Stone Slab Gallery Opens In Melbourne’s South East

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Victoria Stone Gallery.

Our friends at Victoria Stone Gallery may be new to the area, but are certainly not new to the block. VSG are wholesale stone slab suppliers bringing to Melbourne a selection of some of the most beautiful natural stone. The team come from a background in stone, having been internationally immersed in the industry for fifteen years and counting.

VSG-Warehouse

Trendstone Quartz Stone Slab Arrives in Victoria.

Our favourite quartz brand, Trendstone, is also being stock at VSG. Customers focus on the inclusion of the recently unveiled marble-look range, which includes Calacatta inspired colours.

The Australian stone slab market is also excited about the arrival of Trendstone XL, the famous jumbo quartz slabs (3.4 x 1.9). The large size mean that you can have a 3.4 m long island top without any joins. Joins are minimised in general, production time is decreased so costs are saved for everyone involved. Trendstone XL are currently the biggest quartz slabs in Australasia. 

Whether you’re on the hunt for the perfect stone for your home or business, or just seeking inspiration, you should view the online catalogue. Their current stock is regularly updated online, so you can see for yourself the ever-growing selection of marble, quartzite, granite and travertine. 

Appointments can be arranged by email or phone to view the gallery. After admiring the showroom, the team will show you through the warehouse to help you find the right look for your project whether you’re renovating your kitchen benchtop, splash-back or office fit out. The space has been cleverly curated in a gallery style so a slab from each bundle is easily viewed at your leisure.

Victoria Stone Gallery have opened their doors to share their advice and project knowledge. From architectural design and selection, to post-installation, aftercare and maintenance, Victoria Stone Gallery have you covered.

We can’t wait to cross the ditch to check it out for ourselves!

What’s Trending – Kitchen Design

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If you think Santa might bring you a new kitchen this year, it’s time to get thinking! The kitchen is a place for company and for love, so it’s important to get right. We’ve come up with 6 trends in kitchen designs that will help you get thinking about your special space.

Ceramic slabs

Ceramic slabs are steadily growing in popularity. Porcelain is the perfect material for benchtops and splash backs it is light, resistant to heat, does not absorb liquid and easily looked after. Porcelain slabs have an immaculate aesthetic, LAMINAM slabs are laser printed to emulate natural surfaces such as granite, wood and marble. Historically, porcelain slabs have been problematic due to their structure often holding tension.  Recent advances in engineering and technology have allowed the creation of stress-free slabs, making them much easier to cut.

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LAMINAM Cava Calacatta

Light Colours

Dark coloured kitchens have less popularity this year, and soft, muted colour palettes are taking over. White is always a safe option – especially if you’re the type of person to get sick of a colour. Soft light grey cabinetry is also set to make a comeback in 2017. Keeping permanent areas neutral means you can be flexible – stainless steel, copper, or coloured appliances can add splashes of colour where necessary.

light-grey-cabinetry

Plants

Large leafy hanging plants are a sure-fire way to brighten up any area of the home – especially the kitchen. If you’re not too great with plants, buying fresh herbs and keeping them in pots on the kitchen bench is a cute (and delicious) way to add some green to your home and also brighten up your meals.

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Less Gloss 

Highly polished stones are becoming less popular. Designers and architects are opting for more organic finishes, in line with the material as it exists in nature.

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Quartz

Compared with other stones, quartz tops the charts in durability and toughness. Crushed quartz stone is mixed with resin to produce countertops that range from solid colours to the look of natural stones.  Quartz is very low maintenance, it does not have to be sealed annually.

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Integrated Living Spaces 

Open-plan home design has proved itself as truly desirable over the years.  The kitchen is a place for people, for entertaining and for showing love. It just makes too much sense to have the kitchen and living areas merged, to have all the loved ones happy and comfortable together with no one locked away.

Is Carrara Marble Infinite?

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The team from GBC just got back from a trip around Italy. We spent a day driving through the vast, undulating mountains and quarries of Carrara. The Carrara region is famous for it’s most beautiful white marbles – since it’s discovery there has always been a huge demand for it around the world.  These quarries have produced marble for 2000 years and will (we hope) for 2000 more.

As marble is a natural resource, it’s common to wonder when it will run out or if there is enough to go around. The amount of cut blocks, slabs and installations around the world really suggests an infinite supply. Although due to it’s natural foundations, marbles are precisely finite, there is plenty of evidence that the marble beds in this region are so plentiful we may as well consider them infinite. Beds of premium grade Carrara Marble are speculated to exist over 5000 feet above sea level, as well as far below. The amount of high-quality material yet to be cut from the quarry is so vast that despite lengthy efforts, experts are not able to determine it.pantheonfront

We also need to consider it’s history, the quarries in Carrara have produced the most marble in the entire world. Carrara marble has been quarried and used for art and architecture since the days of Ancient Rome. The famous Pantheon Temple was built with marble blocks, which dates between A.D 118 and 125.  It is known that at one time the marble quarries in Carrara were under the ownership of the Bishop of Luni, the chief Roman city as far back as 1183. From this time and throughout modern history, it remains to be one of the best materials available for sculpture and buildings alike.

