"Durable, rustic, and eco-friendly, stone has a natural charm to it that almost everyone likes. Although vastly reduced from its Historical peak, the UK stone industry still has a high level of pride and skills in this ancient craft. Moreover, it has developed with excellent investment in advanced techniques and machinery to ensure that we can still offer viable options."
Granite Mart offers an amazing collection of all types of natural stones options as our expert team travels worldwide to natural stone quarries. providing every colour, design and pattern. Our highly skilled team can help you choose the right and highest quality natural stones. Granite Mart has an extensive network of contacts and suppliers in the UK and all over the world. We deal with prominent Italian, Spanish, Greek, and many other stone block producers directly to source the best stones at the best prices.
Most of our stone products consist of Granite, Marble, limestone, and others. Thus, before sourcing the natural stones, we need to consider a few things to avoid any complications for our projects.
For us, a project’s schedule is one of the most vital factors when we decide to source stones. It helps us to determine if we should opt for domestic or imported stone options. Even though the exact fabrication times for natural stones are the same for domestic and international product sources, transportation from the main factory to the project site can differ with an international quarry or fabrication facility.
Moreover, ocean voyages can vary from three to five weeks, excluding delays at the point of origin, or customs at the port of entry. Thus, we keep such possible delays in mind and set a safe timeline, though 16 to 24 weeks from the release of the order is a standard timeline from an international source.
We have the necessary knowledge and expertise in natural stone design, sourcing, and installation. That’s what allows us to perform an adequate travel inspection to source the premium available stones. Our team verifies the license and estimates travel expenses to and from and within the country, customs clearance, and more. Trust us as we frequently travel to quarries to inspect the material to avoid any quality issues.
Sourcing stones can be technical, as acquiring top-quality products for the best price can be challenging. We scrutinize samples extensively to fit your requirements, as our goal is to maintain quality and affordability. Moreover, we provide one-to-one consultation to every customer, and there is no need to visit the store to choose. We can become your stone selection partner and help you make informed decisions when selecting the best stone option for your project.
When selecting natural stones, we usually place aesthetics and look at the forefront. Although, considering your requirements and stone’s functionality first will procure a better result. With several stone kinds available, from limestone and granite to marble, sandstone, and travertine, it’s easy to be overwhelmed.
Some factors that we consider when selecting natural stones for your project are as follows:
Before finalizing anything, we look for a product with a particular application in mind. For instance, if selecting a stone for a wet zone like a bathroom feature wall, we choose a stone that isn’t vulnerable to moisture damage. We ask questions like; does the stone need to perform a function, or is it basically for decorative purposes? Will it be exposed to heat, water, and a drastic shift in temperature? Such questions help us make a better choice.
There are multiple finish options available for natural stones that significantly impact the material’s look and performance. A few finishes you may find when choosing natural stones are bush-hammered, split, antique, honed, brushed, swan, or polished.
The absorption rate measures how absorbent the stone is and can also be the scale of a stone’s standard durability based on the individual application. A stone with a much higher absorption rate tends to absorb stains more quickly, making it less suitable for benchtops. Thus, we suggest choosing a natural stone with the lowest water absorption in general.
You must decide the color palette that will suit the best with the interior or exterior of your home. We recommend a sample of your stone choices and place them against other materials, paint colors, and fabrics to help select a stone that uplifts your space.
"From sourcing the stone, going through to fitting & finishing, we scrutinize every step to
maintain the quality to finish off the project completely."
