Countertop FAQs — Answers to Your Common Stone Questions

We offer a full range of natural and engineered stone surfaces, including granite, marble, quartzite, and engineered quartz. Each material has its own appearance, durability characteristics, and maintenance requirements. Our team will help you choose the right material for your specific application and lifestyle during a free showroom consultation.

All fabrication is done in-house at our Sheffield, Alabama facility. We do not outsource cutting, edging, or finishing to third parties. This in-house approach gives us direct quality control over every job and allows us to ensure that your countertops are cut precisely to your measurements before installation day.

Project timelines vary depending on the scope of work, material availability, and scheduling. In general, the process — from your initial consultation to installation — typically takes a few weeks. We will give you a realistic timeline during your quote so you can plan accordingly.

Yes. The Granite Gallery of The Shoals provides free quotes and free in-home measurements. There is no charge for our team to come to your location, template your space, and provide a detailed estimate. We believe you should know exactly what a project will cost before you commit.

This is one of our most common questions, and the terminology can be confusing. Here is a quick breakdown:

• Granite is a natural igneous rock quarried from the earth. It is extremely durable, heat-resistant, and unique — no two slabs are identical.
• Quartzite is a natural metamorphic rock, not to be confused with quartz. It is harder than granite and often features the flowing veining associated with marble.
• Quartz (engineered) is a man-made surface composed largely of crushed quartz crystals bound with resin. It is nonporous, consistent in appearance, and requires very little maintenance.

For high-traffic kitchens, engineered quartz is often the most practical choice because it is nonporous (meaning it does not require sealing) and is resistant to staining and scratching. Granite is also a strong performer in kitchen environments and offers a more natural, one-of-a-kind look. Our team can walk you through the trade-offs based on your specific situation.

Most natural stone countertops — including granite, marble, and quartzite — are porous to some degree and benefit from periodic sealing to resist staining and moisture penetration. Engineered quartz is nonporous and does not require sealing. We can advise you on the appropriate sealing schedule for whichever material you choose.

A hot splash (also called a full backsplash) is when the countertop stone material is run up the wall behind the counter — typically to the bottom of the upper cabinets — instead of using traditional tile. This creates a seamless, dramatic look that is also very easy to clean. It is a trending design choice in North Alabama kitchens and bathrooms.

Our primary service is custom fabrication and installation of stone we source and fabricate in our facility. For repairs, however, we work on natural stone surfaces of any brand or origin. If you need installation of a slab you sourced elsewhere, contact us to discuss the specifics.

Yes. We offer a cash-and-carry option for customers who prefer self-installation. Your countertops are custom-fabricated to your measurements, and you pick them up from our Sheffield facility ready to install. Our team will make sure the pieces are precisely cut so the process goes smoothly on your end.

We handle chip and crack repair, surface re-polishing, seam repair, sink cutout repair, stain treatment, and re-sealing. We work on all types of natural stone — not just countertops we installed. If you are unsure whether your damage can be repaired, give us a call and we can assess it.

Yes. Every installation completed by The Granite Gallery of The Shoals is backed by a one-year workmanship warranty. We stand behind the quality of our installations, and if something is not right with our workmanship, we will make it right.

No appointment is necessary — we welcome walk-ins every day. Our showroom at 1121 East 2nd Street in Sheffield, Alabama, features an indoor display area and an outdoor slab yard where you can view full-size stone slabs in natural light. Our team is always on hand to answer questions and help you find the right stone for your project.

Yes. We carry 12 or more distinct stone varieties on hand at any given time, including multiple color options within popular materials like Shadow Storm, Fantasy Brown, Ubatuba, and others. Our inventory rotates regularly. Visit our Inventory page on this website for current photos, or call us at (256) 320-5460 to ask about specific materials.