Natural Stone Tiles the Confusion Surrounding Sealing

 

Natural Stone Tiles the Confusion Surrounding Sealing

By Frederick M. Hueston, StoneForensics.com

 

There would seem based my own experience that there is a lot of confusion amongst the general public and some builders as to what sealing natural stone actually means.

When we talk about sealing a surface we normally mean that an impenetrable barrier is painted on or applied in some way. For example, tiled floors are often sealed to give them added protection and make them shine. To do this a series of coats of emulsion polish are applied to the surface and allowed to dry. This seals the floor and gives it protection. Other surfaces such as wood are often sealed with a coating of a polyurethane product. This adds strength to the surface and protects it. Many other normally porous surfaces can be sealed with a layer that sits on the surface acting as a barrier to penetrative agents and gives protection also.

The sealing of natural stone such as marble, granite, limestone and slate is very different. Natural stone is made up of crystals that interlock together. The actual minerals that are present as crystals in the stone give it its color and striations. However, there are spaces between the crystal and the smaller these spaces are and the more the crystals have been compacted together the less porous the stone is. So, these spaces will determine the porosity of the stone. A combination of pore size and mineral content of the stone will also determine its hardness and thus its durability. These spaces in the stone are air filled when the stone is dry and water filled when the stone is wet. Bacteria inhabit these spaces, and these are often vital for the maintenance of the stone. Very little research has been carried out into these bacteria but what has been done would suggest that they are essential in maintaining the integrity of the stone.

Consequently, we have the picture of stone as quite a complex mix of minerals, bacteria and spaces. You must imagine the stone to be something akin to a very hard sponge! If you drop a liquid onto the stone it will be absorbed and spread through the spaces. This is why what initially looked like a small spillage can end up as quite a large stain in the stone. To remove the stain it has to be flushed out of these spaces. All a stone sealer does it fill up these spaces. Many of the stone sealants in use are based on fatty acids rather than synthetic sealants. These natural sealants are better because they do not destroy the bacteria but often enhance them. Synthetic sealants will destroy these bacteria that has longer-term consequences on the stones makeup. Sealants based on fat however have a shorter lifespan and must be renewed periodically.

Whatever sealant is used it simply fills up the spaces between the crystals it does not cover the surface of the stone. Its purpose is simply to delay the penetration of liquids into the stone. So if corrosive materials get onto the stone then it will be damaged. Stone sealants do not form a protective seal on the surface of the stone. Consequently stone is only protected from absorbing liquids. It is not protected from surface damage.

 

Materials for Kitchen Backsplash Designs

 

Materials for Kitchen Backsplash Designs

By Frederick M. Hueston   StoneForensics.com

 

Your kitchen backsplash can accent your kitchen and it can be both functional as well as beautiful since it can be crafted from such easy to clean materials as ceramic and stainless steel which are two of the most popular types of kitchen backsplashes.. Whether you are changing the look of the backsplash or adding one this can be a quick and easy way to brighten up an existing kitchen

When selecting a backsplash, it is important to have it match the fixtures in your kitchen, but not the appliances, since they will change over time. The fixtures however are more permanent items in the kitchen.

The most popular materials for kitchen backsplashes are ceramic or porcelain tiles, natural stone tiles, glass or metal tiles, and faux painting or wall paper.

Kitchen Backsplash Materials to Consider

When you are creating a kitchen backsplash consider these materials:

Ceramic or porcelain tiles
Natural stone tiles
Glass tiles
Metal tiles
Faux painting or durable wall paper
Stainless Steel

Tile Backsplashes

The nice thing about using tile as a backsplash is that it comes is a huge variety of sizes, colors, textures and shapes. It is even possible to have custom painted tiles to match any theme of design. In addition, a tile backsplash can be easy to install, as well as easy to clean. Many design experts say that you should consider keeping it simple by choosing the same tile for your kitchen backsplash as you have chosen for the floor – just in a smaller size.

Natural Stone Tiles

The most popular natural stone tiles are marble and granite. Of the natural stones marble captures more detail than granite and since it is a softer stone it is good for applications like kitchen backsplashes.

Metal Tiles

This material can work very well for use in country kitchen style backsplashes. The tiles can be installed as the entire surface from counter to the bottom of the cabinets. Brushed aluminum tiles are good for modern or 1950’s retro design kitchens. Metal tiles should match the color of the faucets and lighting.

