Monday 30 May 2011

BENCHTOP SELECTION

Selecting the perfect benchtop material can be a fantastic challenge.  There are many opinions and insights, and it is often difficult to realize the truth.  At Stone Connection Australia, our observation is three main decision makers.  The first priority is finding the perfect colour.  Second is making the selection fit the budget.  The third element, that we at Stone Connection Australia feel should be the most important, is function.

For surfaces, the market’s main choices are natural stone, engineered stone and laminated type finishes.  Natural stone and engineered are the most comparable for both price and function, and both have different pros and cons. 

With bench-tops, the main function is protecting the cabinets.  Aside from function, with kitchen and bath design, the bench surfaces are the most beneficial in adding value.  The reason for this is that bench-tops are the crowning jewel for both adding individuality and drawing attention.  For example, a made in China cabinet and Italian import are difficult to distinquish until finding the brand name and seeing the interior construction.  Benches sit proudly on top for everyone to view.   By being such a critical design feature, it is also important to select a product that will withstand the test of time and keep your project beautiful for years to come. 

For selecting, we outline what to expect from each product:
Granite is the most enduring product for durability.  It is highly scratch resistant, heat resistant and natural.  If you examine tops made 20-years past, they will still look brand new.   Granite is suitable for both inside and outside use.  Today granite is available in hundreds of colours and can easily suit any design. The cost can range from very affordable to expensive. The cost is based primarily on supply and demand. 



Marble, travertine and limestone are very classic and beautiful.  Featured in most magazines, they are very popular choices.  However, there are some downfalls to using.  Marble, limestone and travertine are soft and will react to acidity.  If used in a high traffic area (i.e. kitchen), these products should be honed.  This will aid in not seeing wear as a full polish will project any scratches and polish burn from acid (lemons, vinegar, etc..).  All three are porous products, but with proper sealing stains can be avoided.  Direct contact with extreme heat and use as a cutting surface should be avoided.  Again cost can range from low to extremely high based upon supply and demand. 



Engineered stone.  Although Stone Connection does not sell engineered products, we will admit they are highly suitable for many purposes and are popular.  The main benefit of engineered products is ease of fabrication and selection.  Being man-made they are very uniform.  When using engineered stone, it will show wear after years of use unlike granite, are not suited for cutting or extreme heat.  Last, use outside should be avoided.  Because engineered stone is composed of resin and not natural, the UV rays of the sun will discolour the composition with exposure.   For cost, it is related more to manufacture marketing vs. supply and demand.  Most products are made with exactly the same process and machines but just vary by country of origin.

Hopefully this insight benefit you when deciding on your choice of Benchtop.  To personally view our natural stone selection of granite, marble, onyx, travertine, limestone, slate and sandstone tiles and slabs, our showroom is open to the public.  Located a short drive south-west of Sydney we are located at 96-100 Canterbury Rd, Bankstown, NSW 2200.  Showroom hours are Monday- Friday 8am- 5pm, Saturdays 10am- 2pm. 

You can also view online at www.stoneconnectionaustralia.com or contact directly +61 2 9790 4811, info@stoneconnectionaustralia.com 

Thursday 19 May 2011

TRAVERTINE - BEAUTIFUL BEIGE

TRAVERTINE - BEAUTIFUL BEIGE
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  travetine tiles, beautiful beige
Stone Connection Australia’s travertine will forever change your perception of what beige can do. The subtle tones, soft irregular patterns and gentle feel are all the great design features of the stone. Travertine is formed through the erosion of limestone deposits by underground rivers, geysers and streams giving the stone its distinctive, smooth yet porous surface. We hand-select our stone from some of the most notable travertine producing quarries and factories in the world, which ensures that we only offer the most desirable colours and finishes for the Australian market

 For a modern and visually stunning finish for both inside and out, travertine pavers, travertine slabs, travertine pool copings and stair treads can be selected. Stone Connection Australia offers one of the largest selections of high quality travertine tiles and travertine stone flooring, countertop and paver products with prices and sizes to suit any budget and any design you have in mind. Our standard colours are classico (beige), ivory (light), noce (dark brown) and silver. Other travertine colours also include; rosso (red), scabbis (yellow/ red), walnut (light brown) and Italian Silver.

