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September 29, 2025
EAU CLAIRE – The growth of Trend Stone Surfaces since 2011, Owner Grady Wold said, mirrors his own transformation – from landscaping entrepreneur to leader in high-tech countertop solutions.
Wold, who started Trend Stone 14 years ago, said a lot has changed in the countertop industry in the last nearly 15 years.
“We used to cut and polish everything by hand, but now it’s all digitalized,” he said. “We now utilize three CNC machines and have a full staff as well.”
Starting with just two employees, Wold said the Trend Stone team has now grown to “about 20.”
“We’ve progressively gotten a little bit bigger and started adding employees,” he said.
Wold said the company’s growth in staff was matched by upgrades in machinery.
“We started getting more automated with the types of saws and edge polishers we had,” he said. “Ultimately, in 2016, we moved into the facility [at 3015 E. Clairemont Ave.] we have now.”
Wold said all measurements are now taken using a laser measuring device that scans walls and cabinets in customers’ homes.
“That gives us a very detailed print right then and there of what things need to look like,” he said. “From there, we bring [those measurements] back to our shop, and the customer picks out a stone. We’ve got software that will break the pieces apart to figure out where the seams need to be.”
For jobs involving two or three slabs, Wold said each slab is photographed in a specialized photo booth – and those images are used to plan cuts that match veins and colors across the pieces.
“It might not be an invisible seam, but we hide it as best as we can,” he said. “We have programmers now who do that and figure out how to lay all these pieces out.”
Wold said the current technology they use is very advanced, but if something can be created to digitally install the heavy pieces of countertop, “that would be amazing.”
“Granite countertops are not light,” he laughed. “We have tools to help us with that, though.”
Company offerings
Wold said Trend Stone works in granite and quartz products.
“Our team installs our stone products for a variety of uses, such as countertops, backsplashes, fireplace surrounds, baths, bars and more,” he said.
Wold said there are some small differences between granite and quartz.
“Granite is one of a kind and ageless in your space,” he said.
Wold said quartz countertops, on the other hand, are an engineered stone.
“Quartz countertops have resins that are used to make up that product,” he said.
Wold said granite needs to have a sealant applied – with the first application being done before the slab leaves the shop – while quartz doesn’t need to be sealed.
“Honestly, in my almost 15 years of running Trend Stone, I’ve maybe dealt with two stain issues – it’s not really an issue,” he said. “Quartz is a bit more consistent in color because it’s a man-made stone, while granite is more natural-looking.”
Wold said Trend Stone provides stone surface products for a variety of uses in remodeling and new home construction.
“We also work with many experienced home builders in the Chippewa Valley,” he said.
Wold said there are “very few” granite mining facilities in the United States, so much of the stone used must be imported.
“After the granite comes out of the ground, it’s cut with a bandsaw and made into six-foot by 10-foot slabs,” he said. “It’s finished to make the top surface look nice. When we get it in, we cut it down and fit it to make sure it’s good. Most granite comes from overseas – Brazil, Italy, China, etc. South America also has quite a few granite mines.”
Wold said Trend Stone’s full inventory can be found at trendstonesurfaces.com.
“Whatever you are looking for, we can help,” he said. “You can search through all we offer and get an idea of what you want before you stop into our location. From measurement time to installation, it’s usually one to two weeks.”
From landscaping to countertops
During his younger days, Wold said he was working for a landscaper who basically got to the point where “he threw his arms one day and quit.”
From there, he said he took over the former owner’s clientele.
“Then in college, I got a degree in teaching and did the landscaping as well,” he said. “I eventually got into doing concrete edging around people’s houses and then into concrete countertops.”
In 2008, Wold said he left teaching to work in the mining industry.
“I was repping for a mining company when the economy took a dive,” he said. “I went back to the drawing board with things I knew I could do, and I decided I was going to do landscaping and concrete countertops.”
As he attempted to build his concrete countertop business, Wold said “everybody was going to granite countertops.”
“I started looking into that more and found a company in Apple Valley, Minnesota, that was selling its equipment,” he said. “I made a deal with the guy and said I’d buy his equipment if he showed me how to use it and bring [the equipment] back to Eau Claire. I don’t do concrete countertops anymore – just granite and quartz.”
