1.2 CM - 1/2" synthetic marble used to line showers or cover walls, where strength and thickness is not as important.​

2 CM - Two centimeter thickness = .8", or "three-quarter inch". Good for vanities. Only very slightly  cheaper than 3 CM.

3 CM - Three centimeter slab thickness = 1.2", often said "inch and a quarter". First choice in kitchen countertops.

Bonding - Installation of under-mounted sinks or double-height countertop edges, using special high-strength epoxy mixes.

Corbels - L-shaped or flat iron brackets on 8"+ overhangs, to avoid stress cracks.

Dimension Stone - Stone quarried into blocks for end-use, like stone-counter slabs.

Drop-In - Sink mounted on a counter from the top. Flange covers the edges of a rough-cut hole.

Edging - Counter edges are shaped with various profiles of diamond grinding-bits.

Engineered - Synthetically created countertops, different from those in nature.

Fab - Labor to transport slabs, template patterns, cut counters to size, grind edge-profiles, cut and drill holes, polish and seal.

Granite - Hard, natural, igneous rock, made of quartz, mica, feldspar. Quarried from mountains around the world.

Granite Backsplashes - 4" rear-counter risers, normally done on vanities, but rarely in kitchens anymore (Think tile!).

Honed/Brushed/Leathered - Most stone slabs are polished; but honed = matte, brushed = bumpy, leathered = even bumpier!

Laminate - Thin plastic veneer on fiberboard. The most common name is Formica.

Lead-Time - Day from the time Clients choose their material to installation of a job.

LF - Linear foot/feet. Also called RF or running feet. Straight-line distance, as opposed to SF.

Marble - Natural limestone crystalized as calcite or dolomite. A much softer stone.​

Mohs Scale - 1-10 mineral-hardness scale - Friedrich Mohs, 1822. Diamonds 10, granite/quartzite 8 or 9, quartz 6-8, marble 4-6.

Polishing - Wet-sanding with grades of abrasives to create a smooth and shiny countertop surface.

Quarry - A deep earth-excavation for bringing raw-stone to the surface.​

Quartz - Material man-made from silicon-dioxide poly-resins under pressure. Much higher cost than natural stones!​
 
Quartzite - Metamorphic sandstone baked by tectonic heat-pressure in the earth’s crust. Priciest  stone material.
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Remnants (fall-off) - Pieces remaining after stone fabrication. Remnants measuring less than 2x2 feet are usually discarded.

Rodding - Insertion of tubular rods (stainless, fiberglass), sometimes needed to strengthen certain countertop areas.

Sandstone - Natural stone equal in hardness to granite. Very porous. Hard to find, and needs specialized sealants.​

Seal - Application of a chemical countertop-sealant to further increase the spill resistance.

SF (Square Feet) - Width x depth (wall to front edge), in inches, divided by 144 = SF. 

Sink-Setters - Brace-brackets for adding more strength to an under-mount kitchen sink.

Slabs - Flat pieces of natural or synthetic stone, typically quarried or molded to about 100-140" wide, and from 60-82" high.​

Soapstone - Natural stone. High talc content. Fractures easily. Frequent oiling needed to maintain the original look.
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Solid Surface - Resin-based (plastic!) counters that can look like stone. Common names are Corian, Wilsonart, and Swanstone.
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Template - Detail-drawing of cabinets, sometimes adding paper sheets or foam strips, to create a final counter-cutting layout.

Under-mount - Sink installed beneath a counter, bonded (and braced!) in place. Finished-stone edges overlap 1/4" into the bowl.
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Vessel - Vanity sink that sits entirely on the counter's surface. The countertop is not hole-cut, just drilled for faucet and drain holes.