Technical Library

FAQs – GENERAL QUESTIONS

I’m working on an international specification, can you help me? Yes, we can. With a commercial network covering 70 countries, Santamargherita can support your international specification. For further information, please fill out our online contact form.

What about environmental issues, sustainability, etc? Please, visit the “Safety, Environment & Sustainability” section below.

Can I visit the factory? Our factories are open to guided tours. To set up a visit or for more information, please fill out our online contact form.

Do you develop custom colors? If so, what is the minimum order? Our R&D is at your disposal to develop SM Marble and SM Quartz custom colors. While the development of samples is free of charge, the actual production requires a minimum order of 10,000 sq.ft.

Are your products made in Italy? Yes, all our SM Marble and SM Quartz materials are manufactured in our factories in Volargne (Verona), where we started in the early 60’s.

FAQs – SM MARBLE

What is SM Marble® surface? SM Marble® is composed of 92-95% natural marble chips blended with advanced polymer resins and pigments.

Why should I choose SM Marble®? SM Marble® is manufactured with carefully selected natural marble chips and powders. The manufacturing process grants uniformity of color; dimensional and technical stability; and high resistance to abrasion, shock and flexing making SM Marble® ideal in both residential and commercial applications.

What are the suggested applications? Flooring, both residential and commercial, thresholds, treads/risers, window sills, wall cladding, kitchen backsplashes, vanity tops, bath tub surrounds, shower walls and shower pans, reception countertops are the typical applications of SM Marble®. See more information on product uses on our professional page.

How do I take care of SM Marble®? Please visit the care & maintenance section below and download our guidelines.

How do I install SM Marble® tiles? Please visit the product information section below and download our guidelines.

What does my 2-year SM Marble® warranty cover? SM Marble® offers a 2-year limited transferable warranty, warranting that the material will be free of manufacturing defects. This warranty covers failures caused by manufacturing defects which may occur during the first 2 years after the original installation. If a defect is identified during the first 2 yar period, Santa Margherita will, at its option repair or replace the defective SM Marble® materias. The warranty covers cracking, spalling, splitting or bond failure for any reason with the exception of unreasonable use (including damage from high heeled shoes), improper maintenance, foundation settling, cracking or deterioration of the surface upon which SM Marble® was installed or other causes not arising out of manufacturing defects in the SM Marble®.

SM Marble® is made with natural marble: should I expect color variation? Color consistency is one of the advantages of SM MARBLE® . The mixture of color is always carefully controlled and monitored to maintain the highest level of consistency. Although careful steps are taken to insure a high level of color consistency, slight color variations can still occur especially in different lot numbers. This must always be considered and verified before fabricating or installing any SM MARBLE® material. The SM MARBLE® products made using aggregates bigger than 1 cm are constituted of 95% natural marble. Naturally, one should expect to see some of the characteristics that are typically found in natural marble. This materials may show signs of natural veining or surface fractures and should be expected in varying degrees. The veins and surface fractures in no way affect the integrity of the material and should be interpreted as a natural characteristic of the finished product.

What about environmental issues, sustainability, etc? Italy is not just famous of its design and quality but also for its rigorous safety measures and manufacturing controls. Santa Margherita is committed to providing earth conscious products in an environmentally friendly manufacturing atmosphere focused on safety for employees and sustainability for our planet. SM Marble® is GREENGUARD Gold Certified® for low emissions. Please, visit the “Safety, Environment & Sustainability” section below for more information.

FAQs – SM QUARTZ

What about environmental issues, sustainability, etc? Italy is not just famous of its design and quality but also for its rigorous safety measures and manufacturing controls. Santa Margherita is committed to providing earth conscious products in an environmentally friendly manufacturing atmosphere focused on safety for employees and sustainability for our planet. Quartz is one of the most abundant natural resources in the world. SM Quartz® is NSF 51 food zone certified. SM Quartz® is GREENGUARD Gold Certified® for low emissions. SM Quartz is KOSHER certified. Please, visit the “Safety, Environment & Sustainability” section below for more information.

