ASK THE EXPERT: STONE

originally published in the November 2005 issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly

That third little pig. Didn’t he know a thing or two?
Stone is the ultimate building product. It lasts forever, takes all kinds of wear and tear and it looks pretty schmick.
It can be used as kitchen bench tops, bathroom vanity tops, wet area walls and floors. You can build houses with it, make tiles out of it, pave with it, build retaining walls with it. You can even cook pizza on it, provided the stone can get hot enough.
Stone is hard - and that doesn’t just spell problems for china plates and crystal glasses that smash to pieces on it. Trying to select the right stone is tricky. There is limestone. There is marble. There is granite. There is sandstone. There is bluestone. There is slate. What should you choose?
And then we get on to reconstituted stone (which has nothing to do with orange juice) and other synthetic surfaces that mimic the qualities of stone but are still just, well, synthetic.

GO NATURAL

Artedomus founder and stone supplier Angelo Schepisi is in rapture as he traces a vein of gold in a three metre long slab of Calacatta marble which has just been craned out of a container.
“The best thing about the natural product is that as it gets older, it develops a patina and becomes more beautiful. Good stone is like timber – it gets better with age,” the registered builder explains.
So it’s like me then, Angelo?
“People think a bit of mark, a bit of scratch is a problem but it’s not– it is supposed to get older and look more worn,” he says.
Oh, not like me at all, then.
Schepisi refuses to supply granite or manufactured stones. In fact, he hates them.
“Granite is so cold, so clinical. It has no warmth,” he says.
“And artificial stone …,” he stops dead, trying to muster some words suitable to print.
“That stuff is like McDonalds. It needs to be advertised and mass-marketed. Natural stone is like the finest cuisine made from the best ingredients – it is the ultimate, it doesn’t get any better.”

THE POPULARITY OF STONE

There is no doubt about it: stone is big business.
Stone used to be seen only in the most expensive houses (and those that hankered after a Mediterranean flavour). It is now used regularly in all kinds of suburban abodes from large houses to small apartments. Think limestone floors. Think granite bench tops. And now start thinking about reconstituted stones like CaesarStone and Silestone – they are everywhere.
The reconstituted stones are popular for interiors because of their wide range of colour choices – pale whites, golds and even dazzling blues and reds. They are made by mixing quartz pebbles with a resin and pigments which are compacted into large slabs, cured in a hot oven and polished.
CaesarStone marketing manager Andrew Dixon says 20 per cent of all Australian kitchens now install CaesarStone bench tops – and the market just keeps on growing.
“It’s not just the colours that people like, it’s also the hygiene. Manufactured stone does not harbour any bacteria,” he says.
John Hall, who runs Kitchen Connection, says engineered stones like CaesarStone, Silestone and synthetic stone-alikes like Corian and Patini are more popular than natural stone choices like granite or marble.
“Marble stains too easily and granite has a couple of problems – the colours are really dark and it also stains,” he says.
“If you use natural stone on a bench and leave a cup of tea out overnight, it will have a horrible ring on it the next morning that you just can’t get rid of,” he says.
Schepis scoffs at such suggestions and says as long as the right stone finish is selected, any stains and marks can easily be worked out or become a part of the charm of the stone.
“If you have a honed finish, you can fix any scratches with wet and dry sandpaper. It’s easy,” he says.

THE PRICES

Schepis says natural stone is often cheaper than reconstituted stone.
“You can get a limestone from India for as little as $40 a square metre but a beautiful marble might cost up to $1000 or more a square metre,” he says.
Hall says Corian is the most expensive synthetic stone, with an approximate price between $600 and $700 a linear metre, compared to CaesarStone’s price of between $400 and $550.
“Granite really varies in price, depending where it is quarried, but you can get some for around $300 a metre right up to $1000 a metre,” Dixon says.
“Stone is not as expensive as people think. Especially since it will last longer than you do,” Schepis says.
And there lies the rub. Stone’s great lasting quality is also its downfall.
How many of those dark slate floors that spread like a virus during the 1980s – along with pot belly stoves and dusty pink walls – should last longer than we do?

USING STONE:

A stone entertainment unit for the lounge room could be a great way to prop up a plasma screen.
Stone works well as an indoor and outdoor floor material. Indoor rooms with bi-fold doors to the outdoors can look larger and more elegant with the same stone flooring throughout.
The engineered stones like Silestone can be used on walls in bathrooms instead of grout and tiles.
Use sandblasted neutral limestone as a feature wall in bedrooms and living areas.
New types of textured stone cladding can be fixed to walls inside or outside to create a distinct look – try using them above a fireplace inside or outside near an outdoor dining area.
Make sure you use highly skilled stonemasons or tilers to lay stone – most of the beauty is in the finished and set product, not just the colour of stone.
When selecting stone, check the porosity – the lower the porosity, the higher the stain resistance – and run a coin or a key over it to check for hardness.


