Although there are a number of natural stone products that can add value and beauty to the home, granite and marble slab are the top choices in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

 

Marble conveys status and beauty and is available in an astonishing range of colours. Because it can be polished to a glass-like finish, it is popular as wall or backsplash treatments, countertops, fireplace surrounds and staircases. It is also excellent for flooring, though its slippery-when-wet quality makes it preferable for use in areas without water spillage.

 

The range of colours for granite is also surprisingly great and runs from pink to black. Because granite is so dense, it is extremely resistant to scratches and stains. As a result, it is popular for kitchen countertops, kitchen islands, and bathroom vanities. Like marble, it is antimicrobial but has better stain resistance. Granite slabs and, more commonly, tiles are used for both walls and floors.

 

 

In fact, such is the popularity of both granite and marble that the question is not whether to use stone – but if it is to be slab or tile. This is especially true with flooring, but arises also with countertops, walls and backsplashes.

 

In its slab state (which is how the stone comes from the quarry), both granite and marble have a definite wow factor. Its size is impressive, and, because it hasn’t been cut, the colour striations of the stone are completely preserved (matching the colour lines in tiles is virtually impossible). Slabs of granite or marble present the stone as it has existed in nature.

 

Tiles are obviously much more flexible and can fit any unusual configurations of the space in question. Granite tiles are less costly than slabs but have the same quality as the natural stone. Tiles also have the slab’s properties of durability, longevity and low maintenance. Granite’s consistent advantage over marble is its toughness, but both stones – in either slab or tile form – increase the resale value of the home.

 

 

Converting a stone slab for use in the home requires the talents of a true craftsman – the fabricator. It’s the role of the fabricator to take the stone and shape it to the desired space – be that a countertop or flooring – by cutting it. This can be incredibly precise work, especially in the case of countertops that must have sinks cut into them. The polishing then follows, a task in which technical skill can also share the spotlight with creativity.

 

There are a variety of surfaces and edges that can be cut and polished into the stone, depending on the clients’ wishes. This can involve guiding sandblasting nozzles over the stone, following stencilled outlines, or chipping along marks to create designs. The finish of the stone itself offers great possibilities for creative invention – surfaces can be glass-smooth or given a rough, natural-looking finish.

 

Ideally, fabricators are independent contractors who will work with the stone. It is the fabricator who takes on the delivery of the initial stone and works it to your specifications. When it comes to granite and marble slab, the presence of natural stone will forever enhance your GTA home.