Classico Travertinetravertine02travertine06travertine07
Classico BeigeClassico IvoryNoce TravertineSilver Travertine
travertine10travertine14travertine12travertine11
Rosso TravertineScabbis TravertineWalnut TravertineItalian Silver Travertine




 
With travertine, there are many different finishes as well. The two main ones are filled and un-filled. Filled is just when the holes have been grouted by the factory. There are many types of fills used. Cement based is the most common. It is as durable as any other and easy to fix. Epoxy fill is when a clear base is used in the holes. Although epoxy is very attractive and seems better due to high cost, it is not practical for all applications. If used outside, UV will colour change. Epoxy is also only proper if used in vein-cut travertine. This is because the holes are short and deep on vein-cut vs. Cross-cut where the holes are long and shallow. Other products are mastic. If un-happy with the factory fill, un-filled is the way to go. Use your own colour selection on grout for a perfect finish. 
When selecting Travertine, the process can be very daunting. When making a decision the most important factor is whether or not the aesthetics meet your desired look and the material is of proper calibration for installation. The main difference between different countries is the colours available. Roman Classico, Turkish Classico and Classico from Iran can all have very different appearances, while at the same time very similar. Turkish silver is very different from Italian Silver travertine. With our stock we source for consistency in both colour and calibration. Each quarry has different looks and each factory different quality control. If a product is not calibrated properly, then the savings is not significant.

TRAVERTINE

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Stone Connection Australia’s showroom is located south-west of Sydney in Bankstown. Customers are invited to visit at 96-100 Canterbury Rd, Bankstown, NSW 2200. Showroom hours are Monday thru Friday 8am-5pm, Saturday 10am-2pm. 
Standard Travertine Stock Formats:  
Slabs
20mm
30mm

Tiles
610x610x12mm
610x305x12mm
610x406x12mm
305x305x10mm
457x457x12mm

Pavers
406x406x30mm
610x406x30mm

















Contact Stone Connection 
Street: 96 - 100 Canterbury Rd
Bankstown, NSW 2200

Telephone: +61 2 9790 4811
Fax: +61 2 9790 4899 
info@stoneconnectionaustralia.com
http://www.stoneconnectionaustralia.com
































Wednesday 11 May 2011

Marmoglass™ - THE NEXT GENERATION


marmoglass
marmoglass 

THE NEXT GENERATION
Pure White, Wine-Proof, Sunlight Safe, and Affordable!
Marmoglass™ is a revolutionary new product available only at Stone Connection Australia. Marmoglass™ was born through the love of pure white from architects and designers and the frustration in finding something pure, consistent, resin free and durable.


Stone Connection Australia’s Marmoglass™ is comprised of three main elements; quartz (glass), porcelain and feldspar (main granite ingredient) which are refined to a nano-level and molten into slab form.  From there the slabs can be cut into tiles or custom sizes for application.  Because no resins are employed as in engineered stone, direct UV rays have no affect on colour.  In addition, it has a “0” porosity level and a moh’s hardness of 6-7 like granite.  This makes Marmoglass™ the perfect choice for exterior cladding, bench tops, splashbacks, island kick panels and anything desired in pure white.

Standard slab sizes are 3.05m x 1.44m x 20mm.  Fabrication requires the same tools as in working with stone.  Edge profiles will match surface gloss using the same procedures as granite.  To cut water feed is required along with a micro-glass specific blade.  After each cut-pass, saw operators will also need to re-open the blades diamond by cutting into a piece of sandstone due to the hardness.


01marmoglass


Why consider Marmoglass™ from Stone Connection Australia?

Pure White, No Grain, No Veins, No Variation!
“0” porosity, No Stains, Simple to clean
Durability, Extremely scratch resistant
No Resins!  Won’t fade in direct UV Ray contact, No harmful emissions in your kitchen
Perfect for both commercial and residential

Commercial Application Examples

Retail Fit-out, the pure white and high shine equal the perfect compliment vs distraction for products
Cladding both interior and exterior, repels graffiti, UV-safe, no more hand smudges
Lobby Flooring for a bright entrance
Restrooms, “0” porosity is hygienic and will resist colour change due to cleaners and public use

Residential Application

Vanities
Splashbacks
Flooring
Benchtops
Cladding
Furniture

marmoglass


To view slabs in person, please visit us at:
Stone Connection Australia
96-100 Canterbury Rd
Bankstown, NSW 2200
+61 2 9790 4811

15% off Sealers & Glues*