education

5 Things to Know When Choosing Natural Stone

by | Aug 31, 2022

Here are five things to know when you decide on using natural stone for your home improvement project, to help ensure product satisfaction and an overall smooth experience. More education helps ease the process of finding the best fit for their style, taste, and budgets, and to suit their individual project needs.

Natural Stone vs. Manmade Materials for Exteriors

by | Jun 21, 2022

While design trends come and go, natural stone remains a timeless and flexible option for many exterior applications including cladding, paving, and hardscapes. It is important to know how the material chosen for an exterior project will perform under a variety of circumstances, conditions, and uses.

Manufacturing Impacts: Natural Stone vs. Precast Concrete

by | Feb 24, 2022

From an overall sustainability perspective, natural stone has a lower environmental footprint than precast concrete. This is due to the minimal resources used to quarry, fabricate, finish, and transport natural stone.

Manufacturing Impacts: Natural Stone vs. Sintered Surface

by | Feb 9, 2022

Sintered surface is sometimes marketed as sustainable because it contains natural materials. But as you will see from the manufacturing process described below, the use of an energy intensive manufacturing process gives sintered surface a much larger environmental footprint than natural stone.

Manufacturing Impacts: Natural Stone vs. Porcelain

by | Jan 14, 2022

Porcelain is produced to emulate the beauty and veining of marble. But as you will see, the use of many materials and additives and the energy intensive processes involved in its manufacturing create a much larger environmental footprint for porcelain than natural stone.

Manufacturing Impacts: Natural Stone vs. Engineered Quartz

by | Dec 22, 2021

Engineered quartz is sometimes marketed as a sustainable, natural material because of the quartz in it. However, as the process of manufacturing engineered quartz depicted demonstrates, that is not the case.

How to Add Value to Your Project with Natural Stone

by | Sep 10, 2021

Natural stone adds value to any project through its sustainability properties. Stone—a single-ingredient product — is one of the most sustainable building materials that can be specified.

Carving a Career in Natural Stone: A Conversation with Chris Miller

by | Nov 30, 2020

Learn about the career of a successful stone sculptor, Chris Miller. He enjoys the entire process from design and planning to the physicality of working with natural stone.

An Education Carved in Stone

by | Oct 9, 2017

In a world of bytes and bites, the next generation of artisans is still studying with mallets and chisels and doing its part to carry over an ancient trade to another century.

Schist Happens: Get to Know This Brilliant Stone

by | Sep 28, 2017

The sparkly aesthetic comes from mica minerals, which are nature’s glitter.

Resources for Design Professionals

by | May 30, 2017

Architects and designers can find all they need to know on this resource page from Natural Stone Institute.

Natural Stone Resource Library

by | May 30, 2017

Search the archives of technical papers, case studies, and more information published by Natural Stone Institute.

Glossary of Stone Industry Terms

by | May 30, 2017

Definitions for terms commonly used in the stone industry.

Stones of North America

by | May 30, 2017

Your source for finding natural stones from North America. Browse by type, color, use, and quarry location.

Find a Stone Professional

by | May 30, 2017

Members of this trade association conform to a strict code of ethics. The quality of their work meets Natural Stone Institute and other industry standards.

Targeting Architects-in-Training to Foster a Love of Natural Stone

by | Apr 14, 2017

How 2 stone companies foster a love for natural stone among local students.

Stone Fact Sheet

by | Mar 29, 2016

Common Stone Types & Technical Stone Research Results.