Glass Tiles

A new design trend in kitchen backsplashes is glass. Textured glass tiles are usually installed between the cabinets and counters. Glass is easy to clean and scratch resistant.

Wallpapering Kitchen Backsplashes

Wallpapering kitchen backslashes can dress up a kitchen with very little work especially with pre-pasted wallpaper this will be a lot easier to apply. You will find that with a small area for the backsplash the job shouldn’t take very much time to complete. Just make sure that you choose wallpaper that is washable so that spattering from cooking and splashes can be removed.

Stainless Steel Kitchen Backsplashes

Stainless steel backsplashes are coming back in style because they can create a modern streamlined look to your kitchen. These types of kitchen backsplashes are able to blend in well with stainless steel kitchen appliances like the stove, refrigerator and dishwasher. Other advantages to stainless steel kitchen backsplashes include being easy to clean and durability.

 

Advantages of Kitchen Granite Countertops

 

Advantages of Kitchen Granite Countertops

By Frederick M. Hueston, StoneForensics.com

 

Kitchen granite countertops are created by nature and fashioned by man are a beautiful, durable and cost-effective choice for kitchens and baths. The term granite comes from the Latin root word granum, which means “grain.”

Granite is often imported from Europe, Africa, Brazil, and other regions of the world rich in natural stone. Granite is an attractive natural stone that will add color and warmth to your kitchen. Granite is an extremely hard material that will not blister, scratch or crack.
The hardness of granite is rivaled only be the hardness of diamonds. In fact, diamonds are used to cut and polish granite.

Over the last 10 years kitchen granite countertops have become popular with homeowners, after first being popular with designers for decades. Granite is available in hundreds of colors, from various shades of white to browns, reds, greens, blues, and black. The most popular tones are brown and beige.

As well as being hard kitchen granite countertops can take hot items, like pots and pans, and is very stain resistant to hot grease and oil if it is sealed with a good quality impregnator. It can easily be cleaned and cut for a basin. Granite has a cool polished surface that makes it an excellent surface for rolling out pastry dough. The polished finish of granite will not wear off easily.

Kitchen granite countertops are unique because no two pieces of granite are exactly the same, therefore granite provides an interesting design element and adds certain richness and texture to your kitchen not found in other surfaces. Kitchen granite countertops can create a brilliance and elegance that is only found in nature. Granite adds a personality and character to kitchen countertops that is unsurpassed. Kitchen granite countertops have a natural beauty that can complement any tone of wood or style of cabinets.

It does not matter if you are planning a new home or remodeling an existing kitchen, with granite kitchen countertops you can be sure that you will add to value of your home.

Kitchen remodelers and home builders have experienced a boom in the demand for kitchen granite countertops. Although it can be more expensive to put in granite countertops, they remain the odds-on favorite choice for more upscale homes, since they keep their value better than most home improvements

The investment you make in kitchen granite countertops should pay you back at least three times what you invested. If you are selling your home, you will find that home buyers wanting kitchen granite countertops will be willing to pay more for your home than if you have ceramic tile or plastic laminate.

Planning out your kitchen granite countertop first involves selecting the right granite color. You should concentrate on the most popular colors. Even though granite tones are usually neutral, you may find that a certain color goes well for your kitchen design.

If you are replacing the old countertop material in your kitchen with granite, carefully diagram all the measurements for the granite installer. If installing new cabinets is part of your kitchen remodel, ask the granite fabricator what they recommend for cabinetry.

Since you are using such a superior product as granite, you should think about the right type of sink to go with your new kitchen granite countertop. You should definitely consider going with an undermount stainless steel sink, as opposed to an overmount sink that would be difficult to clean around.

In addition to getting the right kind of sink installed, it is also important to select the just the right faucet to go with the sink. A stainless-steel faucet would go well with the looks of a rich kitchen granite countertop.

The next important area is upgrading your cabinet hardware. The handles and knobs should also be of high quality to provide good accent to the overall look of the kitchen. Even if you are not replacing the cabinetry having high quality hardware with make those cabinets and the whole kitchen stand out.

So, in planning your kitchen remodeling, just remember that kitchen granite countertops will make a provide a world-class addition and increase the re-sale value of your home.

