1. What is Natural Stone?
Natural Stone is a highly selective product with individual feel, touch and color sensitivity, subjected to desire for uniqueness and satisfaction of individuality. A classic look developed by nature over millions of years, that is not affected by fashions, nor perishable over a period of time.
Natural Stone is being created as a result of millions of years of different geological changes that take place in the Earth’s crust. This has resulted in the creation of a wide variety of vibrant colors and characteristics. Depending on the process, composition and characteristics, the Natural Stones have been categorized into Granite, Marble, Limestone, Travertine, Slate, Quartzite, Sandstone, Onyx, etc.
2. Who needs Natural Stone in U.S.A.?
Natural Stone has been a popular housing and
building material all over the world for centuries. However, in America, wood has
been the primary material used for housing. Natural Stones were mostly used for road
construction and monuments. However this trend is now shifting towards the usage
of Natural Stones in the Entry way, Kitchens, Atriums, Bathrooms, Fireplaces, Floors,
Facades and many surfaces in homes and offices.
3. Why should I use Natural Stone in my home?
With the flooding of our environment
with artificial equipment and material, Americans look for relief at home, and Natural
Stone gives a timeless, realistic feeling and proximity to nature. When compared
to all the visible items like wallpaper, paints, curtains, appliances, furniture,
etc, only Natural Stone gives the classic look and a distinctive feeling.
Natural Stone gives a hint of luxury, while still being affordable. Natural Stone is the real thing in today’s artificially decorated homes.
4. What are the different kinds of Natural Stones?
There are various different Natural
Stones: Granite, Marble, Limestone, Travertine, Slate, Quartzite, Sandstone, and
Onyx, etc.
Granite
Granite is an important structural and ornamental stone, due to its high compressive
strength and durability. It is the hardest of structural stones. Its mineral-
Marble
Marble has been valued for thousands of y ears for its rich palette of beautiful
colors and appearance. It is perfect for use in almost any part of the house. Generally,
calcite and dolomite marbles are of pure white color. Variations of whiteness of
pure marbles are due to the mixture of foreign substances. Such impurities form bands,
streaks and clouds. Black and grayish shades are due to graphite; pinks, reds are
mainly due to the presence of manganese oxides or hematite.
Slate
A great combination of earth tone colors and the finish makes this stone one
of a kind. The vibrant colors and unique textures make slates appropriate for interior
as well as exterior applications. Because it is formed in layers, it can easily be
split to expose beautifully textured surfaces. The usual colors of slates are earthy
(various shades and mixes of browns, beiges, yellows), black, dark-
Quartzite
Quartzites are very similar to slates, but with a higher content of Quartz,
which gives them, a sparkling texture. They are so close in appearance to slates
that usually they are referred to as quartzitic-
Sandstone
As the name suggests, Sandstone is made of sand cemented by silica, iron,
lime etc. The color of sandstone depends on the cementing material; ferruginous (iron)
sandstones are reddish, brownish; carbonaceous, black; siliceous, white and argillaceous,
earthy to buff. Other than the hardness, the porosity of the sandstone is also a
key factor in deciding the suitability for its applications.
Limestone
The muted tones of limestone are perfect for today’s more casual and comfortable
lifestyles. Generally these soft beiges and tans, either polished or honed, are appropriate
for bathrooms, fireplaces, counters and less-
Travertine
The cozy tones of Travertine range from the sandy beiges to shimmering
gold giving a feeling of warmth and comfort. The Coliseum in Rome, having stood for
over 2000 years, is perhaps the most famous travertine structure in the world. Travertine
is commonly used outside as cladding and pavement, as well as inside for floors,
walls and countertops. Travertine is generally filled with cement before it is honed
or polished, which produces a uniform surface more like other marbles. Unfilled travertine
is quite beautiful, and is often seen as exterior cladding on buildings. Travertine’s
result from hot spring water percolating up through underground limestone. When the
water evaporates, it leaves behind layers of dissolved limestone and other minerals,
giving it its banded appearance. The characteristic holes in travertine are the result
of trapped gas bubbles; as the gas escapes, crystals form in the cavities. Travertine’s
are generally light-
Onyx
Translucent, generally layered, calcite with colors in pastel shades, usually
yellow, brown, green, orange, and white. True onyx is nearly pure crystalline silica
closely related to agate, a semi-
5. How Natural Stone tiles differ from Ceramic tiles?
The very first and basic difference
between Natural Stone and Ceramic Tile is that Natural Stone is a product of Mother
Nature where as Ceramic Tile is man-
Homogenous Composition Unique composition
Low absorbency, thin 7 light corrugated backing Differs from category to category
Acid resistant Acid sensitivity varies from stone to stone
Have only one plain finish and practically no edge finishes. Have a whole spectrum
of finishes like Polished, Honed, Antiquated, Tumbled, Leather, Rugged (Split face,
River Rough, River Wash, Flamed) and more. Different types of edges like beveled,
bull-
The sizes in ceramics are restricted and patterns are very uniform and geometric. Sizes are not very restricted. Once can extract huge slabs of sizes as large as 125”x75” to small tumbled mosaics of 1”x1”. Random and more natural patterns are found in Natural Stones.
6. Where in my home can I use Natural Stones?
Natural Stone can be used for Flooring,
Kitchen Counter Tops, Vanity Tops, Bathroom, Patios, Walkways, Fire Places, Facades,
Wall cladding, Garden, Landscaping etc., practically on every surface, inside and
outside of your house.
