However, in the vast majority of  times a natural stone never pretends to be something it isn’t, ie an un-natural product, one made by man.

Why is it then that virtually all the man made, concrete (or otherwise) products in the construction industry that are copying Natural Stone also call themselves something very close to or imitating stone names. Names like Portland; Bath; York and Yorkshire as well as a host of ‘abxyz stone’ that is in fact concrete. It is often the case that the, shall we say ‘confusion’,(I am being polite !) arises more from what is not said in an article or description than what is said. A well known concrete paving supplier says ‘Aesthetically pleasing newly quarried Yorkstone look that blends well in almost any setting’. Looking deeper we see that if you look hard there is a clue….. ‘Cast from genuine split stone flags with mason fettled edges reminiscent of newly quarried Yorkstone.’ What does all this mean? Is it concrete or is it stone? I will leave you to make your own mind up. But clear it certainly isn’t.

Should there be more clarity in the law as to what constitutes miss-selling or deception? Or am I being ridiculous in expecting advertising to be clear? The Stone Federation is wrestling with this same dilemma and will I hope be taking a more direct approach to this subject in the next couple of years.

Natural limestone, granite, and sandstones are some of the many natural stones used for architectural building, paving and masonry. They are most common types of stone used by industrial companies in building homes and infrastructures. They are not only used in the manufacture and structure of a building but they are also used a lot in landscaping gardens and parks.

Natural Limestones are highly durable and are usually obtained through quarrying the stone. It is a sedimentary rock which is highly composed of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are differing crystal forms of calcium carbonate. It’s harmonious seamless appearance makes it ideal for paving. But being a heavy material, natural limestone is impractical for use in large buildings and is highly expensive as a building material.

Granite is an igneous rock,  which has a medium to coarse-grained texture, and is sometimes known by the larger ‘crystals’ that are embedded in its structure. It is hard and tough, and is widely used for construction. It is formed from magma and sits in the Earth’s crust. Due to the depth at which it lies it can only be extracted through mining and quarrying.

Sandstones is a clastic sedimentary rock which is made of mainly sand sized minerals or rock grains. It is composed of feldspar and quartz, as these are the most common minerals found within the Earth’s crust. It can be found in many colours but it most commonly ranges from tan, red and brown. Because of its hardness  durability, sandstone serves as a common material for building and paving.

Natural stones play a very important part of everyday life, providing homes and habitats not only for the human race, it helps to build and develop society whilst providing many livelihoods through its use.

Natural stone comes is a wide array of styles, colours, and compositions. They offer durability yet require low maintenance. Natural stone also varies in texture. Even though many would expect natural stone to be coarse and rough, some natural stone is smooth and shaped, showing how it can be used for things that were not originally thought of.

The use of natural stone as building material also reduces the emission of carbon dioxide, during its life. This is due to the the only energy that is used on the stone is when the quarrying and processing takes place. Also as the visual appearance of any natural stone building remains almost unchanged over a decade it lowers the cost of maintenance dramatically.

Natural stones cannot be compared to any other man-made stone (I hesitate to call it man-made stone as nature will get upset) even though man-made stones can be finer and smoother. Manufacturers have tried over and over to make stone to the effects of natural stone, but with no success. Yes, they could produce products which are very similar and just as good but it is not ‘real’ stone and should not be confused with or called ‘natural’ stone.

Having natural stone flooring is popular and it can be bought in rough or ‘shiny’ texture. However more people stay away from shiny flooring because it can easily get scratched and quick start to look worn down. However, to have a more aged looking floor, which could be harder wearing, natural limestone or sandstone (which is one of the most in demand types of natural stone) could be used. And if you want them ageing they can be brushed or sandblasted.

Natural stone is a sustainable material and is the best choice of building material for everyone.  It will last a lifetime.

Natural Stone comes in different types, colours, shapes, textures and composition. It varies dependent on where it originates and its composition and characteristics. Granite, limestone, sandstone and slate are the most common natural stones that are utilized and incorporated inside and outside of the house. They differ in their durability, colour, pattern as well as of texture. These natural stones could be used for centuries to create beautiful roofs, floors and walls. Below are some types of natural stone, classification and purpose.

Sandstone is rock mainly composed of sand sized rocks or grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth’s crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow, red, grey and white. Since sandstone beds often form highly visible cliffs and other topographic features, certain colours of sandstone have been strongly identified with certain regions. Many sandstones are resistant to weathering and this makes sandstone a common building and paving material. The cement in sandstone may be rich in various materials; silica, iron and calcium carbonate, all of which contribute to the final colour and characteristics of the sandstone.

Limestone is a sedimentary rocks composed of mineral calcite. It is an important stone for masonry and architecture vying with only granite and sandstone to be the most commonly used architectural stone. Limestone is used as a façade on some highrise commercial buildings, but only in thin cladding for covering rather than solid blocks.

Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, or extrusive igneous rock. It will usually have a medium to coarse grained texture. Granite is nearly always massive (lacking internal structures), hard and tough, and therefore it has gained widespread use as a construction stone. Granite is an igneous rock and is formed from magma. Granitic magma has many potential origins but it must intrude other rocks. Granite has been extensively used as a dimensional stone and as flooring tiles in public and commercial buildings and monuments. Granite can be worked to achieve every type of finish from traditional hand tooled, flame textured, shot blasted, acid washed, or honed and polished to a mirror finish.

Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low grade regional metamorphism. Slate can be made into roofing slates, also called roofing shingles, installed by an experienced roofer. Slate has two lines of break-ability: cleavage and grain, which make it possible to split the stone into thin sheets. When broken, slate retains a natural appearance while remaining relatively flat and easily stackable. Slate tiles are often used for interior and exterior flooring, stairs, walkways, and wall cladding.