 

Marble is a Glittering Stone

 

Marble is a Glittering Stone

By Frederick M. Hueston, StoneForensics.com

 

Marble’s name speaks for itself (marmaros, Gr. – glittering stone). During several thousand years it has preserved the right to be considered a decoration material, shiny in every way. Artists noticed that it is a unique material for sculpture as long ago as ancient times. The Venus of Milo, Parthenon, Zeus of Olympus temple, columns of Artemis temple in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, were created of soft white marble.

Owing to moderate hardness, this stone is polished perfectly well, and gives soft glitter coming from the inside. Under the rays of light penetrating into the stone, marble comes to life – light shining aureole appears around it. It glitters with pink, yellow, grey, blue, greenish, reddish, brown, black tones and amazes with their various combinations. Colored marble usually has many “stone veins”, which are splits filled with natural admixtures. On the shears of Verona, Fossile Marrone, Jura, Rosso marble, an attentive eye will distinguish shapes of ancient shellfish, corals, petrified algae, shells. Some types of marble having quartz and pyrite admixtures glitter with crystal and golden tinges.

Variety in texture and color (from deep black to milkwhite, which, by the way, was worshipped by Michelangelo) allows to make the brightest ideas come true. Subject to chosen colors, the “stone” interior can be warm or cold, massive or airy, luxurious or simple, dark or light.

Marble processing.
Most of the stone working companies produce marble flag of standard size: 300 x 300, 305 x 305, 400 x 400, 600 x 300 mm. Thickness varies from 10-20mm and more, subject to purpose. Considering tile texture, there are not too many ways of marble surface treatment: polishing, grinding, bush-hammering, artificial ageing.

Polishing and grinding emphasize the natural beauty of the stone. Bush-hammering adds useful antiskid lines to the material. “Antique” becomes more and more popular being preferred by lovers of the antique in general and interior antique stylization. It is believed that the natural ageing imitation (artificial weathering) creates a special atmosphere of softness and warmness. Weathered marble is widely used for floor tiling in modern restaurants and saloons: with its help the designers try to add an air of authenticity to the interior. Artificially imitating this natural phenomenon one can get different degrees of ageing. This effect is achieved through special surface treatment technology, which may include mechanical (including manual) and chemical influence. For example, for producing tabletops, wall and floor decoration, stone mosaics is often used. It is put into a special barrel where stones rub themselves against one another acquiring rounded shapes.

Marble application.
This decoration material is applied for inner and outer decoration. Floors, walls, staircases, fireplaces, columns, tabletops, kitchen worktops, lamps, decorated with marble always look wonderful.

Marble properties.
Marble is lasting, firm, weather-resistant. Nevertheless, with all its firmness it remains a soft absorbing material. As is known, marble and shale are carbonate sediments that are vulnerable to acid, coloring agents, thermal impact. Marble surface should be protected from thermal impact – a cup of hot tee or coffee may turn out fatal for a tabletop. It is possible to make stairs or floor surface of marble, but one should prevent a possibility of dropping of such abrasive particles as sand on a marble surface, as they will scratch the stone.

Choosing a marble for wet premises one should remember that a long-during contact with water changes marble’s color. The reason of it is oxidation of ferruginous mineral admixtures. Nevertheless, this material is more preferable for bathrooms than granite, as its structure is more porous, which provides better binding.

It is important to make the right choice of binder material for marble laying. Using cement grout or adhesive leads in some period to appearance of irremovable spots on the marble surface – absorbed saline and coloring additives. That is why it is recommended to apply special adhesive solution and plaster. If you take into account these nuances and pay attention to them in future, then not only you, but also your children and grandchildren will be able to admire the stone beauty.

Marble treatment.
As to operations characteristics, marble is practically eternal. However, it needs care and protection from aggressive environment – dust, water, salt, sand and acid. Thereto special agents are used: reinforcers, polishes, stone impregnations, cleaning solutions, mastic and even beeswax.

It concerns first of all polished floors. The main enemy of the polished surface is dirt, that is why it is necessary to take care of multistage protection system and regular surface cleaning. Wax protection coating improves decorative appearance of the stone, protects it and allows to wash the stone surface with water. For unprotected stone floors there also exist special substances that clean the dirt and at the same time create a protective film. Besides that, compositions reducing sliding even on the wet stone surface have been developed.

