Everything you need to know about natural stone
Everything you need to know about natural stone
Natural stone is widely seen as the most elegant solution when you want harmony with other materials, a refined look and elegance. It also has an important quality that no man-made material has: it brings a touch of nature into a room, and with today's fast pace of life, we turn to nature more and more often.
Natural stone can be used both when building a home and in more specific projects, such as a kitchen worktop, wall cladding, for stairs, bathrooms, a fireplace, an outdoor kitchen … There are many ways to work natural stone into your home.
Thanks to its durability and its high resistance to temperature and other external influences, it suits any room, indoors or outdoors.
Life is better with natural materials
Living trends show that natural materials are coming back into our homes more and more.
Natural materials such as natural stone are very kind to people and nature, as they contain no toxins or other harmful substances. Natural stone has another important advantage: it can be recycled and reused.
Natural stone also does not give off dust, as materials that are not wear-resistant do. That kind of dust is often a cause of allergies. Natural stone has no electrostatic charge and has a positive effect on how we feel.
Using natural stone is a smart, green choice for building any part of your home.
A distinctive look
Natural stone is, thanks to its distinctive structure, a very elegant addition to a modern interior. It is easy to clean and maintain, so it is a smart and economical decision, and it is easy to combine with materials such as wood, metal and glass … It is a material that will never go out of fashion.
All the advantages of natural stone
The advantages of natural stone will be clear to you after just a few days of use. Its long life will convince even the strongest sceptic.
Fitted correctly, it will last for decades and several generations without showing signs of wear or any change in colour or appearance.
Another big advantage of natural stone is that it resists all kinds of stains and mould, which is sadly present in many homes.
Anyone who runs a household will appreciate that it is easy to maintain and clean. Wiping it with water and a mild cleaner is enough.
Because it is versatile and resists all kinds of influences, you can use it inside or outside your home and combine it with many different materials.
Thanks to its excellent thermal conductivity, you will enjoy the warmth of your home long after the fireplace has gone out. It is also fire-safe, which is an important advantage. And as the icing on the cake, it keeps the air cool in summer and warm in winter.
Natural stone comes in a wide range of colours and formats, which also shows it is the right choice: it can be worked exactly to the client's wishes.
Of course, natural stone is not only durable, beautiful and elegant, but also a very high-quality building material that lasts for ever.
Cleaning and caring for natural stone
As we have already said, natural stone is very easy to clean, but there are still a few tips to follow to keep it looking good for a long time. The most important thing is to make sure the stone surface has no small holes, as dirt collects in them. If it does, the holes can be sealed, and cleaning becomes much easier.
It is also very important to clean as regularly as possible. First sweep the floor or other surfaces or wipe them with a dry cloth, then use a cleaner made for natural stone, mixed into warm water.
Cleaning with warm water alone can also work perfectly well if there are no larger stains on the surface. Take particular care with spilt liquids.
To avoid a lasting stain, wipe up any spill straight away. A damp cloth is usually enough. To prevent stains, you can also protect natural stone floors and other surfaces with rugs, mats and placemats on the table or kitchen worktop.
When cleaning natural stone, we strongly advise against spirit vinegar and cleaners that contain acids.
Take care when vacuuming too, as badly worn wheels can damage the stone surface.
When cleaning stone floors, it is also important never to neglect the joints. Most dirt collects there, and if you do not clean them, you spread it across the whole surface.
Cleaning natural stone is really simple, so today, when we all have too little time, it is an excellent choice for any home.
Natural stone and its finishes
Another advantage of natural stone is that its visible surface can be finished in several ways, so everyone can find the one they like best.
A very common and currently very popular choice is the polished finish of natural stone. Polished stone is completely smooth, very shiny and very easy to maintain. On the other hand, it carries a greater risk of falls, as it is quite slippery, so it is not suitable for outdoor surfaces.
If someone still decides to use it outside the home, various anti-slip finishes are available, which make walking on it completely safe.
Stone can also be honed, which means it has a matt surface, is quite resistant to scratches and is very easy to maintain.
But since honed stone can also be slippery, its surface can also be flamed. The stone surface is first heated to a very high temperature, then cooled very quickly. The large temperature difference leaves the stone rough and uneven.
Ideas for using natural stone indoors
By now we probably agree that, with all its advantages, investing in natural stone is a very smart decision. If you are still not sure how to use it inside your home, here are a few ideas.
Kitchen – in the kitchen you can use natural stone for the kitchen worktop, or for the floor.
Living room – if your living room has a fireplace, you can clad it with natural stone, or use stone to clad the wall behind the TV or sofa. Use it for a coffee table, or add interest with a stone vase or stone switch plates … Small details are enough to make your living room look much more elegant and refined.
Hallway – in the hallway, natural stone shows at its best when you lay it on the floor, or build it into the staircase, which gives your home a distinctive character with its beautiful, natural look. In this case we recommend lighter shades.
Bathroom – in the bathroom you can go a little further and clad the floor and walls with natural stone. You can also have a vanity top or washbasin made from it, or clad a wall inside the shower with it for a refined touch.
The largest choice of natural stone in Slovenia
We are proud to offer the largest choice of natural stone in Slovenia: we keep more than 80 types of raw-edge slabs and paving in stock, in thicknesses from one to twelve centimetres. You can see all these natural stones in person in our showroom in Hoče.
However you bring natural stone into your home, we recommend leaving the fitting to our experienced specialists, as only then can you truly enjoy all the advantages of natural stone.
Stonemasonry Marnit – over 100 years of experience with natural stone.