Stone is a natural material and over time will show signs of wear. In areas where a high volume of traffic is expected specifying the correct stone and finish is key. It is best to use a honed or matt finish as polished surfaces will show wear more quickly as foot traffic dulls the surface. It is better to use hard and durable stones and in some extreme cases to increase the thickness of the stone to make it more resistible to cracking or impact damage. Once installed sealing and regular maintenance will be key to making sure the surface lasts as intended. On larger commercial projects if the material chosen is very variable in colour tone and pattern then it may be worth purchasing a quantity of spare tiles to store until required so that any replacements will match existing.

We employ our own Environmental Health Officer to ensure that we are always compliant and up to date with current legislation. We can provide full method statements and risk assessments for all of our work practices and also data sheets on all of the materials we use.

We will always advise where different finishes are required so that flooring is safe and fit for purpose. There are a variety of finishes that will offer slip resistance such as honed, grit blasted or flame textured each formed with its own unique properties.

We are an independent business and source stone from many suppliers and quarries worldwide. Our focus is always on quality and we source the best stone available at the right specification and price. We are committed to delivering value for money no matter how large or small a project may be and we are completely transparent when it comes to stone identification and do not rename materials to maintain exclusivity.

As members of the Stone Federation of Great Britain, New Image Stone is committed to promoting the use of natural stone. For more information visit their website at www.stone-federationgb.org.uk.

Different stones are more suitable for different application and our specialist management team can offer expert advice on the right stone for your project. We can supply any kind of stone available in the world and in a variety of finishes such as polished, honed, brushed and antiqued. We work closely with clients to provide a total service from the design stage through to installation.

We generally source our stone in slab form from which we cut tiles and panels or worktops. The slab sizes available varies from batch to batch and stone to stone. It is important that material is selected not only on quality and price but also on slab size so that waste is kept to a minimum. It is also this slab size that is one of the important factors in deciding tile size or maximum worktop length.

Sometimes the weight of material can be an issue such as when specified for use in a lift car. We can supply indicative weights for materials on request so that these issue can be assessed. There are also alternatives such as engineered or laminated stone products which can offer weight savings though the choice on offer and cost can be prohibitive.

We recommend viewing the complete slabs in our yard whenever possible so that you can fully appreciate how the stone will appear once installed, instead of looking at a small section as a sample.

Samples of most materials are available on request. We would always advise that materials are viewed in slab form as samples will often not fully show what a stone is like. It is important to understand that natural and even manmade stone are subject to variation in tone, colour pattern and texture and samples should be used as an indication only. It is also important to note that even ceramics and porcelain tiles can vary from batch to batch.