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IS IT REAL OR ISN’T IT?  NEW “STONE” COLLECTION LAUNCHED
Submitted by Annette M. Callari, A.S.I.D.; CMG

Everyone knows Dal Tile is a leader in tile and stone products for the floors.  Now they have introduced an incredible new collection of manufactured stone products for your walls!!! This is being introduced as we speak, so products will be market-ready very shortly.

Each collection replicates natural rock, stone or bricks with amazing accuracy.  The advantage to exploring these new products is that they are lightweight versions of the real thing, come in at a cost savings while giving you the look of real stone.  Each stone is manufactured of Portland cement, lightweight aggregates, and mineral oxides for coloration.  The molds are cast from natural stone to get the most realistic man-made stone products possible.  The thickness of each stone ranges between 0.75 to 1.65” thick.  With the recommended installation mortar, finished thickness will be 1.25” to 2.65” depending on the style.

So where exactly could you apply these amazing stone looks?  Both interior and exterior applications are approved (residential and commercial), but remember, they are built for vertical installations.  Because they are lightweight and considered “veneer” manufactured stone, they are not appropriate for floors.  Sealing is recommended, of course, to prevent staining, especially in exterior applications where rust or dirt could penetrate the surface.  Dal Tile is backing these products with a 75-year warranty (with recommended installation procedures, proper care & maintenance).  That definitely tells you they have performance and confidence built right in.

Let’s talk about the aesthetics, which truly is the main attraction here.  The authenticity of these products exceeds expectations.  Ridged Field Stone, Grecian Limestone, Velvet River Rock, Sculpted Leger Stone—these are just a few of the collections available, and each one has the “wow” factor.  (Visit www.DalTilemanufacturedstone.com for a gallery of all the collections and more information.)

It is likely that you will not be able to tell the manufactured version of these stone products from the real thing, and that is a major accomplishment from a design standpoint.  But before you get too excited about every possible design scenario running through your mind, there are just a few non-recommended applications:

• No submerged water applications (pools, spas)
• No direct exposure to flames, coals or ashes
• No applications in contact with chemicals

Given those few parameters, the door is still wide open for you to get creative and put these stunning new products to use in a myriad of ways. So have fun, explore your options, and get creative!

Submitted by Annette M. Callari, A.S.I.D.; CMG

Daltile is the largest manufacturer and distributor of ceramic tile and natural stone in the United States, and they have a reputation of product development that is always on the cutting edge of good design. With the announcement of a new line, the Athena Mosaic tile collection, Daltile is sweetening things up a bit. Trends in design continue to gravitate towards contemporary, urban looks that incorporate generous splashes of color. Athena is a clean, sophisticated, glazed porcelain mosaic that features a rainbow of 33 satin-finish colors. The mesh-mounted ½” x ½” mosaics have slightly cushioned edges for that űber-modern look. Applications are limitless—brought to life through your imagination. Create linear works of art for your walls, or colorful borders for your floor. You can even take Athena outdoors to add flavor to your backyard hardscape.

Color options include: Arctic White, Almond, Urban Putty, Elemental Tan, Crisp Linen, Cornsilk, Cypress, Ice Gray, Stone Gray, Spa, Baby Blue, Pepper White, Artisan Brown, Avocado, Black, Galaxy, Camel, Blue Jean, Pebble Tan, Flower Wood, Suede Gray, Navy, Cityline Kohl, Mustard, Gold Coast, Cherry Blossom, Ocean Blue, Aegean, Carnation Pink, Coral Reef, Orange Burst, Wild Lilac and Periwinkle.

In addition to a generous palette of solid colors, Athena boasts eight color blends that randomly mix as many as four complementary colors onto a 12” x 12” mesh-mounted sheet. These color mixes are an excellent way to create fresh harmonies that are pure fun to live with. Athena is suitable for floors, walls, backsplashes and countertops in both residential and commercial settings, as well as exterior walls in freezing and non-freezing climates. Athena mosaics may represent a candy-store range of colors, but the approved applications tell you this tile collection has strength and substance!

Visit Daltile Products for more information.

For more than 30 years, Waterworks has brought impeccable style, craftsmanship and service to the American bath. Based on an appreciation for a time when all objects were made by hand and held to exacting standards, Waterworks melds European artisanal quality with 21st century precision for today’s home. Their products now encompass bath and kitchen faucets, surfaces, bathtubs, washstands, accessories, home furnishings and much more.