If stone faults are so strong, that wax preparations do not help anymore radical agents are applied – grinding with subsequent polishing. Stone surface regrinding and repolishing is carried out with the help of special equipment. Consequently the stone gains original appearance.

Prices for marble.
The times, when only rich could afford decorating their houses with marble, have gone. Technical producing and treatment methods have reduced the cost price and the marble has turned from object of luxury to one of the available goods.

The main suppliers of the “glittering stone” are Italy, Greece, Turkey. China has recently become another active marble supplier. The stone quality does not depend on the place of origin. Environment, producing and treatment technology are much more important. On the other hand, origin influences its price as it includes value of labor, custom duties and transporting costs.

When buying marble facing slabs, it is necessary to pay attention to size and quality of the surface. For slabs with polished and grinded first-class surface finish visible faults are unacceptable. The second class may have some defects: not more than two or three small defects of the corners and chips on the edges. Colored first and second class marble intended for inner decoration may have one non-through crack of tectonic origin.

It is necessary to take into account the existence of difficult for color selection marble and practically homogeneous stones. Difference in slab color is a distinctive feature of natural material. That is why the buyer should specify the level of possible color divergence beforehand and check the maximum quantity of specimen.

Standard polished ten millimeter facing slab costs from 8 to 40 pounds per m2. The main influential parameters are originality, shape, color, firmness, type of treatment. Unique stone may excel the base line in price considerably. An increase in slab thickness advances the price greatly.

Marble is a noble material: right selection, competent laying, follow-through experts’ recommendations will return a hundredfold. Everyone dealing with marble will agree with Michelangelo’s words: “Marble is a soul of the universe, the purest substance, created by god: it’s not simply a god’s symbol, but reflection of his image, god’s means to reveal himself. Only with the hands of god could this noble beauty have been created”.

 

 

Landscaping Stone Designs That May Make the House Look it’s Best

 

Landscaping Stone Designs That May Make the House Look it’s Best

By Frederick M. Hueston, StoneForensics.com

 

Landscaping Stone Designs That May Make the House Look it’s Best

When you own a home, you want the exterior to appear just as good as the inside. This is why you notice lots of people on the weekends planting tons of plants and trying their best to create their yards appear amazing. However, the only problem is the fact that plenty of the good ideas for landscaping have previously been performed. Obviously, there is one thing that people used to forget about whenever it comes to landscaping, and it actually is one of the great things to work with, and that is stone. Landscaping stone ideas can, not only provide your yard a look all of its own, however at the same time, it will give your yard a fresh feel. There are so lots of various things that you can do with stone, it’s curious that more people do not utilize it. The possibilities are endless, and that stone is a best method to create every yard different.

To start with, you have to understand that stones, not only make an ideal walk way, but they create a good patio. Whenever people are using stones around their house, the main thing that they always do is utilize it for a walkway. Sure it’s a good idea, but it’s been played out to death. It’s time to come up with a fresh idea. Rather than just using it for a pathway, utilize it to build the ground of your patio. They make very flat stones that are perfect to be used as a floor. This will furnish your patio a very classy, yet, very outdoor feel. Another plan you may want to consider about using is using the stones to create levels to your floors. What you do is put down stones to build a wall (not a big wall, but a small one). Then behind the wall you fill it by dirt. Then you set your flowers. Behind those flowers you craft one more wall, but this time you build it a bit bigger. Then you fill that with dirt, and you repeat as several times as you desire.

The finest idea for stones, however, is to apply them when making a pond in your plot. This is simple to do, and just about anybody can perform it over the course of just one weekend. Not only that, but the stones around it are going to give it an incredible look. If you add a little pump to the pond to create the pond have moving water, then it will keep things like mosquitoes out of it. There is no end to the number of things that you can do with stones in your backyard. The great news is that most of it can be completed in a day, and stones (for the most part) do no cost that much to work with.

 

Soapstone Countertops Decidedly Magnificent

 

Soapstone Countertops Decidedly Magnificent

By Frederick M. Hueston, StoneForensics.com

 

Soapstone countertops may be just the thing you’re looking for in a decorators dream of a kitchen! Not only do these type countertops look wonderful, they’re also one of the most durable and maintenance-free countertops you can choose. Read on to find out more about soapstone countertops and what makes them so wonderfully appealing.

