Q: What natural
stone material will be best for my project?
A: Below are
descriptions and suggested uses for natural stone.
Marble
Ideal for foyers, bathrooms, floors, and hearths
Marble is found in the mountainous regions of Canada,
Italy, Germany, Spain, the U.S., and other countries worldwide.
Because of its beauty and elegance, marble is a popular
choice for countertops, floors, foyers, fireplace facings
and hearths, walls, and windowsills.
Marble adds
a sophisticated element to your home, and its wonderful
appearance, superior engineering characteristics, and
ease of maintenance makes it a natural choice for floors,
wall coverings, table tops, and bathroom walls, floors,
vanity tops, tub decks, and showers.
Another option for marble-loving homeowners
is using another natural stone – serpentine –
for kitchen counters. Sometimes called the "green"
marble, serpentine is not a true marble but offers a marble-like
look. And, because it is magnesium-silicate based, it
is not sensitive to citric acid and other kitchen spills.
Granite
An excellent choice for kitchen countertops, floors, and
other heavily used surfaces
Granite, quarried from the mountains of Italy,
the U.S., India, and dozens of other countries around
the world, is one of the most popular natural stones on
the market.
Available in a striking array of colors,
granite's durability and longevity make it ideal for kitchen
countertops and other heavily used surfaces, including
table tops and floors.
While some synthetic surfaces scratch easily
and melt under hot cookware, granite resists heat. Granite
is also one of the most bacteria-resistant kitchen surfaces,
and it is not affected by citric acid, coffee, tea, alcohol,
or wine. It is also nearly impossible to scratch, and
with proper cleaning, will not stain under normal use
(ask your professional contractor about sealants available
to further improve resistance to staining).
A leading consumer magazine recently compared
granite with engineered stone, ceramic tile, laminate,
butcher block, and other manufactured surfaces. Granite
received the highest overall performance rating as a kitchen
countertop material.
Because of its exceptional strength, granite
is well suited for exterior applications such as cladding,
paving, and curbing.
Travertine,
Limestone, Sandstone & Slate
Beautiful enhancements for your home, inside and out
Travertine, limestone, sandstone, and slate
are other examples of natural stone frequently used in
residential applications.
Travertine is a type of limestone and one
of the most popular natural stones for interior and exterior
wall cladding, interior and exterior paving, statuary,
and curbing.
Limestone is widely used as a building stone
because it is readily available and easy to handle. Popular
applications include countertops, flooring, interior and
exterior wall cladding, and exterior paving.
Slate is a popular flooring material and
sandstone and slate are often used for exterior paving
stones, or pavers. Other sandstone applications include
fireplace facings, chimneys, garden walls, patio benches,
and poolside. Additional slate applications include kitchen
countertops, fireplace facings, tabletops, and roofing. |