A unique collaboration of designers, artisans, and manufacturers create each Waterworks product. Every fitting or fixture, tile or textile meets their uncompromising standards for quality assurance and excellence – proving that functionality and inspired aesthetics go hand-in-hand.

Shown here is a collection of glass called Tempo. Notice the incredible detail of each mosaic. These pieces are the type of tile that set a room apart from any other.  These tiles can be used sparingly for an accent effect or in large formats for a WOW effect. Imagine these tiles as wainscoting on a bathroom wall, a kitchen, bath or wetbar backsplash, an accent stripe in a shower or tub surroud, a border for an area rug created out of tile, a mirror frame, an accent wall in a powder room, a wall plaque in a shower – imagine the possibilities!

These are just a sampling of the many unique and decorative products available from Waterworks. For more selections, check out their website.

In case you missed the posts on each category of trends from Surfaces – here’s a recap!

Overall

This year there was a significant presence of design and high style with the new introductions. I was concerned with the state of the economy that the product offerings would be safer and more subtle choices. This was definitely not the case!

The color theme seemed to be along the warmer, darker and richer shades. This applies to every category of flooring, more than likely because more and more homes are using mixed types of flooring and they all need to coordinate!

Hardwood

In the up and coming months there are going to be hardwood  styles that are going to change the direction of hardwood floors.  Floors at the show showed higher sheen levels with some that you could almost see your reflection in. These finishes will give rooms and design schemes a totally new look and feel.

The majority of the hardwood colors shown were darker and richer shades. Color shades seen resembled coffee  colors, rich furniture colors and warm spices.

Wider boards are still popular although many narrower boards are still being shown.

There were styles of hardwood shown that were clean, crisp and elegant as well raw, rustic and anything but refined. There seemed to be more options for different design styles than ever before.

Tile

It seemed like almost everyone had tiles that were linear in shape. Shapes ranged from 1×6 to 18×24 and every size in between. Installation examples were shown of these linear tiles used as a stand alone product as well as accents to standard shaped tiles. Some installation patterns used these linear tiles to create stripe effects.

There were introductions of tiles with higher sheen levels than the past couple of years. Mirrored finishes, crystal tiles and polished metals were prevalent. These higher sheens were shown in mosaics and even large format floor tiles. Some of the mosaics were mixed with high polished tiles and unpolished tiles. Finishes like rust and bronze verde took the stage for the patinas.

There will always be beige/neutral tiles out there because there is a place for them, but this year there were many offerings of gorgeous tiles with high ranges of color. The color shades were rich and warm. The shades were mixed between the field tiles and the listellos and decorative tiles so neutral tiles could be used with bolder accents and vice-versa.

Tile sizes ranged from micro mosaics 5/8″×5/8″ to 24″×24″. The interesting thing was to see the mixes of the different sizes. Larger format tiles were mixed with micro and mini sized tiles where in the past we have seen more standard size tiles mixed with smaller sizes that were closer in size to the standard size tiles.

Like hardwood styles, there was something offered for everyone. From rustic natural stone to high polished crystal tiles no design group was left out this year. Look for tiles that are irregularly shaped and formed, bright colors to bold colors to dull, rich and muted colors – something for every style. With the variation in sizes, shapes and colors more design options are possible. Emser tile also reported that the chiseled edge tiles are regaining popularity and are offered at excellent price points and mosaic tiles ares still popular.

Carpet

The carpet shown at Surfaces 2009 this year was a different showing than last year. This year there were not just an abundance of carpet styles and colors, but choices seemed to be quality choices rather than just quantity.

The primary colors that were used for displays were neutrals, but the colors that were shown were wonderful. Oranges, greens, blues, grays and earthy shades of brown took center stage. The oranges and blues were muted and rich. The greens were light and lively. The browns were earthy, coffee insprired and looked like great candidates for hiding traffic! Along those same lines, there were some beautiful heathered products that have more range of color than I think we are all used to seeing in once piece of carpet.

Like other products shown there were patterns that were outstanding. Look for linear patterns, grid patterns and texture on texture patterns. Look for patterns that are not just floral, but floral with a textured background. I think you will be excited about the upcoming releases!

Area Rugs

Talk about texture! Area rugs this year are all about texture. Not just texture, like thick yarns, but texture like felt discs and sculpted carpets. From conservative to comtemporary to outrageous, Surfaces had it all.

