Design Notebook: Slabs rock at Valley Tile & Stone in Paso Robles

There are almost as many types of granite as there are fish in the sea — or at least it may seem that way. So when choosing a stone slab, it makes sense to go straight to the slab yard, rather than making your selection based on a sticky note-size sample. Even better is when the slab yard is indoors.

“Granite and marble slabs are impregnated with resins after being cut and polished at the quarry, and should never be stored outdoors as the resins will discolor when exposed to sunlight and the elements,” said Christy DeVicente, who is an outside sales representative at Paso Robles’ Valley Tile & Stone.

According to DeVicente, Valley Tile & Stone is the largest slab yard between San Jose and Ventura. It carries more than 1,000 granite and marble slabs in more than 200 colors in its 25,000-square-foot facility. Also available are stone tiles, stainless steel and copper sinks, and quartz surfaces such as Cambria stone, Caesarstone and Silestone.

The slab yard has an onsite fabrication shop which, according to DeVicente, is state-of-the-art. Particularly notable is the air filtration system in its dry grinding room, which captures fine dust created in the fabrication process.

“Free air dry grinding is an environmental hazard as it impacts our local air and water quality, and is currently being investigated on the Central Coast by the EPA,” said DeVicente.

Valley Tile & Stone does its own importing, which can mean better prices and better-quality stone. It almost exclusively offers slabs that are graded premium quality, meaning they have the least number of fissures and inclusions.

Around four times a year it brings in new slabs, primarily from Brazil and India, but also Spain, China, Italy and Canada. The selection is immense — and often surprising. Those accustomed to white or gray marble might be astonished to view Rainforest marble, which comes in yellow-green, brown or dark green. Napoleon Bordeaux marble is a dramatic dark red with bluish sections throughout.

Equally surprising is the variety of granites. Some are uniform, others offer dramatic movement. Some have showy colors, while others are natural and earthy. There are a few types of quartzite slabs available, which are classified as granite but are harder and have higher polishes. Among the more striking varieties are Bamboo, which is green with striping, and Blue Canyon, which is multicolor with blue-greens, reds and rusts.

Although the slabs come polished, Valley Tile & Stone can bring down the shine to a honed or leathered finish. It sells slabs as-is, or can handle fabrication and installation. It even provides in-store and in-home consultation to help customers select their materials, design, and layout.

Photos of the stone carried by Valley Tile & Stone are on its website, www.valleytilestone.com. The slab yard and showroom are at 325 Santa Bella St. in Paso Robles, 434-9454.

This story was originally published April 19, 2012 at 1:59 AM with the headline "Design Notebook: Slabs rock at Valley Tile & Stone in Paso Robles."