Thursday 4 December 2014

Reasons which make travertine stone a great option for creating pavers



When it comes to one option for creating mind blowing pavers, then travertine stones should be the first one to strike your mind. Not only are these stones suitable for interior portion of homes but exterior as well. They are especially good for creating pavers and floors around pool and garden areas, as well as for flooring of kitchen and bathrooms. They are available in pre-cut shapes and sizes. So you need not worry too much about this thing. It is very possible to get them procured in pre cut shapes and sizes, according to the needs and requirements of your house. One of the best features of these stones is the fact that they can pretty easily be installed on not only cement and mortar but sand as well. How and where exactly would you want them to get installed would depend on the landscaping for which it is being used. 

One good thing about travertine stones is that they offer a pretty wide range of colors and styles. Unlike other stones which do not offer much room to experiment with colors, travertine stones would leave you spoilt for choices. As far as the colors are concerned, they are available in huge varieties including grey, brown, ivory, gold and caramel. If you want to go for a natural and rusty look, then you can go for the rusty shades of these stones as well. Some people use rusty colored travertine stones and combine them with other colors such as the yellows and the browns, to highlight their pavers and fit them perfectly with the surroundings.

And the best thing about these colors is that they do not fade over a period of time, which is usually the case with other stones such as cobblestones and marbles. These stones can retain their luster for quite a few years without asking for much of maintenance from your part. In addition, travertine stones show hardly any indications of efflorescence that is usually the case with other substances. 

In case, you are wondering that the idea of creating pavers from travertine stones is a new concept, then you are mistaken because they have been in use for quite a few decades, if not centuries. These stones are a result of formation of natural materials, which is the very reason why they are available in an array of patterns and natural colors. The shades in which they are available are pretty much similar to the ones found in stones like marbles and granite.

The many benefits of pebble stones



Do you ever wonder why there has been a sudden increase in the usage of pebble stone tiles these days? Why is it that more and more people are shunning other options and going for pebbles to decorate their houses? The reasons are many and this article has been written specifically for the purpose of introducing some of the facts and benefits of considering these stones over other flooring options which are on offer in the market these days. So let’s go through them quickly.
Pebble stones are 100% natural stones and the technique that is being used for installing them provides an absolutely seamless finishing. The moment you take a look at these stones, it would leave you wondering as to where exactly these stones originated from. Well, these wonderful stones originated from the Indonesian island, which are known to be quite exotic. These stone can pretty easily be installed on almost any type of surface with relative ease. Therefore, you can use them in a wide variety of areas such as balconies, gardens, bathrooms, kitchens as well as fireplaces and wine cellars. 

When it comes to the many advantages pebbles have on offer for its users, the first is the fact that they do not require much of an effort to install. As mentioned earlier, these stones can be installed pretty easily irrespective of the surface they are being installed on. So whether you have plans to install them on concrete areas or sandy ones, you need not worry much about the process as you can go ahead with it without much of a worry whatsoever.

The other advantage of these stones is that they can withstand the extremes pretty easily. So if you are planning to install a stone on a place which receives heavy footfall throughout the day or the one that goes through a lot of action, then pebbles are a great option as they can withstand any amount of pressure without losing their sheen in any manner whatsoever.

Pebbles are also being used to create pavers and pathways around pool areas. This is because of the fact that they have a pretty flush surface. They have got quite a bit of friction and hence, offer a lot of traction, which in turn makes them non slippery flooring stones. Therefore, they are much safer to walk on than most of the traditional flooring tiles.

What is Crazy Paving?



A crazed appearance of finished surface simply refers to crazy paving. In this irregular-shaped stone pavers are reassembled. Let’s understand what types of material are used to lay crazy paving. Mostly, this type of paving is done using concrete stone paving which is non-rectangular in shape. This is may be due to the material chose is itself irregular in shape. Commonly, this type of paving is arranged on a cementation-bed. This is to make sure that irregular shaped pieces are put down firmly n place. This is to make sure that those pieces do not become lose. As this type of paving is used for different purposes! It is installed for different purposes in different areas of residential as well as commercial buildings. For example, near patios, as walkways and driveways etc. If in case this paving is being used to construct driveways or forecourt in order to carry vehicles, then it is laid on thicker bed of concrete as compared to concrete bed used from patios and other lightweight applications. 

Currently, natural stones are more in demand. This is due to their dual beneficial features that are functionality and aesthetical value. These two features have become most important for people while installing in type of construction material in their property/ house. They now do not compromise any of them. In current time, building a property has become an important type of future investment for people. And they wish to construct a building which is attractive and serviceable at the same time. And natural stone and its types, subtypes fulfill all the requirements. These stone types and subtypes are not only beautiful-looking and attractive but are durable and last for longer, for years and years. Crazy paving stones are also available in different natural stone types. They look beautiful when installed. They definitely enhance look of the property so that people would want to turn and look back again, one more time to the beauty of the property. The crazy paving stones are very durable and available in different shades and textures. They are easy to install, and professionals are always in service to help people. These require low maintenance. However regular cleaning is a part of day to day life to keep things looking cleaner, and newer. Sealing and cleaning is easy, as quality and cost effective products are available in market.