The mineral used to make soapstone countertops, steatite, comes from metamorphic rock. This non-porous material offers an ideal medium for applications such as kitchen countertops because it does not absorb liquids. Unlike other materials often used for kitchen countertops, including granite, soapstone countertops do not stain because of this unusual characteristic.

Another exceptional quality about soapstone countertops lies in its unique thermal properties. Nearly heatproof, placing a hot pot or pan directly from the stovetop or oven on it causes no damage whatsoever. Because of its excellent ability to withstand heat, this mineral is used not only in soapstone countertops, but also in a number of other applications including laboratory counters, oven interiors, grills, and many more.

One of the most remarkable and attractive properties of soapstone countertops stems from its upkeep. Maintaining soapstone countertops means nothing more than regularly applying mineral oil to it with a rag. By keeping the same rag sealed in a zip-locked plastic bag and reusing it, one maintains the beauty and luster of soapstone countertops indefinitely. The oiling of soapstone countertops also creates the added benefit of it darkening over time to a dark gray and eventually to a rich, deep black color. Sometimes soapstone countertops develop deep green markings that come from natural-occurring shadings of the stone.

Scratches or marring inevitably occurs in soapstone countertops that receive heavy use. To remedy this, first sand with 120-grit sandpaper, then go over the mark with 220-grit sandpaper and water. Rub mineral oil into the area, wait a few hours and apply more mineral oil. Continue to apply mineral oil over the course of several days until the soapstone that has been repaired matches its surrounding areas.

Now that you know more about soapstone countertops, why not do some research yourself? You may find this unusually appropriate material just the thing for which you’ve been looking in a kitchen countertop. You’ll never know, though, till you check it out. The wave of the future in kitchen design may very well be soapstone countertops. Don’t miss out!

 

Countertops 101 Deciding on Your Kitchen Countertop Materials

 

Countertops 101 Deciding on Your Kitchen Countertop Materials

By Frederick M. Hueston, StoneForensics.com

 

For many, their kitchen is the most important room in their house. And most real estate experts agree that the best way to improve or raise the property value of a house is to remodel the kitchen. The four major components of a kitchen remodel usually involve replacing the major appliances, installing new floors, replacing or re-facing the kitchen cabinets, and installing a new countertop. Let’s focus on that final component replacing your current kitchen countertop material with a new one.

Naturally, it involves more than just running off to the store to pick out a new countertop for your kitchen. You will first need to consider how much you want to spend. You also need to think about how much time and effort you’ll need to spend to maintain your new countertop. Finally, you’ll want to seriously consider the style and look you want in your kitchen. Whatever type of countertop you install, it will be the focal point of the entire room.

The very first type of countertop that pops into the mind of every anxious kitchen renovator is granite. However, there are many countertop materials to choose from and granite is only one of them. These days, a kitchen remodeling hopeful can select tile, stone, acrylic, concrete, stainless steel, and laminate, even wood!

GRANITE
Let’s start with the most popular: granite. Granite countertops are the most popular but also the most expensive. Why? Besides the beautiful surface, granite is extremely heat and scratch resistant. A granite countertop is exceptionally durable and will last a long time. A granite countertop will never go out of style and granite slab installation will greatly increase the value of the house. The drawbacks? Other than the expense, granite is a natural stone and it is porous. A sealer will be required to prevent staining. One alternative is to use granite tiles in place of a massive slab. The cost savings on the tiles is high. It is important to not use the granite surface as a cutting board as it will dull the finish (and ruin a knife or two.)

OTHER NATURAL STONES
Besides granite, there are other various stone surfaces that can be used on kitchen counters. Quartzite, marble, limestone, soapstone, and slate surfaces are very popular today. Marble is smooth and cool, perfect for food preparations directly on the surface. Its not as durable as granite and requires more sealing maintenance to protect from staining. Slate is very durable and has such a unique surface that it can really stand out in a kitchen. As slate has been used as a roofing material, it doesn’t require as much sealing protection, but some upkeep is still needed. Limestone is very porous, and spills must be treated quickly to prevent staining. It has a natural, weathered look that can deepen and darken over time. Natural quartzite has a look similar to slate but does not stain or scratch as easily. Engineered quartz has been gaining popularity as well, but the costs are considerably more (engineered materials are a quartz composite product mixed with epoxy, polymers, and small stones or pebbles for a unique look and feel.)

