Star Tile Centre

NATURAL STONE

As the trend in flooring sales continues to shift away from carpet and vinyl to hard surfaces, more and more natural stone is being installed and sold in our region.

Stone is traditionally divided into five basic types: marble, granite, limestone, slate and sandstone. These dimensional stones were formed over millions (even billions) of years and can give a lifetime of beauty to your home or office if properly maintained.

It is imperative that you understand the stone that you are considering for your project to ensure that you properly maintain it. Improperly used chemicals or mechanical processes can shorten the lifetime of your selection if you are not careful. Click here for more stone maintenance recommendations.

Types of stone

Granite comes from igneous rocks, formed slowly, deep underground originally in a molten or semi-molten state. They are relatively hard, dense, with no linear elements in their texture and will generally not react when subjected to an acid.

Sedimentary rocks are how you would classify sandstone and limestone. These stones are formed through the compacting or cementing of grains or pieces of any kind of existing rock material. These existing rocks may have been weathered, transported, deposited and then cemented over millions of years by the movement of the tectonic plates of the earth. From the formation of the continents to an earthquake or volcanic eruption, all of these events may have helped form that limestone you are now considering.

The third kind of rock is metamorphic, formed at extremely high pressures and temperatures below melting (non-molten). These are the rocks that will form marble and slate. The presence of swirls, linear patterns or banding is a key characteristic of these kinds of stones. Slate is considered a layered metamorphic rock that cleaves in flat almost smooth pieces. Marble is metamorphic limestone that loses the fossils and other features during the re-crystallization that occurs in the metamorphosis.

The different colours in stone come primarily form the types of minerals found in their composition. The lustre, hardness, surface type and colour are all indications of the stone's mineral content. The kind of stone, coupled with its mineral content, give the stone its unique beauty and behavioural characteristics. Learning some basics of stone formation, mineral content and behaviour is important to understanding the variation in colours you can expect and the maintenance required of your selection.

Use of Stone

Stone can be used both residentially and commercially, on floor surfaces as well as tubs, showers, fireplaces, decorative walls, kitchen countertops, backsplashes, window recesses - virtually anywhere. It makes a fabulous entrance, a durable counter solution, elegant columns, luxurious baths and can be manufactured with numerous edge treatments for the perfect finishing detailing. It is imperative that it be properly installed by a qualified stone artisan and maintained with stone specific cleaners and good quality penetrating sealers. For example for a stone floor, it is not recommended to use a topical floor sealer (waxes, acrylic or polyurethane finishes); these products do not allow the stone to breathe, can scratch and peel and will show scuff marks and need to be buffed and reapplied on a regular basis.

Quality of Stone

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Stone is traditionally sorted into levels of quality. Some manufacturers will call their most sorted grade A or select which usually represents a more consistent variation in colour, fewer mineral deposits and very little filler in the stone. Lower grades or less sorted products (sometimes called common) will have a wider colour range, reflect Mother Nature's total mineral make-up, and often have considerable fill where the stone 'opens up' during the polishing process. Though none of these variations will necessarily affect the long term wear of your selection, it is valuable to know what you can expect from the finished product rather than the one or two pieces you are selecting from. You can expect to pay more for higher quality stone.

When choosing slabs, it is highly recommended to actually go the stone importer to select your pieces so that you fully understand the extent of variation or graining in your final investment. (Star Tile will make an appointment for you to view and select your personal slab of granite or marble). You will be living with your new stone selection for many years so be sure to take the time in the planning process to fully understand the product and what to anticipate. It is not unusual to feel slightly different textures to the stone due to its natural composition. Some mineral deposits do not polish to the same level and texture as others. It is not unusual to have highly varied colouring in many stones. It reflects the many types of rock and elements that went into its formation.

Today there are many finishes available - polished, honed, brushed, tumbled and abrasive. The different levels of polishing will give the stone variations in appearance, slip resistance, ease of maintenance and porosity. Be sure to discuss where you are considering putting the stone with our salespeople so they can recommend the right finish for your application.