The area rug selections compliment the trends in hardwood and other hard surfaces so well it will make you want to remodel just to get a piece of these trends. Your feet are sure in for a treat when walking on all of the textures and soft yarns.

Shapes

It seemed like almost everyone had tiles that were linear in shape. Shapes ranged from 1×6 to 18×24 and every size in between. Installation examples were shown of these linear tiles used as a stand alone product as well as accents to standard shaped tiles. Some installation patterns used these linear tiles to create stripe effects. They are stunning! Crossville also introduced a wonderful geometric pattern that really widens the opportunity for design. There were also many tiles that were irregular in shape because they were hand molded.

Sheen

There were introductions of tiles with higher sheen levels than the past couple of years. Mirrored finishes, crystal tiles and polished metals were prevalent. These higher sheens were shown in mosaics and even large format floor tiles. Some of the mosaics were mixed with high polished tiles and unpolished tiles. Finishes like rust and bronze verde took the stage for the patinas.

Shades

There will always be beige/neutral tiles out there because there is a place for them, but this year there were many offerings of gorgeous tiles with high ranges of color. The color shades were rich and warm. The shades were mixed between the field tiles and the listellos and decorative tiles so neutral tiles could be used with bolder accents and vice-versa.

Sizes

Tile sizes ranged from micro mosaics 5/8″x5/8″ to 24″x24″. The interesting thing was to see the mixes of the different sizes. Larger format tiles were mixed with micro and mini sized tiles where in the past we have seen more standard size tiles mixed with smaller sizes that were closer in size to the standard size tiles. The picture to the left is a tile size that doesn’t fit into any size category, but certainly is gorgeous! Emser tile reported that their stacked stone product in 6″x24″ was a popular choice among buyers.

Style

Like hardwood styles, there was something offered for everyone. From rustic natural stone to high polished crystal tiles no design group was left out this year. Look for tiles that are irregularly shaped and formed, bright colors to bold colors to dull, rich and muted colors – something for every style. With the variation in sizes, shapes and colors more design options are possible. Emser tile also reported that the chiseled edge tiles are regaining popularity and are offered at excellent price points and mosaic tiles ares still popular.

In case you haven’t noticed, the posts this week are all about making flooring selections that are not the standard, plain jane selections. Earlier in the week we posted on different hardwood widths and patterned carpet. Today, we are talking about tile and stone that is something other than beige/neutral.

This topic is particularly important because tile and stone are products that are very rarely replaced in the life of a home because they are so durable. The objection I hear the most to tile with pattern, color or range is that it DOES last so long and there is a fear of growing tired of the product. My thoughts are that you will grow tired of a “beige” or “safe” choice far more quickly than a choice with some punch!

Here are some things to keep in mind about tile with pattern, color or range:

• Dirt is much easier to hide. For example, if you have dark hair and beige tile in the bathroom you will see every piece of dark hair on the floor. This makes cleaning maintenance more frequent and more of a headache.
• The floor appears to have more depth. When there are a variety of colors in a floor the floors appears to have more depth and richness.
• It gives you options to pull colors for your color scheme. The more colors and range of colors there are the more choices you have to paint, use fabrics and choose artwork.
• With the right grout color, the floor can seem more uniform and less grid-like. When the floor is uniform in color the only thing left to look at is the lines in the tile.

Tile with pattern, color or range can give life to a floor and to a room. These choices make a room much more versatile and acceptable of change in the long run. One thing to be cautious of is resale. You should consider the next purchaser of your home if you don’t plan to keep the home for a long period of time. Another school of thought here is that you are installing floors for you and your family and if the next person doesn’t care for it – they can change it!

The point here is, don’t be shy when it comes to choosing a floor with color. When shopping, it is best to view several samples of the same color tile to get an idea of what more of the floor will look like as well as the range of color change.  It is also best to lay the tiles on the floor and walk several feet back from the samples. Many people examine the colors in the tile only a few inches from their face. This isn’t how you will see the tile everyday! Looking at the tiles this way can give you a false sense of what the floor will actually look like because the tiles are designed to be seen at a distance.

Q&A regarding stone and sustainability

by John Mattke, Chairman,

Natural Stone Council (NSC) Sustainability Committee

What are some questions I might expect from architects and designers about natural stone’s sustainability?

