Category Archives: Renovation

Tips for selecting natural stone

tips for selecting natural stone

What do you need from your stone surface?

When looking at surface options, you need to think of the application at hand. For example, in wet areas such as a bathroom, you want to choose water-resistant surfaces to protect from damage. This is the same when considering the use of stone. Natural stone has a wide variety of options that suit an enormous scope of potential applications. However, not every stone is suitable for every project. To again consider wet areas, it’s essential to select a stone that isn’t vulnerable to moisture damage. Some questions that you should consider when choosing the right stone for the application include:

 

  • Will it be exposed to sunlight?
  • Will it be exposed to water?
  • Will it be exposed to heat?
  • Will it encounter dramatic shifts in temperature?
  • Does the stone need to perform a function or is it purely for aesthetic purposes?
  • Is the stone for a high-traffic area?
  • Is the application indoors or outdoors?

Absorption rate

When selecting a natural stone, the general rule of thumb is; the lower the absorption rate, the better. The absorption rate measures how porous the stone is and can also give great insight into how durable the stone will be and how susceptible it is to staining.

Design choices

What’s your design style? Do you prefer a more contemporary feel? Minimalist? Hamptons? Natural earthy? Coastal? Boho? Knowing what style you prefer will guide you into the colour, grain texture and cut of your stone. If you haven’t already, a great first port of call to figure out your design style is jumping onto Pinterest and creating a board, or even looking through other people’s boards. However, if you’re not a designer and aren’t employing one, it’s best to find a style and copy it. In a great design, you want areas to flow seamlessly so make sure you factor in the other rooms and even the exterior areas when choosing your design style. This will give you a good idea of the overall materials you will want to use in your room and help you narrow down the right stone choice.

When booking an appointment at your local stone warehouse, it’s a good idea to have some of the images you love on hand, which is made ever so easy with today’s smartphones. If you are a little further on in your design process, you might even have some of the following items which are useful to bring along

 

  • Paint colour
  • Cabinet sample
  • Timber sample
  • Tile sample
  • Curtain sample
  • Furniture colours
  • Other materials

Selecting a finish

There are a range of different finishes available for natural stone surfaces, affecting the appearance and how they perform. When we consider performance we need to think about where the stone is being laid. If it is for an outdoor area, choosing a more slip-resistant finish like sawn is ideal. If the application is for a feature wall the main factor to consider will be appearance.

 

Some of the common finishes include

 

  • Honed
  • Brushed
  • Bush hammered
  • Sawn
  • Split
  • Polished
  • Leathered
  • Antiqued

Marble Everlast are South East Queensland’s stone specialists. We provide stone restoration and cleaning services to residential and commercial clients from Brisbane to the Gold Coast. Do you have stone in your property already and would like to have a quote for restoration? Contact Mark and the team today on 0401 508 938.

 

Renovating Tips and Tricks

Plan

Renovating can be an exciting and then daunting task. Having a vision of what you want and being well planned will put you miles ahead. A great place to start your renovating journey is Pinterest. On Pinterest, you will be able to put together boards to really get a better understanding of what you like and then what works together.

Cooling your home

Renovating your home and not sure what to do about cooling? There is a tonne of different options that span from blinds, awnings, window tinting and more. 

The most common dilemma is choosing the right air conditioning solution for your home. Buying the wrong type or the wrong size can end up costing you a fortune. What size system do you need though? Advanced Climate Solutions in Brisbane have set up an easy guide on choosing the right size air conditioner. Click Here

Kitchen 

When renovating your kitchen, there are a million different options and directions that you can take. The first question you should ask that might save you a fortune is; do I like my existing layout? If you like your current configuration and your cabinets are in good condition your best option may be just to reface your existing cabinets. This will cut the labour and material costs dramatically and give new life to your current kitchen without breaking the bank.

The second question that you should ask is for your benchtops. Can you find a second hand or surplus slab from another renovation on Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace? This will save you a substantial amount off the recommended retail price and opens the avenue for bargaining even further. If you are thinking that the stone won’t be the right size though. That’s where the team at Marble Everlast come in. We offer stone cutting services for your sink and tap holes and to cut to size. With access to a local stonemason, you can get what you want for a fraction of the price you would have paid on a stone sales floor.

Flooring

There is a tonne of great low-cost options when it comes to flooring, but one of the best ways to save on flooring is to use what is already there. This is an option when you have existing timber or stone floors. One of the significant advantages of these surfaces is that they can be refinished. Much like timber floors that can be sanded down and repolished, stone floors can be resurfaced by a stonemason. Stonemasons will use diamond pads on a flooring machine going through the grades just like a piece of timber. Stone surfaces can then be polished or honed depending on the finish your design requires. If you don’t have the luxury of stone or timber flooring already in place, they are a fantastic investment for the reasons just mentioned.

Bathrooms

Bathroom surfaces need a hardwearing surface so like flooring, why not go with a surface that can be resurfaced like stone. Stone looks luxurious and is timeless, which means that it will outlive trends and fads. Using stone tiles and vanities will help you get a better return on your investment in the long run due to the fact it can be ground down and refinished.

Landscaping

Making a good first impression starts with curb appeal. The best and most cost-effective way to improve curb appeal is with great landscaping. There are a lot of options when it comes to landscaping, and the choice can be tuff. You can never go wrong with new turf whether artificial grass or real (although the artificial variety can save you a tonne in maintenance heres a quick how to install artificial grass guide) and the right selection of hardwearing minimalist plants. 

If you are doing it yourself, you want a good quality landscape supplies store like Wellers Hill Hardware and Landscape Supplies.  They are based in the Brisbane Southside and offer a delivery service for their landscape supplies. A huge benefit of using a reputable landscape supplies yard is they can give you great advice for your landscaping projects.