How is SM Quartz® different from granite? SM QUARTZ is an engineered slab made of primarily natural quartz mineral. Granite is a natural stone cut from a block. Since SM Quartz is a manufactured product, it gives the added benefit of a 10-year transferable warranty and unlike natural stone, it is a non porous surface that never needs to be sealed making it maintenance free.

What makes Metropolis finish different? Metropolis is a special finish designed to recall concrete. As such, there may be a certain range of inconsistent variation, such as channels, dips, ridges, depression and indentations. The surface characteristics are unique and no two installations are exactly the same. If you have selected Metropolis based on a 4” x 4” sample, we recommend you view a full slab prior to confirming your order: you will fall in love with it.

What is the difference between a polished finish and a honed, antique, brushed, or metropolis finish? Polished finishes are designed to not only look beautiful and rich but also to provide a maintenance free surface that does not retain dirt. Due to the high polish level Santa Margherita is able to achieve, these surfaces are manufactured to be easier to maintain and retain their beauty. Any specialty finish such as honed, antique, brushed, or metropolis are designed to create a certain aesthetic look for a design appeal. These surfaces, however, are not as easy to maintain as a polished finish. Metal marks, fingerprints and other signs of daily living will be more apparent. These marks can be removed by using a non-abrasive cleaning product such as Soft Scrub® gel with a white micro fiber towel.

Is SM QUARTZ® uniform and consistent in color and pattern? The manufacturing process of SM QUARTZ® blends nature and technology into an unparalleled surfacing material. The color of each SM QUARTZ® slab is dependent on the quality and color of the natural materials and the colors mixed within the resin binder. As with any product made with natural materials, there can be some variation in background color and pattern and aggregate size and distribution. This is not considered a defect but part of the natural beauty and uniqueness of each individual slab. Although there is more consistency than natural stone, color, background or shade variations not visible from 6 feet away are considered acceptable. This makes SM QUARTZ a preferred choice for designers and large commercial projects where color consistency is a must.

What does my 10-year warranty cover? SM QUARTZ® offers a 10-year limited transferable warranty, warranting that the material will be free of manufacturing defects. This warranty covers failures caused by manufacturing defects which may occur during the first 10 years after the original installation. If a defect is identified during the first 10 year period, Santa Margherita will, at its option repair or replace the defective SM QUARTZ® materials. This does not cover replacement labor cost. Santa Margheritas’ warranty does not cover damage caused by physical abuse, misuse or exposure to excessive heat, thermal shock, harsh chemicals or abrasives, product that has been moved or modified from its original installation, shifting or settling of substrate or installation area.

Does SM QUARTZ® have lamination lines? SM QUARTZ® is available in two different thicknesses, 3/4” (2 cm) and 1 ¼” (3 cm). The process of lamination is joining a thin strip of material under the front edge to make the edge profile thicker. Just like other stone surfaces, lamination may be required depending on the project. As with all stone products, a lamination line is visible when two pieces of material are adhered together to create a thicker edge, like the 1 1/2” (4 cm) front edge.

Does SM Quartz® have seams? Depending on the layout of your kitchen, seams might be made, however, the countertop pieces are placed close together and bonded with color-coordinated resin. SM QUARTZ® is not a seamless product, seams are visible. A well installed seam will be smooth but can be felt and seen. Due to slight thickness variations and tolerances, it is possible that one side of the seam may be raised. Where there are seams, there can be slight variance in the color or pattern of adjoining pieces.The exact number of seams in a countertop will depend on the layout of the countertop and the number of slabs purchased to provide for this layout. Please note that requests for fewer or no seams will increase the number of slabs that must be purchased, thereby increasing the price. A certified Fabricator Installer can show you exactly where seams will be located on your countertop.

Will dark colors require more maintenance? All dark colors of any surfacing material, including SM Quartz, require more maintenance. Under ordinary use, darker colors will more readily show dirt, fingerprints, and watermarks when compared to lighter colors and patterns.

How do I take care of SM Quartz®? Please visit the care & maintenance section below and download our guidelines.

How heat-resistant is SM Quartz®? SM Quartz® can endure normal cooking temperatures found in the kitchen up to 375°F for a short duration, without the fear of scorching or burning. It is still recommended that hot pads or trivets are used to protect the surface. Do not place electric skillets, frying pans, griddles or crock-pots, directly on the surface without the use of a protective base.

