Braxton-Bragg is what marketing people call a b2b business because no more than a handful of the 4000 items that we sell could possibly be used by a consumer. One of the unanticipated consequences of making our website easier to use and more informative is that we began receiving email from consumers regarding problems with their countertops, showers and floors.    

At first this was viewed as a distraction, but many of the emails and phone calls were very interesting. Where possible, we tried to help people find solutions to their problems. In time, it was obvious that there were clear patterns of reoccurring problems.

When we felt that we had a pretty clear understanding of the most common problems that people wrote to us about, we decided to build a website to provide information. We created www.ConsumerStoneCare.com, which provides helpful information regarding the daily care of stone in the home. We also opened a store on Amazon to see what we could learn by making our products available to the 20 million regular users of Amazon.  

We found that there were four general types of problems that represent about 80% of the issues people write to us about. I thought you might enjoy knowing what they are:

Problem #1: How do I care for my stone countertops on a daily basis? The reoccurring theme is that the homeowner was not provided with information on proper care and maintenance when they purchased their countertop. Often they purchased the wrong types of cleaners, which in some cases damaged the stone, damaged the sealer or made the countertop prone to staining.  

Problem #2: How do I care for my stone shower? Some bathroom cleaners contain bleach and strong acids, which find their way into showers, often dulling the stone, sometimes causing significant damage. Cleaning mold and mildew as well as removing mineral deposits are very significant issues with customers. 

Problem #3: My sink fell down. What can I do? Sinks that are glued in with polyester adhesives, scraps of wood, or just silicon will usually fail within a couple of years. When a customer finds that their sink has dropped two inches and is held up by the waste pipe and the garbage disposal, you have a very upset homeowner. There is a very good reason why mechanical fasteners are recommend for sinks, and why the makers of polyester adhesives don’t recommend their use to secure steel to stone: the bond will not last.

Problem #4: My dishwasher walked out of the cabinet. Most building codes call for a mechanical fastener to be used to secure a dishwasher, but often the new dishwasher is not on site when the countertops are installed and this requirement falls through the cracks. 

So, that is our top four. If you are already addressing and preventing these four potential problems, congratulations!  If not, perhaps now is a good time to start.

Have a good read.

Rich Hassert

Email responses to: publisher@slipperyrockgazette.net