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Sandstone and Teakwood Sandstone



A type of natural stone is Sandstone. A stone made up of grains of quartz and other minerals is sandstone. Actually, grains of quartz and other minerals are in fairly uniform size. The grains are often smooth. The sandstone is known for its purposeful properties. It is known for its toughness. It holds functional as well as aesthetical values. It is durable and long-lasting yet very attractive and elegant. These are few of the reasons why people as well as most architects prefer using the type of natural stone – sandstone and its sub-types, for different buildings and construction-purposes. Some of the purposeful features of sandstones are:

  • It is hard
  • It is compact
  • It is durable
  • It requires low maintenance
  • It is acid-proof
  • It is compatible to different environment conditions
  • It is used for different purposes such as flooring, roofing, paving and paneling. It is also used for installing beams, pillars, arches and doors and window sills. Many people prefer this stone-type for wall-facing, fence posts as well.
  • It is used for exteriors and interiors as well, as it has thermal resistance properties.

Let’s discuss about a sub-type of sandstone – Teakwood Sandstone. This type of sandstone is used for different purposes as discussed or mentioned above. It has been known and mostly used for the reasons such as its regular bedding, uniform grain size, suitable nature and durability. Teakwood Sandstone is used as tiles and in form of pavers for different construction-purposes. This stone type looks very beautiful and unique when installed. It enhances the look of the property. And most people use this type of stone for interior decoration and for exterior decoration of the property as well. As it is honed and has a smooth finish, it is very well- appreciated and demanded for its natural texture and beautiful among buyers.

This type of teakwood sandstone is accessible in a variety of patterns, sizes and textures. This certainly helps people to meet the requirements and purposes of decor of any area, inside or outside property. Manufacturers and suppliers offer range of types and sub-types of natural stones. As these are accessible in several shapes, patterns and colors and are very much in demand among architects, landscapers and buyers because of features of perfect polish, low maintenance and high strength along with aesthetic-appeal.

Monday 1 December 2014

Useful information about Carrara marble

The great Pantheon and the statue of David were built with this marvelous stone called carrara marble. This hard stone has always played a prominent role in both art as well as architecture for not just decades such centuries. They were first used by the Romans who pulled the slabs from the Carrara queries of Tuscany back in the golden days of the Roman Empire. The stone is especially known for its white as well as whitish gray colored veins that act as a distinguishing feature of this wonderful stone. These stones, when used in the right manner, can easily turn any room or property into a work of art.

The reason why these marbles are called carrara marbles is because of the fact that they are mined in the quarries of Massa-Carrara which is located in the north western side of Tuscany. It is from the mines of this location that this stone is exported to other parts of the world in massive blocks. These huge blocks are then cut into hundreds of slabs and then honed to provide them with a very smooth yet matte finish. Some of the these slabs are also polished to give them a shiny gloss. However, it is not that easy to distinguish carrara marble from other marble stones. You would need to know what they really look like if you are to be able to spot them. These marbles have whitish gray background with bluish gray veins spread all over them. This is one of the most visible distinguish features of this stone. The stones with whiter background are costlier than the other ones.

Carrara marbles are usually used in places with high temperatures as they are resistant to extremes of temperatures and heat. These stones emit coolness to rooms and thus help in keeping the interior temperatures of house moderate. These stones have always been known to keep homes cooler, and therefore were used extensively in the pre- air conditioning era in the hotter months. So if you are living in African countries or south Asia or Australia, then this is the stone that should be on top of your list for flooring purpose as it will not only provide much needed respite from heat during months of summers but also keep your electricity bills to the minimum. However, you should not get these stones polished as doing so can make scratching more evident than normal circumstances.


Bluestone – Natural Stone Type



There are many types and sub-types of natural stone. One of the natural stone types is blue stone. It is used in different construction-purposes in residential as well as commercial buildings. Why architects and people prefer this stone type has strong reason, which is its dual feature of functionality as well as aesthetical-value. Now days, people want something which holds aesthetical-value but many time they then need to compromise with the serviceability! In case of natural stone – blue stone- people need not be compromise either of the values.

Bluestone is used as pavers and tiles. It is available in different sizes. It is available in different color-shades and different textures. These are other important reasons why people prefer these stone-types, as they can find the most suitable sub-type of stone to install at their places to fulfill their purposes.

Some of the properties of bluestone are:

  • Blue-stone pavers or tiles are high quality
  • It is dense sandstone.
  • It is popularly used as a building and an architectural stone.
  • It is hard wearing stone
  • It is a deep blue grey stone (available in different shades of color), both grand and popular for paving
  • It is used in the interior and exterior of buildings
  • It is notably used in swimming pool constructions, in bathrooms and near wash basins and patios, balconies, walkways, sidewalks, and garden paths

However, maintenance of bluestone is easy! It is important to use a high quality, invisible, impregnating sealer in order to maintain the look and slip resistance of the bluestone paver or tiles. Quality sealer and cleaning agents are available in markets. And these products are safe and suitable to seal Bluestone surfaces of all types, for example wall cladding to floors, outdoors and indoors, residential and high traffic commercial.
Manufacturers and suppliers offer wide range of types of natural stones, and sub types of such stones including bluestone pavers and tiles. They have range of stone types in different shades, textures and sizes. There are online web-portals from where people or buyers can gather all necessary details. This will help them selecting the best suited stone type for their building-purposes. They can ask for price-quotes from providers. They can also consult with experts to understand properties of types of stones so that they can buy the best option for their building-purposes.