Design Cafe: October 2021

Stones are a very common material used in construction both internally and externally. Stones are a naturally occurring material that is sustainable and hence recommended for use in green design. The stone properties are what makes it be categorized as one that is good for use indoors or outdoors. Stones have over the years been used for construction of houses, temples, tombs etc. Due to this, different technologies have emerged to assist in harvesting, shaping, and finishing the stones for appropriate use.

The distinctive qualities of stone are due to the complex geological processes that occur during its formation. The stones formed under high heat and pressure are strong and can be used outdoors and as foundation elements.

As an Interior designer, stones are materials that I largely use in my projects. They are used as floor and wall finishes as well as countertop, fireplace, and staircase cladding. I love the natural look of materials and therefore, I prefer using stones in their natural occurring state, colour, and finish. Stones can be polished or honed and the selection of either is based on the intended use.

There are over 8 types of stones used in construction. These are and not limited to:

Basalts
Granite
Sandstone
Slate
Limestone
Marble
Quartz
Travertine
Onyx
Gneiss

All these can be used internally but not all can be used externally.

a. Basalts

Basalt is one of the hardest stones used in construction. It’s a perfect material for use outdoors. Basalts are used for masonry work as well as paving. When constructing a house, basalt stones are used for the foundation locally known as ‘Foundation stones’. Due to their robust and impervious nature, they are used as paving block both for parking spaces as well as courtyards, walkways, and corridors. They mostly occur in grey colour and can range from a very deep grey to a light grey.

Basalts can achieve a variety of thicknesses and therefore, machine cut basalt stones can be used as an interior or exterior cladding material.

b. Granite

Second to Basalt, Granite is also a hard and impervious stone. Due to its formation, granite is extremely heat, scratch and chip resistant. This makes it an excellent material for use indoors and outdoors. It being chip resistant, it is largely used as a floor material outdoors. Polished granite can be used at the entry porch, round the house corridors and even courtyards. Honed granite can be used in driveways, walk-ways and garages. In Interiors, it is a perfect material for use as kitchen and bathroom counter tops. The most common colours are black, white, green, blue, grey, red, pink and brown. Granite however has poor resistance to fire.

c. Limestone

Limestone is a much softer stone. It is of sedimentary nature and is made of calcium carbonate. In structure, limestone is fine textured. Its colours range from pure white (chalky) to grey and dark varieties. Not all limestones are useful in construction; some are too soft and brittle. Limestone that is usable is dense, compact and fine textured. Since it’s quite porous and reactive to chemicals, it should not be used in areas where the air is polluted with industrial gases or in coastal regions directly exposed to salty water. The best use of Limestone is as a tile both on floors and walls and as a cladding material. Locally, the most commonly observed limestone is Mazeras; generally used as an entry area or poolside tile and Coral stone; mostly used as a cladding material. Limestone is produced in a honed finish since its brittle nature does not allow it to be polished.

d. Marble

Marble is a metamorphic rock formed when limestone is subjected to high heat and pressure. It is softer than Granite but harder than Limestone. In the past, marble was commonly used for facing and ornamental work such as decoration of monuments, sculptures and columns. Marble can be polished to an almost glass look. Due to this, it is considered a very elegant product and therefore used in high end projects such as hotels, residential houses and palaces. Marble is porous and easily stains and therefore, one should be careful when handling it as a Kitchen top and floor tile. Avoid spilling turmeric, beetroot or food stain in the kitchen. One should also be careful not to step on it with muddy shoes as the red soil will leave stains.

e. Quartz

Quartz is a manufactured stone that can be referred to as the best of all worlds. It is the ‘Revolutionary Surface material ‘… RossKopf + Partner. In structure, it has stronger if not similar properties to granite with the look of marble. It is suitable for both internal and external use both on floors and wall. Quartz is robust, versatile, heat-resistant, hygienic and easy to clean. It is colour accurate and therefore, the colour is even within the sheet and also among other sheets. It is the most ideal material for use on Kitchen and bathroom tops and therefore makes it quite expensive.

Inspiration pour le Journee

Julie Khuu is an Interior Designer who puts out amazing content on Interior Design tips for a home. She has wonderfully outlined her best materials for use as a Kitchen counter top with their pros and cons. Check out her video.