It took million of years to create the stone.
Take a few minutes to select the stone company Selecting a stone is more than choosing style and colour. Some stones are too porous to be used for counters and work-tops. Others are too delicate for high traffic areas. That’s where we come in. Not only do we carry the most gorgeous stones you’ll find anywhere, we’ll help you select the right stone for your purpose. Cut with patient craftsmanship. Give us a call and come visit our showroom. It’ll only take a few minutes of your time. But it may save a lifetime of regrets.
Stone Selection, To Start With…
One of the most frustrating things that can happen is not using the right stone or material for the right job! That applies to all things and especially with the installation of stone. You can relatively cheaply re-paint a wall if the colour is not right, but once your stone is installed, the cost of replacement will be mostly prohibitive.
Apart from the obvious considerations such as colour and dimensional qualities, there are a few things you can do in your selection process to lessen the chance of an incorrect choice of stone.
Firstly….
Know what you want in the terms of the type of stone you need for your project. Will your stone be subject to: constant moisture, direct sunlight, heavy pedestrian traffic, contact with foodstuffs. All these situations will have a bearing on your choice. For instance if you are choosing a material for your new kitchen counter top, would a beautiful marble be suitable? Probably not considering marble and limestone are calciferous in nature, hence they are sensitive to acidic attack from household food items containing acids. Then again you can successfully maintain such materials in this situation by being prudent in terms of what substances you allow to come in contact. Even the most careful owner will eventually suffer an etch from a spilt acidic based beverage!
Nero Marquina Marble Tiles 300×255 Selecting The Right Stone For Your Project Some limestone’s are not particularly suited to accept even normal pedestrian traffic, particularly the ones with lighter tones. They can sometimes be quite soft and ‘open grained’ thus leading to all manner of contaminants lodging in the open pores of the stone. Some sealing processes can alleviate the concerns of spillages staining your stone however in the case of these types, the pores will eventually fill and require intensive cleaning to remove the dirt and contaminants. Choose a smoother, dense type of limestone or marble to help counter these issues.
A few easy ways to help you determine your choice of stone are:
* the surface should have good selectivity and feel very smooth to the touch
* give the tile a rap with your knuckle whilst holding it up with the other hand…you should hear a ‘ping’ rather than a dull ‘thud’ sound
* if the tile easily breaks when snapped over your knee, it may have numerous veins or fissures which can lead to calcification problems
Second….
Look around your area for installations with the same stone as you are contemplating whether it be your neighbors counter top, their bathroom or a floor in a retailers premises. You can learn a lot from observing how the stone behaves in these environments. Is your neighbor continually complaining that her black granite counter top never seems clean (problem solved for you in an upcoming post) or does her marble vanity top seem to gather spots and marks that can’t be removed with regular cleaning?
A final word on stone selection…
Do your homework when choosing a source for the supply of your material. Has the retailer had sufficient experience to advise you correctly on your choice in particular to where the stone is to be utilized? Sadly, there are too many instances of home owners, architects, designers and contractors who have been incorrectly advised on the selection, installation and maintenance of their choice. This site is being continually updated with the knowledge you may find helpful to guide you in the selection of your stone. Remember, when selecting your stone, shop around and ask for quality referrals, this is your best insurance!