Recent Articles
How to Use Natural Stone to Create At Home Water Features
Being near water has a calming effect and research studies have shown that water features can positively contribute to our overall mental health and well-being. Incorporating natural stone water features at home can bring both beauty and tranquility into your space. Anne Roberts, president of Chicago based Anne Roberts Gardens Company, finds that people love the sound of water because it’s relaxing. Since not every home has a water feature, adding one is a way to make your home stand out.
The Perfect Match: Digging Deep to Restore the Wyoming State Capitol
Four years of overhaul—the complex’s first major renovation since 1917—resulted in a state capitol worthy of the accolades it has received. The stonework received the 2021 Grande Pinnacle Award from the Natural Stone Institute, while awards for the total project streamed in from many trade organizations: the American Public Works Association, Building Design and Construction magazine, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado, the Construction Management Association of America, and Engineering-News Record Mountain States.
A Concrete Argument for Stone: Building for Longevity at Freedom Place
A former hospital complex originally built in 1894, the Old Parkland campus in Dallas, Texas, has seen its share of reclamation and renovation in the past decades. The most recent addition, Freedom Place at Old Parkland, echoes the campus’ existing Jeffersonian buildings in style and design. Designing and building a 140-foot, six-story structure that includes 8,310 pieces of limestone required massive planning and coordination — particularly because the original design plan was created for cast stone.
Connecting with Natural Stone
Andreas and Naomi Kunert, co-founders of Ancient Art of Stone, know they don’t easily fit into one category. Together they create one-of-a-kind art installations using natural stone, crystals, and bronze. Andreas and Naomi are artists, first and foremost. It’s not unusual for their art pieces to be 25’ tall. An upcoming project will include a 900-foot mosaic wall, with 20 feet surrounding it and large doorways with 350 ton standing stones that one can walk through.
Manufacturing Impacts: Natural Stone vs. Terrazzo
Terrazzo is a durable, low maintenance material. Terrazzo has a long history, informed in part by the ancient mosaics of Egypt that were made of small or irregular pieces of stone, glass, or ceramic.
Using Locally Sourced Limestone to Add Structure and Strength to Historic Preservation Projects
Julia Manglitz, AIA, LEED AP, APT RP, has worked on several building types throughout her career: county courthouses, state capitols and office buildings, university campus halls and community centers. What makes each of these public buildings unique is they’re all landmarks in their communities. Another thing each of them has in common? Almost all feature locally or regionally-sourced natural stone.
Understanding Environmental and Health Product Labels for Natural Stone
Natural stone has a great reputation for environmentally friendly qualities such as its durability, low embodied energy, no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and being a nearly complete material in its natural state. Mother Nature does most of the work, making natural stone a single ingredient material suitable for many interior and exterior applications that perform impeccably over time. Most other building materials require additional ingredients and a more complex manufacturing process. Because these added materials and processes can have a negative impact on our health and the environment, they should be considered when selecting a material for a project.
Thassos White Marble Adds Reflection and Beauty to 2 Bryant Park Lobby Project
Dan Shannon and his team wanted to take advantage of the unique footprint of 2 Bryant Park and connect the park to the plaza visually. Choosing the right natural stone would prove to be a pivotal decision. They decided to create a two-story high entry lobby passage through the building and elevate that open space using Thassos White marble from Greece along the primary and surrounding walls.
Dakota Mahogany: Core of the Continent
The formation of Dakota Mahogany marks the last time the Midwest endured a tectonic collision. Since then, seas have advanced and retreated across the landscape, the continents have rearranged themselves in different parts of the globe, and vast ice sheets grew, then melted, then grew again, over the course of several ice ages. After 2.6 billion years of erosion, the Midwest’s former mountain ranges have been worn down, leaving the landscape mostly flat. Through all of this, Dakota Mahogany sat patiently, waiting for its day in the sun.
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Popular Articles
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Natural Stone Surfaces
While it’s true that natural stone is extremely durable and made to last, it is not indestructible. There is a chemistry to natural stone, and making mistakes can harm it. Protect your investment by avoiding these five common practices.
Kitchen Countertop Comparison Charts
Compare and contrast features of the countertop surfaces available in today’s market. With so many possibilities to choose from, it’s hard to know which options you should consider. Think about your budget, your design taste and how your family will use your kitchen before making your decision.
A Definitive Guide to Quartzite
Quartzite may be the most confusing natural stone out there. A quick internet search will reveal an unsettling disparity of information. Some people say it etches. Some say it doesn’t. Sometimes you hear it’s a hybrid between marble and granite.
How to Care For Your Granite Countertops
Granite has long been a favorite choice for countertops due to its beauty and ease of maintenance. Granite is a durable material, but like all surfaces, it does require regular maintenance. We sat down with several stone care experts to learn how best to care for granite countertops.
Is Quartz Natural Stone?
Sift through the confusion about man-made quartz surfaces. Our geologist analyzed samples from several different quartz manufacturers. Sort fact from fiction using real scientific data to prove performance statistics.
Caring For Quartzite Countertops
Quartzite has been gaining in popularity as a countertop material in the past few years. With a look similar to marble and a durability comparable to granite, this natural stone seems to have it all.