stores and see if they can order. Same with some custom cabinet shops.
It's just hard to imagine that it is that much trouble to get it as most of the post indicate. As my curiousity is up, I will do some checking here locally tomorrow.
Good Luck...
sarge..jt
Kevin - When I redid the kitchen for the LOML she wanted a marble countertop in one area for rolling dough, etc. I went to the local business that provides monuments and headstones for graves. They ordered what I wanted, cut it to size, and delivered it.
Ken
An old Spanish stone worked once told me that the stone contractors that he worked for were careful to break up any stone left over from a job so that it couldn't be used. I don't know how general this is but it might explain why you can't find remainders and left overs.
BJGardening, cooking and woodworking in Southern Maryland
Try Home Depot. My local Home Depot has a slab of granite (about 6 feet by 8 feet by 3/4 inch thick) sitting in front of the store to advertise their granite countertops. At the Home Depot web site, it advertises granite countertops (so it's not just a local thing).
Home Depot won't sell the granite directly to me; however, the installer that they work with would. The material price was about $50 per square foot and the finished price was around $80 per square foot. I could have cut the piece to size; however, producing an edge profile and polishing the edge (not to mention handling the slab) was outside my capabilities.
Monument companies deal in a much thicker piece of stone and probably don't deal directly with quarries; hence, they probably have no source for the 1 to 2 inch material. They do have the capability to cut and polish.
You might also try flagstone. Flagstone slabs are easier to cut and polish and when sealed look great. The price is also more affordable.
Have you looked at http://www.diygranite.com/?
P. B I Granite, 12922-C Hemstead Road, Houston, TX 77040, 713-460-0610.
They sell wholesale to fabricators, but have a "junk yard" and will sell to you. These pieces are broken slabs and might be pretty heavy. You have to go look to see what they have at the time. Real nice people. Duane Shotwell is the owner.
Charlie
Kevin,
I've used Austin Countertops in Austin for years to have tops for pieces made from Corian & Wilsonart. They also do grainte and marble.
(512) 835-5100. Talk to Tracy.
Tell'em what you want, and that you will bring templates of the exact size, and with edge treatments that you want.
They're right off of IH 35N, in north Austin.
If you need a good stainless guy, I've got one too.....
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