Building Stone Magazine: Natural Stone Provides Instant Upgrade for Flooring


	Winter 2006 Natural Stone Provides Instant Upgrade for Flooring Photo courtesy of Alabama Stone Company By Jodi Paper With such a wide variety from which to choose, natural stone is a natural choice when it comes to flooring. Whether in the home, office, building lobby, or public facility such as a museum or shopping mall, there really is no better option for one's design. With natural stone, there is something for everyone. And what once was only considered for use in upscale kitchens and bathrooms, or for commercial spaces, natural stone is beginning to be viewed as a limitless, sturdy, practical and quality option for any type of interior flooring application. The types of natural stone that work in flooring applications range from granite and slate to travertine, sandstone and limestone. And among each type of stone there exists numerous varieties, making for endless options. The interior stone at Maryville Municipal utilizes Tennessee Light Rose, Tennessee Dark Rose and Champlain Black border. Photo courtesy of Tennessee Marble Company Seeing Red One of these options is the Colorado Red sandstone, exclusively quarried out of the Lyons formation, and manufactured and supplied by Lyons Sandstone. Owned and operated by Brenda and Bernard Buster, the company is a family-owned business that sells to stone yards and fabricators. The quarry produces approximately 10,000 to 15,000 tons annually; while this may be a smaller quantity compared to larger quarrying companies, the quality itself is beyond compare. "There is a lot of misconception that sandstone is soft," Bernard Buster said. "But Lyons Red sandstone is one of the hardest, most durable sandstones on the market." The stone is a quartzite with a high silica content — averaging 95 percent. "It has an extremely low absorption rate that brings a hardness and durability to indoor flooring applications," he added. The stone stands up well in high-traffic areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and staircases. It is susceptible to stains, yet at the same time its low-absorption rate makes it highly resistant to them. Colorado Red sandstone, a domestic product from the Lyons Sandstone Company, is quarried by hand using bars and wedges. The stone is known for it's quiet red tone and its incredible durability. Photo courtesy of Lyons Sandstone Company Lyons Colorado Red is a ledgestone, or benchstone, that lies naturally in layers. "It is a hand-quarried product, each piece pried out with bars and wedges," Bernard Buster said. "Only when the stone has been separated completely from the ledge in which it resides, do we engage the forklift." "Splitting Lyons Red sandstone from the bench or ledge is very much like separating slices of frozen bread," Brenda Buster added. "If you just pry away on a corner, you'll very likely just break that corner off. But if you work your way around the pieces, gradually they will separate into perfect slices. It takes patience and a bit of finesse." A finesse that quietly carries over into the design of a room, the sandstone has an inherent beauty that adds to the overall look of a space. The stone can be cut into tiles, which, because of their natural cleft, work particularly well for flooring. Some larger options for tiling include eight inch by eight inch and 12 inch by 12 inch, with a minimum thickness of one-half inch. Bernard Buster pointed out that "it is a similar thickness to a ceramic tile, so it would have the same flexibility and can be used in the same applications." An alternative to traditional tiling would be to lay random flagging, artistically fitted, with random joint lines. Matte & Muted "Natural stone provides a flexibility of design, durability of material and the look of quality" said Dan Shannon, a partner and principal architect at Moed de Armas & Shannon. "We are able to achieve our design goal because of the material." The lobby at 340 Madison, a commercial building located in a well-known area of Manhattan, is a perfect example of the infinite potential of natural stone for interior flooring. For this project, Shannon and his team used Alabama Silver Shadow, an oolitic limestone provided by the Alabama Stone Company. Ron Vetter is the president of the company, as were his father and grandfather before him. "Alabama Silver Shadow has been quarried since the late 1800's, and now we are bringing it back on a national scale," Vetter said. The stone is quarried underground over 25 acres that has been opened up for the extraction and production of the stone, which Vetter describes as a warm, tactile, inviting material that consists of a light gray to white background with delicate charcoal-colored streaks. "It is a creamy, inviting material," he said. "It's fun to watch people looking at the stone. They always have to touch it." Alabama Silver Shadow stone, produced by Alabama Stone Company with its honed finish adds warmth to this high-end lobby at 340 Madison Avenue. Photo courtesy of Alabama Stone Company Alabama Stone Company can cut the material to whatever sizes are needed for a project. In the case of 340 Madison, Shannon used 40-inch-by-40-inch tiles, 1-1/2 inches thick. For a residential application, Vetter suggests a thickness of 1/2 inch set in concrete or some other traditional tile setting method. In terms of sustainability and maintenance, Shannon utilized impregnating sealers, and for cleaning suggested a mild detergent and water. "When used in the right application, stone has a very good maintenance record," he said. "We are seeing a trend of people choosing natural stone," Vetter said. "They are looking for matte, muted finishes that are comfortable, as opposed to in-your-face, sparkling tones." He added that, in a commercial application, natural stone is "soothing for workers. It makes the environment so much less stale and static, and so much more comfortable, engaging and calming." Alabama Silver Shadow stone, produced by Alabama Stone Company with its honed finish adds warmth to this high-end lobby at 340 Madison Avenue. Photo courtesy of Alabama Stone Company The French Country Look Hollie Ruck works at Ruck Brothers Brick Inc. of Ft. Meyers, Fla., which specializes in the sale and distribution of quality masonry products. Ruck agreed that