The above mentioned were few of the naturally beautiful occurring natural stones. Natural stone is the so called natural superior surface material. It has proved its superiority over man-made materials and can withstand daily use indoors and extreme weather outdoors without diminishing its natural beauty. It really brings the natural world into your home or project.

Changes in the weather conditions could lead to a depreciation of a building, add to the maintenance cost and weaken the strength of a property. The growing need for a new technology that could maintain and strengthen the life of a property has led to the development of Rainscreen.

The Generix rainscreen system is one of the latest developments in technology that evolved following years of research by Realstone and partners within the facade marketplace. The Generix system comprises of a series of facade tile options. The facade panels are available in a wide range of natural stone such as sandstone, limestone, granite and slate, also included is terracotta, cedar panels, Corium clay brick tiles, steel, aluminum, zinc, copper and stainless steel.

The excellent load-bearing qualities of the Generix substructure now allows certain stone and granite of varying thickness to be precision cut and installed with speed and accuracy. Tested to CWCT Rainscreen Facade specifications the Realstone’s natural stone range has been specially selected for a versatile pallet of colours.

Developments are calling for fast track construction techniques to enhance performance with regard to build time and programming. Architects are choosing more and more varied facade treatments as an alternative to traditional products. With this, Realstone Facades are doing on going research and developing the best rainscreen facade system solutions to offer new technology for architects and clients looking to make the difference with quality.

Go Green!!!

Environmentally friendly, eco-friendly, nature lover, these must be some of the commonly used adjectives describing the term ‘Go Green’. But first and foremost we have to define what is the meaning of the word “green”.

The Wikipedia defines green as a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive colour system, it is not a primary colour, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, and is considered one of the additive primary colours. Culturally, green has broad and sometimes contradictory meanings. In some cultures, green symbolizes hope and growth, while in others, it is associated with death, sickness, envy, or the devil. The most common associations, however, are found in its ties to nature.

How green is natural stone?

Natural stone is considered green because, as the name suggests, it’s natural. Most products that comes from nature without the mixture of some man-made content are considered green. However, how we distinguish or classify a green product? It must depend upon the process it undergoes.

Natural stone is considered one of the best building products because stones are highly recyclable and renewable and therefore the effect it causes to the environment is less . Waste products of stones are also recyclable, they can be converted to other additional products, and every bit of it has it’s unique use. Waste stone does not decompose, thus it does not create green-house gases and air pollutants. Lastly, the process where natural stone undergoes to be finished and polished as well as the maintenance of it requires less energy compared to any other product.

So Stone is really greener than you think…

As people increasingly invest to enhance the living space, they want products that could stand the test of time, thus natural stone becomes popular as well as it increase it’s demand on production. It’s variation with color and texture, makes it more visually interesting and the right natural choice.

Natural stone is the material of choice for professional architects, landscapers, and home builders. As what other people say, natural stone is a professional and environment friendly. Because of being ecofriendly, it is a natural choice for every professional projects.

Uniqueness and decorative ability of a natural stone makes its own identity and character. Every natural stone stand out one from the other, that’s why being a product of nature, expect that natural stone has no duplicate pattern.

Natural stone could be very contemporary and elegant, and with the help of some information above, these makes natural stone timeless.

First we have to define what Rainscreen Cladding is.

The Wikipedia defines rainscreen cladding as a construction facade system which consists of the subframe and different finishes like the ceramic tiles, reconstituted stone boards, ceramic granite, natural stone, high pressure laminates, composite aluminium panels or fibre-cement board. It is the attachment of an outer skin of rear-ventilated cladding to a new or existing building. The system is a form of double wall construction that uses an outer layer to keep out the rain and an inner layer to provide thermal insulation, prevent excessive air leakage and carry wind loading. The outer layer breaths like a skin while the inner layer reduces energy losses. The structural frame of the building is kept absolutely dry, as water never reaches it or the thermal insulation.

But what are the main benefits of having a rainscreen on buildings and other properties?

Rainscreen cladding protects your properties from the rain water that erodes on the walls of your property. Thus, makes your property lasts for decades. It can also add a modern sophistication of the design of your cladding.

Quality suppliers of rainscreen are on the rise, thus finding the right suppliers is a must and you should give time to research the right and trusted suppliers. However good Natural Stone Rainscreen Suppliers are few and far between. Realstone Façades are one such trusted company.

Is Stone Rainscreen expensive?
Yes and No. It is a more expensive system than traditional build and requires more design time and effort. however it is a dry construction and it can save a fortune in the main support structure costs and in installation time. Some stones are not suited but but as long as it is well made with correct testing and installation, it will meet and satisfy and exceed customers expectations.

Natural stone tiles is your solution on high-quality stone tiles. Even though it seems a little bit expensive, having a countertop made of natural stone tiles such as granite is such an elegant gift for yourself as well as to your home.

These days, having a granite countertop is a status symbol for the rich people. These become very fashionable and striking one, especially at luxurious homes and hotels.

Granite is a very well known natural stones, because of the durability, uniqueness, and of adding elegance in every countertops.

The price of granite tiles for countertops depends upon the country it was originated and the uniqueness of its color and pattern. If you have any property like a house with granite countertops, it increases the property’s value and charm.

I am wondering why natural stones could be as shiny as crystal clears like a floor in the image above. Today, commercial industries are on rise. They have supply quality natural stone tiles that suits in every area of our homes, in the kitchen, dining room, and especially at the living room.

Stone tiles comes in a wide variety of kinds and quality as well as in textures and colors. Natural limestone is the most common vying granite and sandstones.

A touch of natural stones add elegance in every homes. It is an excellent choice for an excellent chooser.