7. Why is Granite preferred for Kitchen / Bar Counter Tops?
Granite is the hardest
and densest of all the Natural Stones. The main minerals that can be found in granite
are Silicates, Feldspar & Quartz. Silicates do not react much to the acidic substances
like lemon (citric acid), vinegar, alcohol etc., something found regularly in our
kitchens. The second aspect to note is that Granite is highly durable and scratch
resistant. This means that the kitchen countertop will not get easily scratched with
the heavy traffic of knives and vessels on it, and retain its fine luster over a
longer period of time as compared to other stones or Ceramic Tiles. Feldspar in granite
makes it the least water absorbent (0.02-
Hence Granite is the first preference for Kitchen or Bar Counters.
It is often asked, “Why marbles cannot be used for kitchen counter tops?” The answer lies in the composition of marbles. Most marbles have high carbonate contents, which easily react with all acidic material.
8. Why are Limestones and Travertines preferred for family or living room?
Limestones
have the most muted tones and subtle shades and are perfect for today’s comfortable
and casual lifestyles. Generally Limestones carry the soft beiges, tan, yellows and
gold that give a neutral and warm look to the surroundings. Limestones can be processed
with antiquated textures that create a very comfortable ambience. These properties
of limestones make it easy to match or compliment all types of furniture and upholstery.
So when you want to relax and unwind, you would obviously look for the soft tones
and cozy textures of Limestones in your family room.
9. Why is Marble preferred for bathrooms and fireplaces?
Marbles have a very wide
spectrum of colors. People often want the bathrooms to have bold colors and smooth
flowing patterns. This makes marbles visibly the best choice for bathrooms. In general,
Marbles are comparatively less expensive than Granite. Additionally, marbles can
be easily detailed, carved and fabricated to provide traditional and artistic look.
Bathrooms and fireplaces are susceptible to lesser wear and tear, so marbles can be freely used here. Unlike kitchen, bathroom substances have alkaline content to which property treated Marble does not react easily.
10. Why is slate preferred for Patios or Atriums?
Slate is a great combination of
earth tone colors and rustic look. This creates a very comfortable and natural atmosphere
that goes with the exterior landscaping, plants, gardens etc. Another reason for
using slate in patios or atriums is that these are usually open, so dust can settle.
Dust tends to show up easily on polished Granite or Marble. The slip resistance of
Slates makes them the best suited for sue in patios and Atriums, even when they are
wet.
Slates offer a very vivid collage of colors at an extremely low price. The beauty of slate lies in its bold and earthly impressions.
11. Where do Natural Stones come from?
Natural Stones are products of Mother Nature.
They are quarried from the earths crust. They are not man-
12. Why are most stones imported?
Natural Stone knows no political boundaries. The
Natural Stones existed even before man appeared on the face of this planet. The various
Natural Stones that can be economically quarried and processed and shipped are spread
all over the world, from USA to China, from India to Africa and to South America.
Not all the stones can be feasibly quarried and used. Some Natural Stones are too
brittle, while some are too hard. Some look good and some don’t. So only those Natural
Stones that can be quarried economically can be used.
A second aspect to consider here is that labor in USA is very expensive, as compared to other countries. Therefore the cost of processing and importing the material from other countries is more cost effective. Most of the countries around the world have been using stone as a building material since time immemorial. These countries have established good systems for extracting and processing stone. The US, on the other hand has until recent times, used mostly wood for building purposes. So it is often works out more economically viable to import the stones than to generate a supply within the country.
13. What is the quality different in stone from different countries?
As we know, Natural
Stone is a product of Mother Nature, and the stones from different areas do differ
due to the various geographical aspects. The distributions of minerals in nature
are different from place to place and it shows up in the quality and characteristics
of the stones. For example, the mineral Mica might be found more frequently in certain
areas of the Earth, hence we will get bigger shiny crystals than that we can get
from the places where less Mica is found. Some countries may fall in the region which
has more limestone than granite or otherwise. So stone from some countries is good
for one application and not for the other. Basically the Natural Stone qualities
and characteristic differ by Geological configuration and not Geographical boundaries.
14. Why some stones cannot be used for exterior applications?
The biggest reason why
some stones cannot be used outside is that they cannot withstand the weather extremes.
In places where you have weather conditions like snow and rain, or drastic changes
in climate from cold to heat, some stones develop cracks or weather out easily. These
stones cannot be used outside. Another factor to be considered is the slip resistance.
If polished stone was to be used on a walkway, it could become slippery when wet.
Yet another factor in considering the use of stone in exterior applications is how
the color holds. Many green stones lose color when exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet
rays for long periods of time. Additionally, some multicolored slates bleed colors
as a result of a oxidation with water. Therefore it is very important to determine
the suitability of a stone long before using it on exterior applications
Homogenous Composition
Low absorbency, thin light corrugated backing
Acid resistant
Have only one plain finish and practically no edge finishes.
The sizes in ceramics are restricted and patterns are very uniform and geometric.
Unique composition
Differs from category to category
Acid sensitivity varies from stone to stone
Have a whole spectrum of finishes like Polished, Honed, Antiquated, Tumbled, Leather,
Rugged (Split face, River Rough, River Wash, Flamed) and more. Different types of
edges like beveled, bull-
Sizes are not very restricted. Once can extract huge slabs of sizes as large as 125”x75” to small tumbled mosaics of 1”x1”. Random and more natural patterns are found in Natural Stones.
©2006 -
