1. THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING NATURAL STONES

  • We are pleased to know that you are looking into natural stone materials, and strongly believe that you will make a great decision by choosing to use it in your next project.
  • Natural stones are unique, not one stone is exactly like the other. They are a good investment, as they can last a lifetime, and they are easy to care for. They come in a variety of colors, with different finishes.
  • Natural stones are not manufactured. They are a product that comes from nature. They are quarried materials, which means that the blocks are extracted out of a quarry, cut into slabs, their surfaced polished, and they need to be further fabricated into any project the consumer might have for it. Not only each slab is unique, but also each block is different from the other. Therefore, regardless of the natural stone classification (granite, marble, calcite, quartzite) the mineral composition, substance, and overall function of it, will vary from piece to piece.
  • The harder the stone, the less likely to scratch, but it can still be scratched nonetheless. There are no guarantees, express, implied or otherwise on any natural stones as far as among other things, fitness, slipperiness, wear-resistance or maintenance procedures.
  • Please note that all Natural Stones are porous, no exceptions, some stones are less porous than others, but they are all rocks that come from the ground, therefore they are porous. There are numerous of different sealers to help making the natural stones less porous. A Spazio Marble representative can help you find the right sealer to protect your investment.
  • Due to its unique characteristic, a sample will never represent the full concept of the entire slab, neither will contain all the colors present on the entire piece. A sample is good to show the general concept of the stone as far as to color and finish.
  • No claim will be accepted after material has started to be fabricated or installed.

2.There are different types of natural stones that may be better suited to certain types of projects:

There are no exact rules as far as to where you can use a certain type of stone, but certain materials might be better suited to a certain project and it may not be the best option for another. Your contractor, designer, and fabricator can help you to make the best decision for your project.

3. Stone finish:

Natural Stone can come in different finishes like polished, honed, and leathered. Your contractor or fabricator can instruct you if the finish you selected is a good option for your project.

4. Stone is imperfect:

As you may notice around the world, on those beautiful and historical cities, many of the most antique buildings and structures are made out of natural stones. Therefore is safe to say that natural stones are the most durable and upstanding material available and better than most manmade products as far as to enduringness. Nevertheless, natural stones carries characteristics that many considers imperfections. Although natural stone possesses so-called irregularities and imperfections, experts considers those what makes natural stones so beautiful and unique. Deep veining, color variation, small blemishes, are part of the natural stone essence, it is part of the stone formation throughout millions of years while in the ground. If you are looking for a uniform, consistent material, your better option will be the manmade (engineerd) materials.

5. Inspect your natural stone before you buy it:

We have previously spoken about what some consider being imperfections to the stone. To avoid unexpected imperfections to your stone at the time of installation, please be sure to inspect the natural stone slab you are purchasing, to make sure it does not contain anything you may consider an imperfection such as a deep vein, lines, blemishes, and any other characteristic you may not like on your project.

6. Hire a qualified professional:

Fabrication and installation of natural stones require skills, the right tools and equipment. You can buy the most beautiful and high quality material, but if you hire someone who is not a professional, with experience, and knowledge on fabrication, and installation of natural stones, your stone can be damaged by not properly handled. Do some research before hiring a fabricator/installer to do your project.

7. Protect your stone:

All natural stones are porous, no exceptions. Some stones are less porous than the other, but they all come from the ground, from mountains. Therefore, they are porous, they can absorb any liquid and it may stain. Additionally, acid chemicals, food and liquids can remove the shine of a natural stone as well as discolor the natural stone surface. There are great sealers and products available to help you maintain your natural stone. A Spazio professional sales rep can assist you.

8. Maintenance:

If not properly cared for, natural stone can stain, scratch or damage. From time to time, you may want to contact a Company that refinishes and restore natural stones. They might be able to remove scratches, stains or some damages to the natural stone and restore it to its original finish. It is also recommended that you hire such professionals to reseal your natural stone after a few years of use. Please consider using our top of the line sealers and cleaners. To find out more, please ask one of our professional sales reps for more information.

9. What you should know about spills:

  • Sealers are a great way to protect your stone and gives you some time to wipe off a spill, when it occurs, but they will not stop a chemical reaction that might occur from a very acid food or liquid. In such cases, the reaction may leave a dull mark in your stone.
  • Also please note that using a cleaner that is not specifically made for cleaning natural stones, may degrade or even completely remove your sealer, making your natural stone more vulnerable to stains of all kinds.
  • Here are some simple tips that you can follow to help you avoid damages to your natural stone:

– Clean your natural stone with ammonia free soap and water, or proper natural stone cleaners.

– Do not use vinegar, bleach, ammonia, acid based cleaners, abrasive cleaners, or any other cleaner that contains any of those ingredients.

– Do not use any alkaline cleaners that are not specifically made for cleaning natural stones.

– Wipe off any spills immediately to avoid permanent damages to your natural stone, no matter what kind of natural stone you have. Keep your natural stone always clean.

– Use coasters under your glass, and mats under any hot dishes or cookware, as well as to any object that can scratch or damage your natural stone surface.

10. About Natural Stones:

  • Natural stones are classified into siliceous or calcareous. Siliceous stones are primarily composed with silica or quartz-like particles, while calcareous stones are primarily composed of calcium carbonate.
  • Granite, quartzite, slate, and sandstones are classified as siliceous stones, while marble, travertine, limestone, onyx, and calcite, are classified as calcareous stones.
  • Just because a stone is classified as siliceous, does not mean that it does not have calcium carbonate in it, it only means that is has more silica or quartz-like particles in it. The same goes to calcareous stones.
  • Spazio provides no warranties, guarantees, expressed or implied, for among other things fitness, propose, slipperiness, wear-resistance or maintenance procedures.