Commercial, Standard, and First Choice Grades

There are several different types of natural stone that are popular. Granite, marble, quartzite, and soapstone are the favored types of natural stone used by homeowners.  Each of the above stone types has a different geological ingredient, hardness, and color, which can all contribute to differences in price.

Granite and Marble

The full spectrum of colors can be exhibited by granites, while marbles are typically white, grey, and black.  However, marble can be more difficult to fabricate because of quartz veins, which may cause chipping and a longer fabrication process, so the price may be higher because of the extra labor and risk associated with the fabrication of marble.

Quartzite and Soapstone

Quartzite has become trendy because it possesses a lot of marble qualities, yet it is more durable and hard than marble, so its use has increased over the past few years.  Soapstone is a dark soft stone that has been used for centuries; it is a soft stone that will not stain and is quite kitchen-friendly, but it will scratch.  Soapstone is considered a high-quality stone that is very durable and when scratched can easily be repaired.  

Three Grades of Stone

The grade of stone is an important variable in the price and quality of stone.  There are three grades for natural stone: commercial, standard, and first choice.

Commercial Quality

Stone with commercial quality has a lot of defects in color and slab integrity.  For example, a commercial-grade slab of St. Cecilia granite will likely have a basketball-sized dark spot on the slab, color variation throughout the slab, and small cracks or fissures through the slab.  This grade of stone is used for apartment and hotel projects where the full slab is not needed, and only a portion is needed, and some of the imperfections in the slab can be avoided. A consumer would typically not use this grade of stone in his or her house. 

Standard Quality

Standard grade granite will have some small spots that appear inconsistent on the slab, but this grade can be used in a home because often the discoloration can be avoided, especially if it is used for the perimeter of a kitchen.  However, because of the minimal imperfections in color, a consumer would not want this grade of stone as an island because the defects would be noticeable.

First Choice Quality

Finally, the first-choice grade is the best. First choice would be a clean slab with no fissures, cracks, or noticeable color variations. The first choice is more expensive because there are fewer of these pieces in a block of stone. And these slabs are of higher demand. 

In summary, the grade of natural stone is directly correlated to the price of the stone, and the quality (grade) is related to the price.

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Sources

academy-marble.com/stone-quality-pricing