Natural Stone Brought To Life With Custom Mosaics
Natural stone beauty is the result of inherent and unique characteristics of color, shade, texture and veining. To appreciate your selection, always view stone as a family/range of color that can vary within a tile of from tile to tile.
Technical information regarding mosaic installation is available our Artsaics guide for mosaic installation. Please check the site for regularly updated information.
Onyx
Because the transparent nature of many onyx products, the appearance of the product will be affected by installation, and by the products used for sealing and grouting. The final installed product may appear different than the loose sample. For best results we recommend a bright white thinset adhesive for all onyx installations. We also recommend that the client test their preferred grout color in a small part of the installation to see how it affects the product’s appearance before proceeding with grouting the entire installation.
Saltwater Pools and Limestone
Limestone is not recommended for paving and coping around saltwater pools because the salt content of the pool water may damage or cause surface failure in the limestone.
Honed Stone Tile
Stone tile with a honed finish is a popular choice for flooring. Specific stones react differently to the honing process depending on the stone’s hardness and composition. Some very hard stones may show slight swirl marks or unevenness in surface finish that may become apparent when the stone is exposed to reflective light. This is not a defect, but a natural characteristic of the stone.
Natural Stone in Showers
Artsaics recommends that the substrate beneath, and pertaining to, the tiling of shower walls and floors with natural stone products, has a waterproof membrane system installed prior to the installation of tile. Artsaics recommends Laticrete Hydro Ban waterproofing system or like product.
Moisture Barrier
When stone is installed on a concrete slab at ground level, it is the responsibility of the buyer and installer to ensure that a proper moisture barrier is in place prior to installation.
Steam Shower
Because of their unique moisture environment, steam showers require specific installation methods. In addition, only appropriate natural stone products should be used in a steam shower. Installation methods and products specifications must be addressed prior to installation to prevent installation failure. Please contact Artsaics for specific information.
Sealing
Sealing is an essential step in protecting the beauty and ensuring the longevity of any Artsaics product. We recommend sealing all natural stone products with penetrating sealer such as Bullet Proof or Impregnator Pro by DuPont Stone Tech. In addition, we recommend sealing all porous non-polished stone (limestone, tumbled marble, etc) prior to grouting. This prevents grout from staining or affecting the color of the stone.
As part of a normal maintenance procedure, all Artsaics Natural Stone products require re-sealing on a regular basis. Please consult the manufacturer of your sealer product to find out the time frame for resealing based on traffic patterns and use.
Cleaning
Stone is a natural product. Care should be taken to protect it from harsh abrasive cleaners and abrasive cleaning tools. While the right product for cleaning specific stones varies, we generally recommend DuPont Stone Tech sealers and cleaners. Other manufacturers also make products formulated specifically for stone care. Avoid ‘’over the counter’’ stone care sprays that contain phosphoric and glycolic acids, that could etch some polished stone surfaces. As with other flooring products, stone tile floors may require occasional professional cleaning to maintain or restore their natural appearance.
Green Products and Natural Stone
Natural stone is one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable building products. The following excerpt is from an article written by John Mattke, The Co-Chair of the Natural stone Council (NSC) and Chairman of the NSC’s Committee on Sustainability, the Natural stone Council.
As a natural product, Genuine Stone is inherently earth-friendly. Genuine Stone offers many attractive, environmentally friendly benefits, such as durability, easy care and maintenance, recyclability and enduring life cycle.
Conserving resources, preventing pollution, and minimizing waste are some ways the stone industry is working to be eco friendly through green building.
The concept of “green building” may be relative new, but Genuine Stone and its long history as a durable and environmentally responsible building material is not. Genuine Stone is formed naturally-an integral part of the planet with no additives required. It is used in many forms, and it is the basis for innumerable products and projects. Some of the great “wonders of the World” –Stonehenge, the [roman] Coliseum, the great wall, etc. –are made of stone and stand as a testament to its beauty, durability and character. Stone has been integral element of building design and construction for as long as we have documented history.
In fact, for more than 2000 years, stone born from Mother Earth has enabled us to erect out temples, cathedrals, monuments, museums and homes. And now, in important ways, Mother Earth is reminding us that our choices have environmental consequences. Let us thoughtful and choose wisely”
For more information on the earth friendly characteristics of natural stone visit the Natural stone Council website at GenuineStone.com.
