Granite
and Marble Enhance the Home
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.
Slabs
versus Tiles
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.
Fabricators
Are Artists in Stone
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.