This is an important question and underscores the importance of substantiated sustainability. The design community is highly informed and can discern fact from fiction. Some of the questions you might expect include:

• Where is the source of the material?
• Where is the stone processed or fabricated?
• What is the Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the product (in comparison with other competing products like concrete, brick, etc.) based on application/usage e.g., cladding, flooring?
• What is the life-cycle cost?
• Are there any chemicals or components on the final product?
• What is the VOC content?
• What process does the manufacturer have in place for waste reduction and recycling?
• How is the waste that is not re-used handled?
• What is the post-consumer recycled content? Post-industrial recycled content?
• What is the total energy consumed from cradle-to-gate (from extraction through processing)?
• What company programs are in place to reduce energy consumption and/or greenhouse gas emissions?
• Does any program exist to reuse or reclaim stone at the end of its lifetime?
• Are there any other initiatives to minimize the environmental impacts associated with natural stone from its extraction to its disposal?
• What steps has your company taken towards becoming socially (planned leadership, employee, community programs) and environmentally sustainable?

A good reference for where we believe the green movement is headed is Cascadia’s Living Building Challenge — www.cascadiagbc.org/lbc/resources1/materialsqnaire/building%20materials%20questionnaire. This not only asks questions about the material, but it also gets into your company’s social and environmental initiatives. Ultimately, that is how we believe companies will be evaluated in the future — the triple bottom line.

What are some ways you’ve implemented sustainable practices at Cold Spring Granite Co.?

We have done our best to be ahead of the curve. We began implementing lean practices in the late 1990s. Recently, we completed consolidation of several of our operations, which has reduced transportation costs, eliminated waste, updated/modernized stone processing, optimized energy efficiency and reduced water usage. We’ve seen an increase in energy efficiency by modernizing our equipment, and we’re proud that our water reclamation facility processes and re-uses over 95% of industrial water. Even our new headquarters building is LEED registered, pending certification. And it has all paid dividends. When visiting our facilities, architects and designers have frequently made comments about the approach we are taking. The truth of the matter is that we have been environmentally focused for a long time. My involvement in the NSC, and specifically as the chair of the sustainability committee, inspired me to form a sustainability committee within Cold Spring Granite Co. and take that commitment to another level.

What are the NSC’s plans for 2009?

We will continue to build our library of research-based documents and share them with the industry, including a comparative evaluation (Life-Cycle Assessment) of stone products versus other products in selected product classes to substantiate the benefits of stone in the marketplace. The NSC will be working to educate the industry and design community about the sustainability of Genuine Stone. The University of Tennessee will be presenting at the National AIA Convention in San Francisco this spring — using our industry as their case study for sustainability. We will also begin a road mapping process to chart key opportunities and challenges facing the natural stone industry in the immediate future with respect to sustainability. We want to stress that the success of the road map process relies on the active involvement of professionals and companies throughout our industry. If you would like to participate, or would simply like more details about the process as they become available, please contact us by phone, through the Genuine Stone Web site at www.GenuineStone.com, or notify Amanda McKenna at the University of Tennessee via e-mail at AMcKenna@utk.edu.

I’m on board in theory, but what can I personally do to help move the sustainability agenda forward?

Get in the game. Get involved. Take advantage of educational opportunities. Visit the Genuine Stone Web site and read the research documents housed there. Share them with your colleagues and customers. Join us in the road mapping process. Take a hard look at your company’s sustainability practices, and make improvements wherever you can. Engage in conversation with others in the industry — at industry meetings or conferences, by phone or even E-mail. We are all in this together. Keep in mind the environmental slogan, “Think globally. Act locally.” It certainly fits.

If you’d like to learn more about the NSC and their sustainability efforts, please visit www.GenuineStone.com, or contact John Mattke at 320-685-3621 or jmattke@coldspringgranite.com.

Source: Stone World Fabricator E News by Stone World Magazine

 Q&A regarding stone and sustainability

by John Mattke, Chairman, Natural Stone Council (NSC) Sustainability Committee

What exactly is LEED?

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) — the nation’s leading coalition on sustainable building — established the LEED® Green Building Rating System^TM. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) is a third-party certification program and a benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green buildings.  

LEED is the most widely used rating system for green building. This system defines standards for environmentally responsible, healthier and more profitable structures, and it awards points to new construction and major renovation projects in five categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources and Indoor Environmental Quality.

Is LEED certification more trouble than it’s worth?