 

So we’re lucky! Carrara and all it’s lovely marble is here to stay.

 

 

5 Things You Need To Know About Porcelain Slabs

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Porcelain slabs are revolutionising the use of stone in commercial and home design. Overcoming the traditional pain points that natural stones can encounter, porcelain slabs are carefully engineered to be characterised by practicality, adaptability and beauty. Porcelain slabs perform excellently and could even be considered superior to natural stone.  Due to a special customised set of properties, porcelain slabs are an impeccable option for basic, traditional and advanced architectural applications – for a fraction of the price.

Here are 5 key points that you need to know about porcelain slabs.

Heat and stain resistant

The practicality of having ceramic surfaces in the home is unquestionable – they require almost no maintenance. By nature porcelain is non-porous, liquids do not seep into it. Rather, they sit on the surface and spills can be cleaned up a simple wipe. Unlike marbles, they do not scratch, etch or dull from spills, heat or high temperatures.

Thin and light

Porcelain slabs are perfectly flat, and much lighter than natural stones – while being amazingly structurally sound. Its lighter weight allows for easy installation and trickier applications. It is perfect for vertical installation such as splash backs, wall coverings or building exteriors.

Cost effective

 As porcelain is a ceramic, the cost of the material is considerably lower cost than marble, granite or quartzite. In general the labor costs are higher, as more specialisation is required and there is less margin for error. However in saying that – the large sizes of the slabs do minimise cutting and labor costs. Porcelain slabs can also be installed over existing surfaces – so when renovating you do not need to rip everything out of your kitchen – saving again on cost.

Eco-friendly

The production of porcelain is a carbon neutral process. Having porcelain surfaces in your home or business is ecologically sound and friendly. They do not require any harsh chemical treatment – they are cleaned simply with water and a cloth. Porcelain does not emit contaminants due to careful product design and structure. Porcelain does not allow the growth or build up of any harmful bacteria or mould.

Consistent patterning

The tiles are made to mimic the organic patterning of highly sought after natural granites and marbles. As it is man made, the veining looks organic but is wonderfully seamless. Due to the continuity from slab to slab, unsightly joins are minimised resulting in a consistent flowing surface.

Marble or Granite? A Comparison

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Choosing the right stone for your project is a big deal! If you’re building or renovating your kitchen or bathroom, granite and marble are likely options you are considering. The choice can be daunting, but the good news is both types of stones boast their own qualities, and each is absolutely stunning.

Granite

  • A natural stone with a speckled appearance, available in a range of colours and  dynamic variations in colour and pattern
  • More cost effective
  • Lower-budget options
  • Less maintenence
  • Stronger and harder than marble
  • Less prone to scratches, stains, acid and heat
  • Available in a range of finishes

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Marble

  • A natural stone with an unique aesthetic, typically light creamy coloured with dark veins throughout.
  • Luminous and luxurious look
  • More expensive
  • More maintenance
  • More prone to scratches, stains, acid and heat.
  • Softer than granite and more absorbent
  • Sensitive to acidic foods such as vinegar, lemon, tomatoes, wine, some cleaners, mildew removers and other materials commonly found in the kitchen or bathroom.
  • Finished is dulled easier
  • Limited colour availability

Marble-Kitchen

Here at the Granite Benchtop Company, we recommend granite for any application in the kitchen area. This is because most spills occur in these areas, especially with acidic products. Marble is an excellent and beautiful choice for those who don’t mind a little extra care and maintenance! Marble can be a superb stone to use in home areas than are used less, such as the bathroom or laundry. Often the chemicals we use in these areas are less harsh than those in the kitchen.

If you have any inquiries about granite or marble, just get in touch. 

5 Stunning Marble Look-Alike Stones

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Marble is one of the most sought after natural stones in the world. White marbles have stood the test of time, reaching the top of design trends for domestic and commercial applications alike for decades. Due to high demand and limited availability, some marbles such as the Italian Calacatta can also get very pricey.

It’s classic, sophisticated and definitive appearance and clean-cut aesthetic is always in hot-demand, you’d think it was unbeatable.  Unfortunately due to its properties, marble is not always the most suitable material for certain applications. Generally, marble is unsuitable in areas that have a high-usage, such as a kitchen benchtop.  All buyers of marble should be made aware of the following points

* Marble is considered a soft stone that can be easily scratched or damaged.
* Most marbles have high porosity and are susceptible to food and beverage stains.
* Direct contact with substances of high acidity such as lemon juice may cause a chemical reaction and etch the marble.
* Marble require maintenace and should be periodically sealed with water and oil repellants.

