BUILDING FABRIC & EXTERIORS


Naturally beautiful


Stone Federation’s Matt Robb discusses what he sees as the unique visual appeal of natural stone, and what you should consider before using it in your self-build


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n a sector where aesthetics and durability are equally important and individuality is a unique selling point, natural stone is the ideal material. Quarried and mined from the earth, and thus bearing unique characteristics that are the result of complex geological processes, natural stone offers the specifier more than just a material – it offers a story.


No two pieces of natural stone will be exactly the same, and when its use is embraced by specifiers, this material can provide a wealth of options in both texture and colour.


july/august 2017


Stone Federation is the official trade association for the natural stone industry, working with specifiers, architects, designers and clients to connect you with the ideal material and company for your project. The federation has over 100 years’ experience helping the professional understand and therefore benefit from the inimitable qualities of natural stone.


CHOOSING STONE


Selecting the right material for the project in hand is crucial to the success of any job, and there are three key steps


to follow to ensure correct stone selection for a particular project. The first step is to ensure that the samples are up to the task in hand, namely giving you a true representation of what the final product will look like. One key factor in this is looking at range/control samples. These will show you the range of geological


characteristics typically found within the bed of stone as opposed to the small snapshot you would find in a single indicative sample piece. This helps avoid any confusion as to what the finished floor, wall or countertop will look like.


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