Q & A | Interstone Natural Stone products

Will Heating Ruin The Natural Stone

By Jonathan McClapQ & AJanuary 20, 20164 comments

Will Heating Ruin Natural Stone? I love using my computer on my natural stone island in my kitchen, especially when cooking. But, my laptop tends to heat up a lot. Should I be worried that the stone ...AnswerThe stone should not be ruined, per se; but do you have a lot of fissures within your stone where you like to work? The heat COULD open up a fissure – it is a longshot but things happen sometimes. But, ...

Maintaining Smooth Natural Stone Countertops

By Stanley R.Q & AJanuary 18, 20163 comments

Maintaining Smooth Natural Stone Countertops How do you get your natural stone countertops to be so smooth? Is there any action needed to maintain the smoothness throughout the life of the ...AnswerThe smooth natural matte stones to which you refer are likely honed. That being said, polish makes the stone smooth as well. To maintain your stone, don’t use commercial household cleaners. ...

Shopping For Natural Stone For Countertops

By NolaQ & AJanuary 15, 20163 comments

Shopping For Natural Stone For Countertops What should I be looking for when I am shopping for natural stone for countertops, tiles, etc.?AnswerLook for the fissures within the stone. Can you feel them? If you can, try to find another stone that looks similar but with less fissures. Look at the sides and back of the stone. Is there a DARK film ...

Mosaic Backsplashes Difficult to Clean

By MarkQ & AJanuary 11, 20162 comments

Mosaic Backsplashes Difficult to Clean I heard that mosaic backsplashes are quite difficult to clean. Is there any kind of sealant I can use to make sure that it does not get dirty in the ...AnswerFirstly, know that nothing is perfectly stain proof. Are we talking about natural stone backsplashes here? Because they should definitely be sealed. If you grout them, use un-sanded grout and seal ...

Marble Tile Colours Toronto

By Kael'thasQ & AJanuary 8, 20162 comments

Marble Tile Colours Toronto When purchasing marble tiles for my home in Toronto, what should I be considering to make sure that I pick the correct one for me? What marble tile colours should ...AnswerBring samples home with you and try them out in the area(s) you want to use the tiles to see if they go with their surroundings. Also, consider how much traffic there is in the area, because that ...

Natural Stone Marble and Granite Cost Toronto

By SpringQ & AJanuary 6, 20160 comments

Natural Stone Marble and Granite Cost Toronto I was looking into getting some marble tiles in Toronto, for my floor and noticed that it is much more expensive than ceramic flooring. Why ...AnswerThere are high & low prices for both granite and marble. Supply and demand dictates the price by raw square foot. So if it’s a rarity, the more it’s going to cost. Also bear in ...

Creative Uses For Marble and Granite

By Ms.CampbellQ & AJanuary 4, 20161 comments

Creative Uses For Marble and Granite Hi! What are some creative and interesting ways that I can use stones like marble and granite in/around my home in Toronto?AnswerI own a Carrara marble paper towel holder and a cheese cutting board. For fun, you could find some marble handles for your cupboard doors. Coffee tables, fireplace surrounds, backsplashes, carvings and ...

Quartz vs Granite which is more environmentally friendly?

By NolaQ & ADecember 21, 20150 comments

I have been looking into redoing my Ottawa home in a way that would be more environmentally friendly. I want to start redoing the kitchen soon and would like to know which of the two, Quartz or Granite, ...AnswerThe truth is, neither material is that environmentally friendly, but quartz may be a just a little more eco-friendly than granite. Both granite and quartz involve mining, which changes the landscape ...

What is Bio color for quartz compact?

By Ms.CampbellQ & ADecember 14, 20150 comments

My husband and I recently moved into a condo in the downtown Toronto area, it’s very different from the sub-urban home we once lived in and I am looking to personalize it more to my liking. I came ...AnswerThe “Bio” colours in Compac quartz advocate that products used to create this line are more environmentally friendly than the regular Compac quartz line. I believe that the chemicals ...

Mosaic tiles in my laundry room, tips for aftercare and maintenance.

By Kael'thasQ & ADecember 8, 20150 comments

We just purchased a home in Ottawa and have upgraded everything in our laundry room including the flooring, which is now a mosaic limestone pattern. Seeing as the laundry room is one of the most used rooms ...AnswerYou want to pick up any spills as soon as they happen because limestone is a very porous material and the last thing you want is staining due to detergents and fabric softeners. Make sure that your ...

Granite Colours

By MarkQ & AOctober 26, 20150 comments

What type of colours occur in granite naturally? IS there synthetically coloured granite? I would like to focus on getting the stone in its pure form without any synthetic changes and I would like to know ...AnswerSynthetic granite is a man-made material commonly referred to as Quartz. Nonetheless, you ask a great question because some stones are color-enhanced. The best way to tell is to look on the side edges ...

Granite kitchen Countertop Sealer

By MaRiaQ & AOctober 21, 20150 comments

How difficult is it to apply a sealant to natural stone? Is it something that I could do myself or is there a specialist who can apply it for me? Also, what type of sealant should I be using for my granite ...AnswerSealing (any) natural stone is as easy as pie. You apply the sealant evenly on your clean and dry countertop, let it sit while you do something for an hour or 2, then come back and buff it. Make sure nobody ...

Island Dining Table from Carrara Marble

By Lily DanielsQ & AOctober 9, 20150 comments

We are planning to add an island dining table to our kitchen. Our countertops are made from white Carrara marble – would you advise we use the same marble for our dining table top or go with another ...AnswerNatural stone can vary greatly in appearance depending on the patterns on each block. It may be impossible to find another slab of the same block with which you did your counters, so I think a contrasting ...

Granite Slab Countertops in the GTA

By Jonathan McClapQ & ASeptember 26, 20152 comments

Help! We want granite countertops, but aren’t sure where to source them in the GTA.AnswerBecause of the popularity of granite slab countertops, many “no-frills” sources for stone have cropped up in the Toronto area in recent years. However, you’ll want to balance price point ...

How Much Stone Backsplash Should I Order?

By Alexandra L.Q & ASeptember 21, 20151 comments

I am purchasing a stone back splash that I shall be installing myself in my kitchen. How much extra should I be purchasing if I want to cover 20 square feet? Is there a rule of thumb that I can follow ...AnswerAt Interstone Marble and Granite, we like to think that the rule of thumb when buying materials is 15% – 20% extra for wastage. If you have a bit left over from the installation, it’s a good ...

Custom Mosaic Tile Bathroom Floors

By FluxQ & ASeptember 15, 20152 comments

We’re building our dream home, and would like to make custom mosaic tile spreads in each of our three bathrooms. We’ve seen a few designs online, and are looking for a natural stone distributor ...Answer Santa Cecilia granite is indeed a beautiful stone that can be used in bathrooms and kitchens, so the choice is yours. If you wish, you can do both at the same time as this will maximize the use of your ...