Since the dawn of our civilization many of the world’s landmarks have used natural stone for interiors and exteriors. Marble and granite provide an expression of quality, taste, grace and elegance to any surrounding. The use of natural stone was made affordable by major advancements throughout the stone industry in the mid 1970’s. What is natural marble and granite? Varied regional chemical compositions of the earth have created many kinds of stone. Extreme temperature or pressure has melted some of the rocks into crystallized structures. The two most popular are marble and granite. Deposits of natural stone (marble, granite, limestone, sandstone etc.) occur all over the world. Each one has it’s own distinctive colors and characteristics. The natural stones used for decorative and construction applications can be separated into three geological categories Sedimentary stones (such as limestone, sandstone, marble, travertine) Volcanic stones (such as granite, basalt, porfido) Metamorphic stones (such as marble, slate, gneiss, quartzite) Natural stone Imitations The two most popular, man-made, imitations of natural stone are stone composites and porcelain: Composites are created by combining crushed stone with resins or cement. When mixed, and dried, the material is cut into shapes. It is not like marble because it does not have the beauty of natural patterns or the texture and the hardness of natural marble and granite. Porcelain tiles are made of a conglomerate of sand and quartz. They are heated in ovens and melted with extreme temperatures. Over many millions of years, natural stone has been compressed to create a substance that is so solid, that you cannot cut or slice it with anything other than the diamond. Each piece of natural stone is unique, with endless patterns. It will never crack, burn, warp, melt or bubble under weather changes or sunlight like most man-made products and synthetics do. Due to modern machinery and production techniques, natural stones, long the hallmark of wealth, are now available at relatively low cost. Uses Sedimentary and metamorphic stones such as Marble Limestone etc., are used for interiors and exteriors. Wall facades, floors, entryways, living rooms, kitchens, vanities, pools and fireplaces. Marble is used anywhere you want to portray a sense of elegance. Classic, modern, residential, commercial, Garden-design or urban-design. Volcanic stones such as granite etc., due to their hardness and durability go with any style and can be used in any application: Traditional, country, contemporary, residential, commercial, garden-design or urban-design. Characteristics No two natural stone pieces are exactly alike. Each one is uniquely beautiful. Colored stones are the result of various minerals and small amounts of staining matter within each stone. Natural marble has the highest appealing variations in color and physical properties. There are at least 1000 varieties of marble, over 300 varieties of granite, 200 varieties of sandstones mined throughout the world. All of them with unique colors and grains. All of them with countless veining, coloring patterns and shades. The colors range from pure white, to creamy white, to the deepest black, blue, brown, green, tan, red, pink and all the colors in between. Because of the wide range of colors and textures, natural stones offer unlimited design possibilities. Different finishes and sizes Natural stones can be cut to size according the customer’s request. Different surface finishes (polished, honed flamed or sanded) give you that great creative flexibility. Marble, Granite, Limestone, sandstone, etc can be used for the interior as well as the exterior of any construction. The common thicknesses are 1cm, 2cm or 3cm for tiles or slabs. Various edge finish details are also available. Care and maintenance Most natural stones are virtually indestructible. Under normal use, your natural stones will never need replacing. The shine is polished right into the stone, so using a damp cloth will keep your stone looking clean and new. When properly sealed, natural stone is practically waterproof. Natural stones should be installed by a qualified tile setter or stone mason. Consult your local natural stone distributor for names of experienced installers.