Some believe the costs to file and become certified is cumbersome; however, the LEED guidelines have become the norm for green design standards or architects even for projects that do not seek certification. The actual LEED certification process helps gauge the level of authenticity. It’s a broadly accepted standard, and there is substance behind the claims. There are over 14,400 registered projects, and the number of certified projects is almost 2,000. LEED certification continues to grow exponentially since its inception. Many projects report cost savings (within three to five years) that offset the additional cost to become certified.

Do you think green building will become standard practice?

It really already has become the norm. With such an increased interest in protecting the environment, we rarely hear of design and construction projects that don’t have sustainable elements incorporated in them. Honestly, it isn’t an option to discard the green movement. Green building is in everyone’s best interests, including Genuine Stone. In fact, there are talks underway to globalize green building practices. LEED has been implemented in India and the United Arab Emirates. The United Kingdom has its own version — BREEAM — which is gaining acceptance across Europe. Green building is here to stay, and the stone industry should serve as part of the foundation.

Source: Stone World Fabricator E News by Stone World Magazine

Q&A regarding stone and sustainability

by John Mattke, Chairman, Natural Stone Council (NSC) Sustainability Committee

What do the NSC’s sustainability efforts mean to individual businesses?

As you are probably aware, we undertook a very large survey initiative in partnership with the University of Tennessee’s Center for Clean Products. The data we collected from individual businesses forms the foundation for establishing the baseline environmental footprint of the stone industry. By offering the facts about natural stone and environmental considerations, we hope to increase market demand, improve the perceptions about our companies and our industry and challenge our competitors with solid information.

Right now, as you read this, the design community is making product selection decisions and comparisons based on environmental and life-cycle impacts. There are many other industries such as carpet, concrete and wood that are already prepared to respond to the market with this information. We need to make sure that genuine stone is adequately represented.

Finally, the NSC’s sustainability efforts should help to educate the industry about the growing trend toward social responsibility and the importance of what we call the “triple bottom line,” which refers to key selection criteria — including financial, social and environmental measures.

What is the NSC doing with all of the surveys they collected earlier this year?

Since the University of Tennessee has received and analyzed all of the data collected earlier this year, they have started to produce several sets of information — life-cycle datasets, best practices, case studies and material fact sheets. If you haven’t been to www.GenuineStone.com lately to see all of the documents there, you should do that today. Anyone can access this information and each new piece as it is published.

Life-cycle datasets: To accurately assess the environmental profile of natural stone products, impacts over the entire life cycle of these products must be identified. Information characterizing stone fabrication was amassed through a rigorous survey of the industry, and life-cycle datasets have been established for granite, limestone and sandstone quarrying and processing operations. The datasets can be accessed through www.GenuineStone.com and downloaded from the University of Tennessee Center for Clean Products’ Web site.

Version two, which is projected to include additional sandstone data, a marble dataset, and begin to add specific transportation data, is currently in development.

Best practices: The NSC is committed to supporting sustainable initiatives and innovations at all levels of the production of Genuine Stone® products. As such, best practices of the industry have been identified, and these guidance documents were created to provide assistance in implementing environmentally-preferable operations.

• Best Practice: Water Consumption, Treatment, and Reuse”
• Best Practice: Site Maintenance and Quarry Closure (published November 2008)

Case Studies — Genuine Stone products inherently have some environmentally preferable characteristics. The case studies highlight these positive attributes of stone and its application as a green building product.

• Case Study: Application of Green Building Certification Programs to Natural Stone
• Case Study: Longevity of Stone Flooring and Associated Human Health and Environmental Impacts (published October 2008)

Material Fact Sheets — Designers are more frequently being asked to identify green building materials, but they do not always have the needed information. Using the life-cycle data, material fact sheets describing several stone types are being generated to provide useful information in this selection process, among other information. The one-page (double-sided) documents will summarize the current market for stone, regions of deposits worldwide, physical properties and  applicable ASTM standards, as well as environmental data and human health considerations. Currently, we have fact sheets for granite, limestone, marble and sandstone.

Again, all of these documents and an overview of our current and future activity can be accessed right now at www.GenuineStone.com.

In these tough economic times, how will sustainability impact my bottom line?

With regard to sustainability, you are either in the game or you’re sitting on the sidelines. If you’re not on board with sustainable practices, you will surely see a negative impact on your bottom line because your competitors get it. I firmly believe that to be in the game going forward, we will all need to be involved, well-versed in the sustainability performance of our companies and working to improve the overall environmental footprint of our industry. If people believe that sustainability is a fad, they are mistaken.

Source: Stone World Fabricator E News by Stone World Magazine