Ciao!

I have written a number of posts about sealing stone and often emphasize the importance of sealing your stone to ensure it ages gracefully, however when it is sandstone the “gracefull aging” sometimes has a little more to it.  Martin PatricelIi   who has been installing tile in Seattle for years gave me a few tips on [...]

So you have natural stone; now what? The next step is to seal it and keep it sealed to ensure it ages well and doesn’t lose its luster. However, types of sealers become the next big question? We at Statements recommend a penetrating/impregnating sealer for most natural stones. Penetrating/impregnating sealers are a no-sheen, natural looking [...]

Maybe like me you bought a house with limestone slab counter tops, or better yet you want to put limestone in your house. Well here are the ins and outs of limestone and its many delicate characteristics.  Limestone is a very common sedimentary rock composed mostly of the mineral calcite, (lime). Limestone is formed over [...]

  So, what’s the difference?  Most often when we use the descriptors, gauged, semi-gauged, or un-gauged tile we’re referring to slate tile. Most of our slate falls into the category of semi-gauged which means that it has undergone a grinding process that levels out one side of the tile creating a relatively flat surface. Once [...]

Today I received a phone call from a customer who wanted to know two things: how to clean metal tile and how to keep it from changing color over time. Great questions! We get these often and, as a result, I’m writing this article. Here’s the scoop on caring for our metal tile. Here at [...]

Unlike your typical factory-edged tile, rectified tile has been cut to size after the firing process. This process creates a precise, 90 degree angle edge and, as a result, can be laid with a tighter grout joint than unrectified tile (as small as 1/16″). If you’re wanting a smooth, sophisticated and continuous look on your [...]

So you’ve just moved to the Northwest (welcome to Seattle!) and barbecue season is fast approaching. How are you going to cover that mound of dirt in your backyard that could so easily be a beautiful patio? Good question. Let’s talk about your possibilities. With the variable weather here in Seattle, you have limited options [...]

Another common question that I am asked in our showroom is whether or not ceramic tile is suitable for countertop use. Here’s my answer: it depends. Really, it does! More often than not, my answer to this question is no. Here’s why: There are two major characteristics of ceramic tile that typically deem it unsuitable [...]

Many of you have wanted a definitive answer about whether or not to use crackle tile in your showers. Unfortunately, I don’t have one. But don’t fret, here’s what you need to be aware of when considering crackle tile in a wet application. According to Richard Scott, owner of Status Handmade Ceramics here in Seattle (see [...]

To follow up and expand on my first article, “Introducing, Natural Stone!”, this article will focus on the care and maintenance of natural stone–something which puts unecessary fear into the minds of many homeowners who value the beauty of natural stone but do not want to A) ruin it and B) spend long hours caring for it. For all of you [...]