One of the beauties of natural stone and marble is that each piece is completely unique and can not be duplicated. Natural veins, pores, and color variations make your table one-of-a kind.
Natural stone and marble present all variations and unique coloring that is found in nature.Design Studio Furniture showcases a variety of stone, marble, granite, and onyx pieces. Many of our clients inquire about the differences between these stones. This post is a summary of each of these natural beauties, examples of some of the options to choose from, and finally, information on how to properly care for each.
Take a look ...
Travertine
Travertine is extracted from the ground and is the result of a chemical precipitation of thermal waters; also know as, hot springs. As it is deposited and compressed in successive layers, the conditions of deposition may vary, resulting in a banded structure. Travertine is a sedimentary rock that is naturally porous. Depending on the mineral content in a particular piece, dark veins may randomly occur on the tabletop or edge of the table. In some instances there are tiny openings that are not filled and remain open.
Unfilled and unpolished Travertine (as shown below on the left) is naturally beige in color and extremely porous. Black carbon deposits are common, resulting in what appears to be small black lines. When travertine is unpolished and unfilled, the stone will appear naturally dull, as opposed to the shiny surface of polished travertine.
When Travertine is filled and polished, the holes are "filled" with a putty like substance. A natural paste wax is used to give the stone a polished brilliant shine and a protective covering. When ordering a travertine table, you can choose between filled or unfilled.
The beauty of travertine is in its neutral coloration and sedimentary "banding" of time.
Unfilled and unpolished Travertine (as shown below on the left) is naturally beige in color and extremely porous. Black carbon deposits are common, resulting in what appears to be small black lines. When travertine is unpolished and unfilled, the stone will appear naturally dull, as opposed to the shiny surface of polished travertine.
When Travertine is filled and polished, the holes are "filled" with a putty like substance. A natural paste wax is used to give the stone a polished brilliant shine and a protective covering. When ordering a travertine table, you can choose between filled or unfilled.
The beauty of travertine is in its neutral coloration and sedimentary "banding" of time.
Left: Unpolished and unfilled Walnut Travertine
The brown color to walnut travertine is natural to the stone. The color of any stone is determined by the mineral content present in the earth, during its formation. This stone can rang in color from beige to dark brown or light gray to black. In its natural state, walnut travertine is porous, resulting in an uneven surface. In order to make walnut travertine suitable for tabletops, a clear resin is used to fill the pores, making the table even.
Marble
The intense pressure and the folding of the earth create marble. During this process, sedimentary limestone is crushed, ground, and heated, creating a homogeneous, crystalline, condition of great density. Melting together with other mineral elements and materials creates the background coloration of marble. For example, the black coloration comes from coral; the red color comes from the presence of iron, green by copper and so on...
Marble comes in natural colors and each presents natural veining. The coloration and veining depends upon the minerals present during formation. Veining often provides a certain inconsistency in the surface texture of the table and may require some fill during manufacturing. These variations and natural markings are NOT flaws and are to be expected. Below are some examples of the various colors of marble.
Marble comes in natural colors and each presents natural veining. The coloration and veining depends upon the minerals present during formation. Veining often provides a certain inconsistency in the surface texture of the table and may require some fill during manufacturing. These variations and natural markings are NOT flaws and are to be expected. Below are some examples of the various colors of marble.
Granite
Granite is geologically the same composition as marble, except that it was formed nearer to the earth's surface during the volcanic eruption giving it a greater component of oxygen. The oxygen or air and steam bubbles contained in the mass, eventually crystallize, which creates the quartz that differentiates granite from marble. The addition of quartz gives granite a hardness that is similar to glass. In fact, granite must be cut with the same diamond heads that are used to cut glass.
Granite is a very "hard" stone that is the most (but not totally) forgiving to stains and heat. The color and surfaces of granite are mostly consistent, however natural markings are always possible. There are many colors of granite to choose from. Below is an example of two.
Granite is a very "hard" stone that is the most (but not totally) forgiving to stains and heat. The color and surfaces of granite are mostly consistent, however natural markings are always possible. There are many colors of granite to choose from. Below is an example of two.
Left: Grey Granite Right: Black Granite
Onyx
Onyx
Onyx is part of the alabaster family. It gets it brilliant colors from minerals and elements in the earth. Onyx can vary considerably from slab to slab. Natural fault lines and small cracks are common to this material and are not considered defective. The polishing process of this extremely dense stone renders a stunning glass like finish. Design Studio Furniture has a variety of onyx pieces available.
Left: White onyx Right: Green Onyx
Cleaning and protecting your natural surface
Cleaning and protecting your natural surface
Marble is denser than travertine, and granite is the densest of them all. Keep in mind that all of these natural materials are porous and should be cared for just as if it were a fine wood.
Use coasters, trivets and place mats to protect any natural material.
To avoid rings or marks, any and all liquid that is spilled needs to be removed immediately. Rings and marks (just like on a fine wood) are very difficult to remove. Re-polishing is the best way to attempt to reduce the appearance of stains.
For day- to- day cleaning, we recommend using regular rubbing alcohol.
Design Studio Furniture carries a wide range of natural stone tables. Much of the information provided above comes directly from our manufacturer. Take a look at the slide show to see some of our collections.
Use coasters, trivets and place mats to protect any natural material.
To avoid rings or marks, any and all liquid that is spilled needs to be removed immediately. Rings and marks (just like on a fine wood) are very difficult to remove. Re-polishing is the best way to attempt to reduce the appearance of stains.
For day- to- day cleaning, we recommend using regular rubbing alcohol.
Design Studio Furniture carries a wide range of natural stone tables. Much of the information provided above comes directly from our manufacturer. Take a look at the slide show to see some of our collections.
Contact us for information on any of the pieces you see: mailto:info@designstudiofurniture.com
http://www.designstudiofurniture.com
