STONE & CERAMIC


While there are many tiling products marketed as a stone- effect option, they cannot emulate the sustainability credentials of natural stone. Natural stone is, by definition, a natural product, formed in the earth over many thousands of years, extracted, cut to size and transported to site, without excessive human intervention and invention.


One of the trends that we are seeing in the world of design at the moment is that of stone-effect products, particularly ceramic or porcelain tiles.


It is of course, as the cliché goes, a form of flattery to emulate, however, there is the danger of misinformation in the emulation.


As the trade association for the natural stone industry, we are passionate about both the material and the correct supply of that material. The CE Marking legislation enshrined in law the requirement for suppliers to provide their customers with the true name of the materials they are selling, not just a marketing name.


It’s this same concept of transparency, of knowing what the product is and what it isn’t, that drives our desire to ensure that specifiers know that stone-effect products are just that, an imitation, but not the real thing.


Many of the leading stone-effect products take advantage of the aesthetics of popular marbles, granites, limestones and slates, using prints and textures that give the appearance of a natural material. Whereas the veins, movement and unique tones in natural stone are formed by natural geological processes, a much more carbon-intensive process is required to artificially emulate them in man-made surfaces.


We would encourage the tiling industry to provide the correct information so that specifiers really understand the product and know the difference between a natural and a man-made material.


WHAT DOES NATURAL STONE


OFFER THE CUSTOMER? Texture – from the fossils found in Portland stone to the natural, subtle layers of slate, texture is a strong selling point for using natural in interior spaces. The three-dimensional dynamic that a feature wall of unpolished, naturally textured stone can provide is stunning and definitely a trend that is on the increase. Unlike many other materials, the same piece of stone can be finished in a number of ways to provide the texture best suited to the application. Flamed, honed, blasted, sanded, polished and line textured are all finishes that can give the same piece of stone a very different visual impact.


Impact – the geological striations and natural colour streaks found in marble create a striking aesthetic utilised across the interiors world, from hotel lobbies and internal walls through to floors and countertops. In a market where individuality is key, the unique visuals that natural stone can create are striking, bringing a strong identity to interior spaces of all descriptions.


Durability – as a result of the geological processes and the thousands upon thousands of years of compression, natural stone is an incredibly hardwearing material. You need only look at the centuries-old, limestone-clad buildings of London, granite-paved streets of Aberdeen or the Clipsham-rich architecture of Oxford to see evidence of the longevity of this natural material. This longevity is also where natural stone holds its own in terms of value. While some stone-effect materials may initially appear to be cheaper, that is often not


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the case when the costing is based on price per year and ongoing maintenance where natural stone again scores highly.


So, we would encourage you to reconsider natural stone, with its durability and uniqueness, wide natural palette, and value for money.


The question is simple: why settle for an imitation when the real deal has so much to offer in both design potential and value for money?


As the trade association for the natural stone sector, Stone Federation is ideally placed to help suppliers and clients explore the sustainability potential of natural stone and to deliver the technical and design expertise to take full advantage of its potential.


To find out how your company could benefit by becoming a member, email enquiries@stonefed.org.uk.


www.stonefed.org.uk 37


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