What makes SM Quartz® resistant to staining? SM Quartz® is composed of 93% natural quartz and 7% polymer resin binder. Natural quartz is non porous and the polymer resins that bind the quartz seal the slab making it a non absorptive surface that never requires sealing.

What is SM Quartz® surface? SM Quartz® is composed of 90-93% natural quartz mineral blended with advanced polymer resins and pigments.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

  • EN15285:2008 (Agglomerate stone: modular tiles for flooring and stairs);
  • EN15285:2013 (Agglomerate stone: slabs and tiles for wall finishes).

Here you can download a wide range of useful technical documents:

SM Marble

SM Quartz

Flooring Installation Literature

Information about available certifications is found in the “Safety, Environment & Sustainability” section below.

SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

Santa Margherita is committed to providing earth conscious products in an environmentally friendly manufacturing atmosphere focused on safety for employees and sustainability for our planet. Read more about the company’s policies and procedures implemented at the factory. Safety policy Environmental Policy SM Marble and SM Quartz meet the highest industry criteria. The following certifications confirm the quality of our products.

Greenguard

SM Marble and SM Quartz have achieved the Greenguard Gold certification for lows emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in indoor environments. SM Marble Greenguard Gold certificate SM Quartz Greenguard Gold certificate To download Greenguard Gold certificates of single SM Marble or SM Quartz colors visit www.ulprospector.com (registration required) or send a request via our online contact form.

NSF

SM Quartz is NSF food zone certified. Click here to view the current listing.

REACH

SM Quartz meets the REACH criteria. REACH is a regulation of the European Union, adopted to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals. Download the conformity declaration

KOSHER

SM Quartz surfaces are suitable for preparing food in accordance with Kosher food rules. Download the current certificate

LEED v4

Santamargherita has always paid attention to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), one of the most popular green building certification programs. In cooperation with Habitec – Distretto Tecnologico Trentino, we have issued: As a member of the Green Building Council, Santamargherita surfaces can contribute to the LEED certification of sustainable buildings.

As some credits require the disclosure of confidential/proprietary information, send a request via our online contact form detailing name of the project you are working on and SM Marble/SM Quartz colors you need LEED v4 information about.

CARE & MAINTENANCE – WARRANTY

SM Marble

SM Quartz

CEU’s

Santa Margherita offers both online and lunch & learn Continuing Education Units.

Online CEU

The CEU “Engineered Stone: Designing for Sustainability” is online with AECDaily.

Take the course

The CEU is valid with AIA, GBCI, CCIDC, NABH, NARI, NKBA and others.

View the full list

Lunch & Learn

Have lunch on us. Earn HSW and SD learning units without leaving your office.

Interested in earning AIA continuing education Health/Safety/Welfare AND Sustainable Design learning units? Santamargherita, the original Italian surface, wants to help you do just that. We’ll deliver lunch to your team, along with our AIA-certified training course (AMSM50812), “Quartz: The ideal sustainable flooring and surface material..”

LEARN HOW TO:

  1. Understand the composition, manufacturing process, and technical characteristics of engineered quartz as a sustainable surfacing material.
  2. Recognize the inherent properties of engineered quartz and how they promote the goals of HSW and Sustainable Design: strength, durability, scratch resistance, and non-porosity.
  3. Appreciate the continued long term cost advantages and superior sustainability and maintenance characteristics of quartz flooring as compared to other leading surfaces.
  4. Be aware of and design using the diverse aesthetic possibilities of engineered quartz: colors, aggregates, finishes, textures, applications.

Learning credits: AIA: 1 LU/HSW/SD Hour; IDCED (*): class-code is: CEU – 101862, 1 CEU value, Designation: HSW – Sustainability (*) This CEU is registered with the Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC) for continuing education credits. This credit will be accepted by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), International Interior Designers Association (IIDA) and Interior Designers of Canada (IDC). Schedule your Lunch & Learn today! Fill out our online contact form to request more information.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & USEFUL LINKS

A.St.A Worldwide – Engineered Stone Manufacturers Association AS.MA.VE – Veronese Marble Consortium Marmomacc – Verona Stone Show