the current trend is toward natural stone. "People are looking for something that is not so formal, and gives more of a rustic, French Country look." She cited slate as a popular flooring material that fits the bill and wears particularly well. She also sees a trend in the type of finish applied to the material. "A brushed finish is very popular because it gives an antique, shabby-chic appearance and a three-dimensional feel." Honed and tumbled finishes also are popular, she said. Then there are the different types of edging. "The type of edge detail should be coordinated with the finish," Ruck added. For instance, a chiseled edge works well with a honed and unfilled finish. A tumbled finish is most effective with a softer edge. As far as sealers are concerned, Ruck prefers a penetrating sealer to an acrylic. "Acrylic is like nail polish. You apply a coat and it lays on the surface of the stone giving it a glossy and flat appearance." She also noted that the wear on this type of sealer would be more obvious in areas used most and requires more frequent reapplication. On the other hand, when applied to a surface, a penetrating sealer does just that — it penetrates the stone. "Although part of the sealer remains on the stone, you don't see a change in the surface, and the finish of the stone lasts longer," she said. Durability for the Ages Perhaps the ultimate space, the epitome of the beauty, durability and strength of natural stone flooring is the recent renovation of Grand Central Station Terminal in New York. Originally constructed between 1903 and 1910, the renovation of the space was completed in 1998. Monica Gawet is the president of Tennessee Marble Company, a family-owned quarrier and fabricator. The company provided the Tennessee Pink marble that was integral to the completion of Grand Central Station's renovation, which included replacing cracked stones throughout the expansive space and the addition of the West Grand Staircase. After looking at more than 25 quarries for the right material, the architecture firm of Beyer, Blinder and Belle, which led the project, discovered that Tennessee Pink was the perfect match. Although at the time, Gawet's company wasn't actively quarrying, the Grand Central Station renovation gave her the perfect incentive to start. For the project, the company extracted 3,000 to 4,000 feet of material from the ledges of the quarry alone. Gawet was amazed with the whole process. "To have a stone 75 to 80 years later that matched is a very special thing," she said. Polished cut flooring Maryville Municipal Building Photo courtesy of Tennessee Marble Company Particularly impressive is the appearance of the vast floor over time. "Grand Central Station is an unbelievable space," Gawet said. "For a million people walking through there every week, the floor has obtained an incredible natural patina. I never cease to enjoy the station's expanse." Tennessee marble dates back to the 1800's, when it was first extracted. Several varieties of the material exist, including a range of colors from a blushing pink (Tennessee Pink) to a burgundy (Tennessee Dark Rose) to a chocolate brown (Tennessee Cedar). And while the beauty of the stone (and many other natural stones) is undeniable, Gawet stressed, "It is wise to dig deeper than aesthetics when considering a flooring material. "Unlike wood or carpet, with stone there are so many advantages of durability and easier maintenance." Compared to man-made materials, natural stone is a choice product. "Natural stone has a beautiful and rich look that can't be duplicated in man-made materials," Gawet added. This dining area utilizes Tennessee Marble's Vermont Verde Antique, a greenish-black flagging. Photo courtesy of Tennessee Marble Company The 'Feel Good' Flooring Tom Stobie, president of Owen Sound Ledgerock Limited, agrees with Gawet. The company quarries and manufactures dolomite, a sedimentary stone that has a flurry pattern when cut. Consisting of earthy tones such as taupes, grays, browns and blacks, dolomite is a layered stone that has become popular in residential projects. "For years, granites and marbles were popular," Stobie said. "But with beiges, taupes and browns, you get a warmer feel and a little bit of a range of colors in tiles, making for a very attractive floor." Natural stone can creates a seamless, flowing design from horizontal to vertical surfaces. Here Algonquin honed limestone was used for the walls, while Eramosa limestone was used for the flooring material. Photo courtesy of Owen Sound Ledgerock Limited While Stobie stated that most materials have their advantages and disadvantages, when it comes to all-around quality, natural stone is the winner. "Natural stone is better than ceramics, in flexibility, in size. Designers and architects can design and mix sizes to generate custom patterns in floors," he said. Ultimately, every stone is different, offering varying strengths and quality. "There are so many choices available — color, texture, finish, pattern, cut — it can be overwhelming," Gawet said. "So have fun with it, but do your homework." One more advantage of natural stone flooring not to be overlooked is the "green" issue. "Using natural stone, you are building in a way more environmentally conscious," Buster added. "You are likely using less energy and creating less pollution." Gawet felt similarly about natural stone: "Using natural stone is a great way to feel good about any building project." Photo courtesy KPMB Architects/David Whittaker photographer Resources Alabama Stone Company Russellville, Ala. (800) 878-2850 www.vetterstone.com Lyons Sandstone Lyons, Colo. (303) 823-5659 www.lyonssandstone.com Moed de Armas & Shannon New York (212) 809-0100 www.mdeas.com Owen Sound Ledgerock Limited Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada (519) 376-0366 www.ledgerock.com Ruck Brothers Brick Inc. Fort Myers, Fla. (239) 334-8022 www.ruckbrick.com Tennessee Marble Company Friendsville, Tenn. (865) 995-9500 www.tnmarble.com • Return to table of contents www.buildingstonemagazine.com Building Stone Magazine ©2006 by Building Stone Institute www.buildingstoneinstitute.org All rights reserved Web Site by: Lionheart Publishing, Inc. 506 Roswell Street, Suite 220, Marietta, GA 30060 Phone: 770-431-0867 \| Fax: 770-432-6969 lpi@lionhrtpub.com www.lionhrtpub.com