SeaStone

Description:

SeaStone^® products are manufactured, cementitious stones containing a mixture of natural fossil shells and aggregates. These beautiful stones are engineered for residential, commercial, interior, exterior, horizontal, vertical, wet and dry installations.

Application:

The full line of matching edging and trim (including bullnose, demi, bevel, coping, stair treads and risers, cove base, backsplashes, wall caps, etc.) provides limitless design capabilities. Typical installation locations include hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, businesses, condominiums, homes, and estates. Areas of installation are unlimited, including lobbies, walkways, balconies, pools, decks, fountains, bathrooms, patios, and overall floor and wall applications. The enhanced manufacturing process applies tons of pressure to each unit, fusing the aggregates and stones together. This unique process ensures a more durable product with higher compression strength and low water absorption qualities.

For Interior/Exterior, Wet/Dry, and Floor/Wall Applications

Freeze/Thaw stable (ASTM C1026, C373, C39, C482, C485)

Slip Resistant, dry or wet, COF is >0.65 (ASTM D-1028-84)

Stain, mold, mildew, and wear resistant (with proper sealing)

Cost effective due to versatility of use

Approved for standard installation techniques (Mapei and Laticrete)

Eco-friendly, Emerald Award winner for Green Products and Practices

Environmental Impacts:

SeaStone is a eco-friendly product using recycled glass, natural shells, and aggregates that help protect the environment by reducing the need for mining natural stones. As a manufactured stone, SeaStone helps to protect the environment by serving as alternative green product to mined stone. The shell and other marine fossils that form the foundation of the SeaStone tile product are natural fossil waste products derived regionally and outside the United States. SeaStone utilizes tumbled waste glass from glass manufacturers in its product line. The result is eco-friendly tile product that reveals the translucent, light refracting qualities of glass and natural beauty of shell.

Filed under: Materials, exterior, flooring, interior, Recycled, shell, stone, wall

Slate Stone

Description:

Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering. Slate is frequently grey in color especially when seen en masse covering roofs. However, slate occurs in a variety of colors even from a single locality. For example slate from North Wales can be found in many shades of grey from pale to dark and may also be purple, green or cyan.  Limestone and tumbled slate are great for bathroom or entry areas where slip-resistance is a necessity. These stones are also more gentle on bare feet than a clefted slate. When selected from well-managed quarries, stone tiles are a great alternative to ceramic or vinyl for wet areas, and their natural beauty will last the life of the house and beyond.

Applications:

Slate tiles are often used for interior and exterior flooring, stairs, walkways, and wall cladding. Slate can be made into roofing slates, also called roofing shingles, installed by a slater. There are many other uses for slate as well.  Because it is a good electrical insulator and fireproof, it was used to construct early 20th century electric switchboards and relay controls for large electric motors. Fine slate can also be used as a whetstone to hone knives.

Due to its thermal stability and chemical inertness, slate has been used for laboratory bench tops and for billiard table tops. In 18th and 19th century schools, slate was extensively used for blackboards and individual writing slates for which slate or chalk pencils were used.  In areas where it is available, high-quality slate is used for gravestones and commemorative tablets, and by artists in various genres.

Installation:

Install similar to other tile, using thin-set mortar and grout. Can also be used over radiant floor heat systems

Maintenance:

Clean with damp mop and stone soap, vacuum. Should be sealed using stone sealant to prevent soap scum build up and to make it easier to clean.

Environmental Impacts:

Because of their timeless design that never goes out of style, stones are less likely to be removed and thrown out than ceramic tile or vinyl. Likewise, if the materials need to be removed, they may be reused for landscaping with no detriment to the natural environment.  Stone tiles are also very receptive to passive solar heating, as they will hold and radiate heat long after the sun goes down.

Filed under: Materials, natural, recyclable, slate, stone