Care and manteinance
Natural marble and stone products
Stone International is one of the oldest manufacturers of natural stone furniture on the market today. Making its start in the mid-1970’s, Stone International has earned its position as the leader in the industry.
The stones and marbles used in our product are all natural – presenting all the variations and unique colorings found in nature. Because they are natural products, no two pieces will look alike. None of the natural veins, pores, and variations are to be considered defects, but instead characteristics that make your table on-of-a-kind and enhance its beauty.
Travertines
Travertine is extracted from the ground and is the result of a chemical precipitation of thermal waters (hot springs). As it is deposited in successive layers and compressed, the chemical composition and conditions of deposition may vary and a banded structure commonly results – like rings on a tree. The beauty of travertine is in its neutral coloration and sedimentary “banding” by time.
Unfilled-unpolished travertine : this material is generally beige in colour and naturally very porous, and the holes are often fairly large. Black lines, which are carbon deposits, are common.
Filled and polished travertine: this porous material is filled with a putty-like substance. This putty will never be the same colour as the travertine but does blend well. Small holes often remain unfilled. This is common and natural. Generally beige in colour, there can be variations and black carbon deposits are quite common.
Walnut travertine: walnut travertine is a natural sedimentary stone whose coloration is determined by the variety of minerals present during its formation. Because walnut travertine is naturally porous, this material presents a very uneven surface which includes many holes. In order to provide a suitable table top, a clear resin is used to fill them. This choice of fill material provides a brilliant and uniform shine. It also allows the fill to blend with the wide variety of colours that walnut travertine presents – from beige to dark brown and from light grey to black. However, because the fill material is clear, some areas require that we use fragments of the stone itself to occupy the resin. These fragments are hand-placed and their size and density will vary. In addition, the seam between the stone and the fill can sometimes leave a noticeable transition that could be mistaken for a crack. This is unavoidable when it occurs and does not sacrifice the stability of your table in any way.
Marbles
Marble is created by intense pressure and folding while mountains are forming. The sedimentary limestone (calcium or magnesium carbonate, plus a percentage of dolomite) was crushed, ground, and heated to a homogeneous, crystalline condition of great density in volcanic explosion of mountains. The melting together with other mineral elements and metal gives the definite background coloration to coloured marbles: black by coal, red by iron, green by copper, etc…
Cortina White: markings are usually grey and give the surface a somewhat mottled appearance.
Trani: clear quartz deposits are common. Veining is often the result of iron deposits and are therefore orange in colour.
Garmish Black: veining is white and fault lines are common. Light-black or grey “cloudy” areas are natural to this marble.
Verona Coral: circular veining and colour variations from pale orange to very deep reddish orange with nutty-tone veining are to be expected.
Granites
Granite is geologically the same composition as marble, except that it was formed nearer to the surface during the volcanic eruption and therefore had a greater component of air/oxygen. The air and steam bubbles contained in the melted mass crystallized, creating the quartz that characterizes granite not marble. The quartz gives granite a hardness similar to glass. Granite must be cut with the same diamond heads used to cut glass.
Grey Granite: many small speckles of colour ranging from white to black making a grey colour. The change in direction of the crystal deposits in this material may make the polish appear uneven but it is simply the image created by the light refraction and therefore not to be considered a defect.
Beige Granite: the colour in this granite is white, beige, grey, salmon, and black. The directions of the crystal deposits will affect the appearance of the polish as they do in the grey granite.
Red Granite: this granite is primarily deep rusty-red and black speckled. Again, the crystal deposits will cause the shine to change with the light.
Onyxes
Part of the alabaster family, onyx gets its brilliant colors from minerals and elements in the earth. While extraordinarily beautiful, this material can vary considerably from slab to slab. Natural fault lines and small cracks are quite common to this material and not to be considered manufacturer defect. Polishing this extremely dense stone renders a stunning glass-like finish. Enjoy the variations of each piece of onyx, as each is as unique as the person buying it.
Product care
While marble is denser than travertine, granite is the densest of them all. They are all porous and should be cared for like a fine wood. Coasters and place mats are recommended.
Because of the natural veining in travertine, marble and granite, natural stress points are always present. A top should always be carried perpendicular to the floor – just like a glass top. It should not be dropped or laid flat.
Because our tables are all naturally polished, the polish will vary across your table top. This is simply a result of a natural polish on a natural stone and one more way to emphasize the inherent unique beauty of each table.
The product that we use is natural. Each and every slab is unique and presents distinct characteristics. There can be variation in colour and veining from one slab to the next, and even within the same slab.
Natural veins can occur in the stone and this must not be mistaken for a crack or defect. If a crack were to appear it would travel through underneath and from side to side.
Fault lines are natural to stone as the rings on a tree trunk. Certain marbles tend to have more fault lines than others. These fault lines are created by the presence of a foreign substance during the formation of the marble with a different density than the surrounding portions of the marble. Fault lines, as the holes in travertine, are not a defect but natural to the product and visible fault lines do not indicate weakness.
Travertine and walnut travertine are naturally very porous stones. When polished the travertine and walnut travertine tops are filled to make a smooth surface for the table. Every effort is made for the fill to blend with the coloration of the table top but the fill will never be invisible.
Occasionally small openings (especially in travertine) are missed and remain open. This is not considered a defect. Clear resin is used with walnut travertine to fill in the holes as it blends with the variety of colours that walnut travertine presents.
The seam between the stone and the fill can leave a notable transition which could be mistaken for a crack. This transition is unavoidable when it occurs and does not sacrifice the stability of the table.
Our tables are polished with a natural paste wax. The wax is absorbed by the travertine/marble. This process provides the shine on the table top and certain amount of moisture repellence. Because the polish is natural, the shine can be uneven. This irregularity can be caused by either a varied absorption of the wax into the stone or by a varied effect due to the refraction of the light against minerals which have been deposited in different directions in the stone. This uneven polish is absolutely natural and normal and not to be considered a defect.
Product cleaning and maintenance
The only product applied to the tops is natural wax. This gives a certain amount of moisture repellence but does not offer full protection. Any beverage or liquid spilled on the top needs to be removed immediately to avoid rings or marks to be left. Stone International does not feel responsible for marks caused by liquids being spilled.
Even if it looks like a very solid and resistant material, marble, and travertine in general, is very fragile and porous As per a fine wooden table, when rings and stains occur as a consequence of food or liquid spillage, it will be very difficult to remove them. In the attempt to reduce their appearance, we suggest to re-polish your table with a coat of natural paste wax.
This will restore the shine and protect the surface. As you would with a fine piece of wood furniture, always use placemats, coasters, and trivets and clean any spills immediately. Regular rubbing alcohol is a perfect product to use for day-to-day cleaning.
