Production technology
Decorative stone is produced in Stone Master factory with the use of two different technologies – concrete and gypsum. Such division varies the products not only in terms of appearance, but primarily in terms of using the collection in destination and its further processing. Therefore, to make it easier to differentiate collections made from gypsum and concrete, we have color coded the products and the corresponding assembly and care chemicals – orange marked products are designed for concrete technology, and navy blue for gypsum technology. Some of the products – such as Stone Master Joint and the Specialized Dispersion Adhesive, are versatile in use, so their packaging is in two-colors.
Concrete stone is an ideal choice for people looking for a universal facing which can be used both indoors and outdoors. Concrete is durable, extremely resistant to mechanical damage and weather, so calling it a special task stone is not an exaggeration. It is particularly appreciated where its gypsum equivalent cannot be used, namely on low walls and facades, gazebos and summer kitchens, as well as in areas exposed to direct exposure to water (bathrooms, saunas, windbreakers).
On the other hand, gypsum stone is an ideal choice for customers wishing to install stone panels inside the fastest and least complicated way. Its greatest advantage is light weight and ease of processing and assembly. Gypsum is easy to cut with a saw, and its absorbency allows to paint it any colour, if you choose to refresh the appearance of stone after years of use. Thus we can direct the gypsum stone offer especially to people who are fascinated by the possibility of self-repair under the Do-It-Yourself principle.
While the surface preparation and the placement of the collection elements are not perceived as potentially difficult actions, jointing seems to be the stage which discourages customers from installing the stone themselves from start to finish. Nothing can be more wrong – watch the instructional video on the website to see that this stage of the work is as simple as the rest. In addition, in the case of joint collections, the step of filling the space between the tiles is more and more often omitted, for the original color of the wall to be visible between the bricks. The wall can be painted in advance according to our own taste (thus creating an intriguing whole based on contrast).
Decorative stone collections differ in the production method, the shape of its components, surface texture and colour. All those features create a certain pattern most often referred to as a style. Now, we differentiate between stone imitating bricks, rocks or pebbles, and stone with a modern, geometric form. To fully present the expected appearance of the product in a particular environment to a customer, it is presented in the form of arrangements – created live in a studio with the help of a photographer or a computer – where the digitally generated final effect is very life-like. In both cases it should be remembered that the photos are only for information purposes, hence the actual appearance of the products may differ from that presented in the visualisation. In spite of our efforts to present tiles as close as possible to their real appearance, both the properties of printing technology and the individual perception of colours can make the product vary within one shade of a given collection.
Moreover, the appearance of the stone is influenced by the following characteristics: the type of lighting used (daytime and artificial), the presence of materials placed on the same or adjacent surface (light or dark background), or impregnating the panel with the medium dedicated to the product line, which not only protects the stone against outside conditions, but also sharpens the colour. Considering the most unique of the ornamental stone features, namely its deep structure, you can expect completely different visual effects outside the room, where there is even sunlight, and inside the living room, where the shadows created by beams of spotlights will be larger and make colours darker. So, before making the purchase, we recommend having a look at even a single item of the collection we are interested in – preferably in its designed location – to see if this is the collection that we want to have in our home permanently.
Also, while making the purchase, remember to make sure that you have the appropriate installation and care products for the stone. The effect of Stone Master products has been tested on a number of occasions to ensure optimum quality and performance for assembly. In particular, the most important stage is the final one – impregnating tiles after they are installed, to protect them from external factors and provide for a more comfortable stone care in the future. The amount of chemical products needed can be calculated conveniently in accordance with the instructions on packaging, keeping in mind that the price of the stone is given in terms of packaging (not square meter), which contains different quantities of stone, depending on the given collection packaging method.