If you’re certain you won’t get a pinot noir stain on your prized benchtop – the risk may be worth it. For those of us who can’t be so sure, there are many stones available that mimic the look of popular marbles, but boast more practical and friendly properties that are accommodating to the daily thrills and spills of home life.

There’s something for everyone that’s after the beautiful look of white marble.

Quartzites

Quartzite is the hardest natural stone available for benchtops. It is etch proof, has low porosity, and therefore requires minimal maintenance.  The Calacatta and Calacatta Ouro quartzites have similar appearance to Carrara and Calacatta marble. Quartzites are generally at the more expensive end, so there is little savings in price here. If within your budget, these quartzites are highly recommended. It fills in all the qualities that marble lacks and is a really sensible, practical and beautiful choice. 

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Trendstone Quartz. Carrara, Venatino, Gioia and Calacatta.

Trendstone Quartz is a man made stone and more affordable.  It has been engineered from quartz to be extremely resilient. The Trendstone Venatino and Gioia mimic the iconic carrara marble and are a fantastic choice.  Trendstone Calacatta Quartz mimics the very rare Calacatta and Statuario marbles. It’s veining is darker than carrara.

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Super White Dolomite-Quartzite

Super White is a dolomite marble with high concentrations of quartzite that provide strength and durability,  Although not as durable as its granite or quartzite counterparts, it is certainly considered suitable for benchtops.  It is a popular and rare Brazilian stone that is sought after all over the world due to its carrara-like appearance, yet much more durable.  Dolomite does etch when in contact with acidic substances so this stone requires periodic sealing.

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Porcelain

Recently introduced are Porcelain slabs that have the perfect look of the most beautiful marble at a much lower cost.  They are heat and stain resistant, and are perfect for kitchen applications. Porcelain slabs are thinner and lighter than natural stone, making it a perfect material for vertical applications such as splash backs or an island show back.  The only negative with Porcelain slabs is that they are difficult to work with to produce benchtops.  Only the most skilled and equipped stone fabricators are recommended for working with porcelain slabs.

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To view these stones and more on our website click view range.

Marble Quarrying in Italian Alps: Video

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We found this amazing short video by Yuri Ancarani of an artistic look inside a marble quarry in the Italian Alps. To see the inner mechanics and workings of the quarry is super informative and reminds us of the sheer hard work and processes it takes to get these amazing natural stone slabs all around the world. Seeing marble in its basic, natural state is really striking. Watching this makes us feel lucky that we can offer and share these pieces of nature in New Zealand and admire their beauty in our factory from half way around the world.

“Marble quarries are places so unbelievable and striking, they almost feel like they are big theaters or sets,” says Yuri Ancarani, the filmmaker behind today’s excerpt from the documentary, Il Capo (The Chief), which follows a quarry boss as he guides his men through the extraction process, using a silent language of gesture and sign.

Ancarani was captivated by the otherworldly landscapes of the quarry. He spent nearly a year filming on Monte Bettolgi, in the Carrara region of the Apuan Alps, in Northwest Italy, eventually deciding to focus his film on the hypnotic, and rather dramatic moment when the monumental marble blocks are freed from the mountainside, and fall to the ground with an earth-shattering thud.

Read more

 

Caring For Your Granite Benchtop

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One of the major perks of having granite surfaces in your home, is that they require very little maintenance. Granite is one of the hardest minerals on earth, so is by nature extremely strong and durable. It is also heat and stain resistant. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a little bit of loving, with a good routine using basic equipment and product, your granite benchtop will serve you well for many years. The Granite Benchtop Company recommends this fail-safe method for caring for your granite benchtop, to make sure it stays looking as good as the day it was installed.

The method we advise to our clients here at GBC is really basic – a 30:70 mix of Methylated Spirits and water. Inexpensive and easy!

  1. First you’ll need to do a surface clean of the benchtop to remove any loose grime. You can do this simply with a paper towel.
  2. Once the surface is clear, mix together a 30:70 mix of Methylated Spirits and water.
  3. Apply the solution to a cloth and wipe down the stone areas.
  4. Once your done, use a paper towel to pat the excess water off of the surface.
  5.  To finish, we highly recommend using  a micro-fibre cloth to remove any excess dust or left over solution. This will ensure your benchtop is clean, safe for use and super shiny!

If you have any questions regarding caring for your benchtop you can contact us. 

*** It’s important to watch what you use on the granite, over time some harsh acidic kitchen chemicals can take their toll on the surface. Chemicals with acidic properties are the one thing that can corrode the sealing of granite, so do not use any product using vinegar or lemon. ***

*** Soap or detergent is okay to use periodically, however long term use will result in a build up on the surface***

 

 

Welcome to GBC News & Promotions

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Welcome to GBC News & Promotions. Here we will be sharing weekly industry news and up coming promotions.

Make sure to watch this space!