Introduction to Natural Stone

Up to the minute knowledge about stone.

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No floor covering is older than natural stone, more beautiful or more earthy. Natural stone was ancient man and woman’s design element, a primary material of construction and an original medium of creativity.

We know stone and understand well its features, advantages and benefits. We know how it is created and how to integrate it into your home and lifestyle.

Now, We want you to know.

We want you to know all about it, to understand, learn and experience this historic and versatile product so you can decide if it’s the smartest flooring choice for you.

Why design with stone?

Well, for a number of reasons.

It is strong and stable to live with. It exudes a rich, organic, beautiful surface and has a confident, timeless “presence” in any room.

Rub your hand across any product. Can you feel the eons of time it took to produce this natural wonder of Mother Earth?

It’s a fact. The formative process for natural stone began millions of years ago, deep beneath the surface of the earth.

A combination of heat and pressure created blocks, including granite, marble, travertine, limestone, and slate.

As the earth's crust began to grow and erode, it pushed minerals up from its core, forming massive rock deposits, which we refer to as “quarries”.

Walk across a stone floor and tread on the same material quarried and constructed by ancient people of nobility and notoriety.

From ancient monuments like the pyramids in Egypt and the majestic Greek and Roman temples, to the great civilizations of India and China, it has been an important part of architecture throughout history.

It is the world’s oldest building material -- imagine its beauty and elegance in your new home.

How old? In 2500 B.C., Djoser’s Step Pyramid in Egypt, the first structure to be made entirely of it, was constructed using huge blocks of granite and limestone.

Today, quarries are found in many countries throughout the world such as Italy, China, Spain, India, Canada, Mexico and also here in the United States.

Recent advances in the industry’s equipment technology have greatly impacted the process of extracting stone from the quarry and installing it in a home.

Modern tools can accomplish this with such speed and efficiency that it is accessible to all and is beloved for its durability, personality and aesthetics.

Indeed, nothing compares to its beauty, and nothing can create pride quicker than when you walk into your home.

And while it is typically more expensive than ceramic tile, natural stone will virtually always increase your home’s resale value. That’s important to know when shopping.

Today, there is a large selection to choose from, and we will be showing you and explaining about each stone family in detail.

In these sections you can count on learning about granite, the hardest and densest stone, marble, known for its rich, luxurious quality, limestone, a softer, more porous stone, and the popular travertine.

We will also take an informative look at slate and tumbled stone, America’s favorites in rustic settings.

As a side note, you should be aware of a product called Manufactured Stone. (Also called Agglomerate Stone.) It’s a synthetic stone product that can be used for flooring.

We invite you to discover the many wonderful facets and see if it is the right flooring for you.

Graniteis one of the hardest and densest of all natural stone. It also resists staining and scratching better than any other natural stone due to its density.

Granite makes a powerful impact in kitchens, entryways and bathrooms, or as an accent with other natural stone tiles.

Marbleis crystallized limestone that comes in many different color variations and usually displays a veining pattern that adds to its uniqueness.

Marble is more porous than granite, making it more susceptible to staining and therefore is more suitable for your foyers, bathrooms, fireplaces, studies or libraries.

Limestone has a more subtle look and is often offered in a “honed” or matte finish. This stone will require preventative maintenance over time, as it is very porous. As it is a softer and more porous stone it may not be suitable for all areas in the home because it will stain easily.

Travertineis a unique looking stone due to the “fill process”. In its original form, travertine has thousands of holes running through it. These holes are filled and then the stone is polished. However, like limestone, travertine will require you to have preventative maintenance performed over time, due to its porosity.

Slate Slate has some of the most dramatic color variations from tile to tile, from rich reds, oranges and golds, to mauve, lavender, green, blue, black, rust and brown. Slate tile is extremely durable and can be used in indoor and outdoor installations. All slate has a natural clefting along the surface that gives this stone its unique textural look of layers.


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