Natural Stone is a sophisticated choice of material for discerning families in Brisbane, Gold Coast and across South East Queensland. Not only is natural stone durable and long lasting, it offers the most beautiful natural designs and layouts imaginable. However, natural stone is not just one type of stone, it’s a range of fantastic materials and deposits that were created by Mother Earth. So, which of these products are the most desirable for your next project.
Granite
Granite comes from igneous rock that didn’t make it out of the volcano. It’s strength make it the most popular stone for kitchen benchtops as it stands up to most kitchen style bangs and scratches. Some types are more porous than others, so they may need sealing before use to prevent stains.
Various minerals and metals determine the eventual colours of granite, so different regions will produce different combinations and depths of colours. Because of sharp right angles slabs tend to be slightly bevelled or rounded when used in modern.
Slate
Slate‘s grain and matt grey shades surface offer smooth finishes that are less porous than granite so it copes better with hot pots and pans. However it is prone to chipping, which makes it a less popular choice for a kitchen. Cheaper than Granite and with some distinctive natural patterns it is more popular in the kitchen that Granite.
Limestone
Soft to the touch, Limestone offers a pastel pattern style design look and feel to your benchtop. Limestone was formed in a marine environment and is made up of compressed sea life and shells. As it is mostly made up of calcites which react to lemon, tomato and vinegar, it is prone to staining in a kitchen setting. If you do go down this path, you’ll need to seal the stone as it is by nature a porous material. Because of the nature of the stone, Limestone is more commonly used as tiles for bathrooms it can still be a beautiful and long-lasting option in the kitchen.
Travertine
Simliar to Limestone, travertine was formed a long time ago in riverbeds. For the same reasons mentioned in relation to Limestone (softer, porus) it tends to be used for tiling but with treatment can be an option within a kitchen setting. In kitchen settings it is not uncommon to have a large benchtop granite surface edged with travertine the sides.
Marble
Marble was initially formed as limestone under the ocean before being transformed by heat and pressure, making it a harder and less porous stone, but still not an ideal choice for a kitchen top as it as it still needs to be sealed before use. Whilst it is a popular choice among the public, it is a difficult surface to maintain and as such it is generally avoided with a preference for a light granite instead.
Onyx
Made from dissolved limestone has a luminous quality that people can’t help but be impressed by. However, it is soft, porous and needs to be sealed to prevent staining.