TILE
Glazed ceramic and porcelain tile has been popular in kitchens for decades. It comes in a huge variety of colors, shapes, and designs. The tiles can be a small as a square inch and as large as six square inches. The tiles are durable and also have some of the same heat and scratch resistance qualities as granite. The porcelain tiles are usually more expensive than the ceramic tiles, but the porcelain tiles are more durable and the hardest fired type of tiles. Drawbacks of tile? It can chip easily, more expensive than laminate alternatives, and the grout can be an issue. When putting the tiles together, there are grout lines between each of them and grout can stain very easily. It will require a lot more maintenance to keep it looking good. Because of the grout issues, the ability for the tiles to break and chip easily, and the overall cost, it is best to leave the installation work to a professional.

CONCRETE
Concrete is not only for sidewalks or driveways. A concrete countertop is pigmented and can be polished into a smooth and shiny surface that can resemble any natural stone. The counters can be molded in a factory or cast on site. Concrete is rather porous and needs to be regularly sealed, similar to granite, to resist stains. It can be made into any shape and have any thickness. Concrete is also heat and scratch resistant. The counters can be made in a variety of colors and textures. Drawbacks on concrete? The sealer that is required is not the only protection needed. The sealer needs to be waxed every one to three months to prevent stain and water damage, so maintenance can be extensive. You cannot cut on the concrete surface without leaving marks. Concrete is also very expensive.

STAINLESS STEEL
A restaurant would probably be the first thing one would think of when it comes to a stainless-steel kitchen counter. But there is a reason most restaurants use this material. Durability, stain and water resistance, low maintenance, a myriad of size and shape choices are just a few of those reasons. It’s also very easy to clean and you can put a hot plate or pan on the surface without worry of damaging it. Drawback many don’t like the industrial look of it. It can be rather expensive to have made. Cutting on it can leave marks and it can be easy to dent. It’s important to make sure the surface is at least 18 gauge and has eight to ten percent nickel in it.

WOOD
Sometimes called Butcher Block Countertops, a wood counter is usually made from strips of maple or oak that has been glued together. But just about any hardwood can be made into countertops. Bamboo countertops are the latest trend! Wood counter material has a warm, beautiful look that can come in a variety of shades and textures. It’s perfect for people who want to cut directly on the surface of their counter. It can be sanded and resealed in the event of any deep cuts, scratches or stains. It can be easy to install and the prices are reasonable. Drawbacks? Wood is not very hard and can easily burn, scratch, or dent. The wood can warp or turn black near sinks from regular water contact. And it requires regular sealing.

LAMINATE
Formica is the most common name for laminate counters. Its made of a thin layer of plastic glued to particleboard or wood. Plastic laminate counters are very inexpensive, lightweight, and available in an endless supply of colors and patterns. It is very stain-resistant and, as a plastic material, it is easy to clean. Because it comes pre-formed, it can be easy for a do-it-yourselfer to install. Drawbacks to Formica? While these counters are somewhat durable, they do not last forever. Laminates are not heat or scratch resistant, but they are stain resistant. Abrasive cleaners can dull and scratch the surface. Warping or water spots occur with excessive exposure to moisture. The color or pattern can fade with time.

ACRYLLIC/SOLID SURFACE
Solid surface counters are manufactured tops that are custom-made for any application. Popular companies include Corian, Avonite, and Swanstone. These surfaces are durable, water resistant, easy to clean, non-porous, and are even resistant to mold and bacteria. And nicks or scratches can be sanded away. Drawbacks include problems handling hot pans on the surface, high expense, and the excessive weight requires a good strong cabinet base (similar to natural stone.) Some do not like the plastic or fake look of the material, but the material does have a wide range of colors to choose from.

Replacing the kitchen countertops is only one step in your goal to renovate the kitchen, but it is considered the biggest step by many. You can really make a statement about your kitchen and your home with the right selection of countertop material. Of course, once you take care of those worn out counters that came with the home, it will really make those old cabinets, flooring, and appliances stand out! Its all just part of the process of increasing the value of your property.