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ASK THE EXPERT: STONE originally published in the November 2005 issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly That third little pig. Didn’t he know a thing or two? Stone is the ultimate building product. It lasts forever, takes all kinds of wear and tear and it looks pretty schmick. It can be used as kitchen bench tops, bathroom vanity tops, wet area walls and floors. You can build houses with it, make tiles out of it, pave with it, build retaining walls with it. You can even cook pizza on it, provided the stone can get hot enough. Stone is hard - and that doesn’t just spell problems for china plates and crystal glasses that smash to pieces on it. Trying to select the right stone is tricky. There is limestone. There is marble. There is granite. There is sandstone. There is bluestone. There is slate. What should you choose? And then we get on to reconstituted stone (which has nothing to do with orange juice) and other synthetic surfaces that mimic the qualities of stone but are still just, well, synthetic. GO NATURAL Artedomus founder and stone supplier Angelo Schepisi is in rapture as he traces a vein of gold in a three metre long slab of Calacatta marble which has just been craned out of a container. “The best thing about the natural product is that as it gets older, it develops a patina and becomes more beautiful. Good stone is like timber – it gets better with age,” the registered builder explains. So it’s like me then, Angelo? “People think a bit of mark, a bit of scratch is a problem but it’s not– it is supposed to get older and look more worn,” he says. Oh, not like me at all, then. Schepisi refuses to supply granite or manufactured stones. In fact, he hates them. “Granite is so cold, so clinical. It has no warmth,” he says. “And artificial stone …,” he stops dead, trying to muster some words suitable to print. “That stuff is like McDonalds. It needs to be advertised and mass-marketed. Natural stone is like the finest cuisine made from the best ingredients – it is the ultimate, it doesn’t get any better.” THE POPULARITY OF STONE There is no doubt about it: stone is big business. Stone used to be seen only in the most expensive houses (and those that hankered after a Mediterranean flavour). It is now used regularly in all kinds of suburban abodes from large houses to small apartments. Think limestone floors. Think granite bench tops. And now start thinking about reconstituted stones like CaesarStone and Silestone – they are everywhere. The reconstituted stones are popular for interiors because of their wide range of colour choices – pale whites, golds and even dazzling blues and reds. They are made by mixing quartz pebbles with a resin and pigments which are compacted into large slabs, cured in a hot oven and polished. CaesarStone marketing manager Andrew Dixon says 20 per cent of all Australian kitchens now install CaesarStone bench tops – and the market just keeps on growing. “It’s not just the colours that people like, it’s also the hygiene. Manufactured stone does not harbour any bacteria,” he says. John Hall, who runs Kitchen Connection, says engineered stones like CaesarStone, Silestone and synthetic stone-alikes like Corian and Patini are more popular than natural stone choices like granite or marble. “Marble stains too easily and granite has a couple of problems – the colours are really dark and it also stains,” he says. “If you use natural stone on a bench and leave a cup of tea out overnight, it will have a horrible ring on it the next morning that you just can’t get rid of,” he says. Schepis scoffs at such suggestions and says as long as the right stone finish is selected, any stains and marks can easily be worked out or become a part of the charm of the stone. “If you have a honed finish, you can fix any scratches with wet and dry sandpaper. It’s easy,” he says. THE PRICES Schepis says natural stone is often cheaper than reconstituted stone. “You can get a limestone from India for as little as $40 a square metre but a beautiful marble might cost up to $1000 or more a square metre,” he says. Hall says Corian is the most expensive synthetic stone, with an approximate price between $600 and $700 a linear metre, compared to CaesarStone’s price of between $400 and $550. “Granite really varies in price, depending where it is quarried, but you can get some for around $300 a metre right up to $1000 a metre,” Dixon says. “Stone is not as expensive as people think. Especially since it will last longer than you do,” Schepis says. And there lies the rub. Stone’s great lasting quality is also its downfall. How many of those dark slate floors that spread like a virus during the 1980s – along with pot belly stoves and dusty pink walls – should last longer than we do? USING STONE: A stone entertainment unit for the lounge room could be a great way to prop up a plasma screen. Stone works well as an indoor and outdoor floor material. Indoor rooms with bi-fold doors to the outdoors can look larger and more elegant with the same stone flooring throughout. The engineered stones like Silestone can be used on walls in bathrooms instead of grout and tiles. Use sandblasted neutral limestone as a feature wall in bedrooms and living areas. New types of textured stone cladding can be fixed to walls inside or outside to create a distinct look – try using them above a fireplace inside or outside near an outdoor dining area. Make sure you use highly skilled stonemasons or tilers to lay stone – most of the beauty is in the finished and set product, not just the colour of stone. When selecting stone, check the porosity – the lower the porosity, the higher the stain resistance – and run a coin or a key over it to check for hardness. .