Add A Honey Onyx Top To Your Home…
When it comes to countertops, there are a number of natural stone options. While granite is the most popular choice for countertops because of its duarability, onyx is another option that often catches the consumers eye because of its striking beauty. Onyx is considered to be a gemstone by many because of its unique mineral composition and translucent look. While I have blogged about the characteristics of onyx before, I wanted to pass along a couple of pictures from a few projects that we recently fabricated and installed.
Let’s take a look…
Honey Onyx Vanity Top (with hole cut for vessel sink)
This project was for a vanity top that included an ogee edge with some decorative curve work. Notice the cryptocrystalline quartz bands that run vertically down the right edge of top, giving the stone character. The quartz also gives the stone some depth and that transluscent appeal.
Let’s take a look at another project…
Honey Onyx Bar Top
This project was for a Honey Onyx bar top. Notice the unique swirling bands running throughout the stone and backsplash. Lighting was added below this bar top to intensify the stones transluscent depth.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Onyx on November 14th, 2011 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Dreaming Of An Onyx Kitchen…
While I wrote about onyx before, I wanted to share a few photos I snapped in our shop of a recent kitchen project we fabricated.
Lady Dream Onyx
Lady Dream Onyx
Onyx comes in a variety of colors and is often considered a gem stone. Although onyx has a unique look, it is one of those stones that is often quite stunning to the eye. Onyx is composed of cryptocrystalline quartz, that form unique bands that can run in a variety of different patterns. Onyx may be used for countertops, but care must be taken during the fabrication process, since it is considered a fragile stone. Care must also be taken for cleaning and maintenance to help prevent scratching. Maintenance for onyx is similar to that of marble.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in In The Shop, Onyx on September 23rd, 2011 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Spotlight On Onyx…
When it comes to natural stone, there are quite a number of different materials to choose from. In this blog, I wanted to focus on onyx.
Green Onyx
Onyx is often considered a gemstone and is strikingly beautiful, although it is considered a fragile stone. It is composed of cryptocrystalline quartz, that form unique bands that can run both parallel, or in irregular shaped patterns. Onyx may be used for countertops, but care must be taken for cleaning and preventing scratching. Its maintenance is similar to that of marble. Onyx is popular for vases, jewelry, fireplace surrounds, and table tops.
Following are a few more photo’s I wanted to share:
Light Green Onyx
Onyx Vase
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Onyx, Uncategorized on July 28th, 2011 by Barb | | 0 Comments
Natural Stone Descriptions…
I know I’ve probably blogged about this topic over the last 4 plus years I’ve been blogging, but in our showroom we get asked a lot of questions in regards to stone descriptions, so I thought I would address it again. Customers are often curious as to what the difference is between one stone, or another and what makes one more durable than the next, etc.
Natural Stone Descriptions
Granite
Granite is by far the best choice and the most popular stone for natural countertops. It is not only the hardest and most durable material available, but also the most stain resistant. It comes in a wide variety of colors and its beauty lasts more than a lifetime. It is also easy to clean and maintain. It makes up 75% of the earth’s crust and is the most common igneous rock. It was formed ages ago when magma (molten rock) cooled. It is commonly found in mountain ranges, but is also found in level regions where mountains once were. It is made up of various minerals including quartz, feldspar, and mica. All granites are approved for exterior use, which is why you see much of it cladding commercial buildings and sidewalks in many cities.
Limestone
Limestone also offers a unique look. It is great to use for fireplace surrounds, but use caution when recommending it for kitchen countertops, and bathroom vanities. It is the softest natural stone available and therefore the easiest to stain and scratch. It is extremely porous and therefore use of an acrylic based sealer (which adds a sheen to the appearance) is recommended to protect it. Limestone is produced from the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate) and sediment. It mainly comes from the beds of oceans, or evaporated seas and lakes and from sea animal shells. Limestone is readily available with large quarries in Southern Minnesota.
Marble
Marble is also quite popular, especially for bathroom vanities and fireplace surrounds. It is also among one of the most beautiful stones available in the market today. It is a relatively hard material, but it is not as hard as granite. Depending on the environment it is in, there is a chance of staining. Marble also comes in quite a large variety of colors. With proper care and maintenance, marble is relatively easy to maintain. It is composed of calcite or dolomite and is easily worked. It is a metamorphic limestone, or dolostone and is classified as any crystalline calcareous rock that will take a polish. Through the ages, it has been used primarily as a building and ornamental stone, and for monuments, tabletops, and other decorative applications. Very few marbles are approved for exterior use.
Onyx
Onyx is made up of a variety of cryptocrystalline quartz, and is made up of bands, which are parallel and regular. Its appearance is most striking when the bands are of sharply contrasting colors. It is often considered a gemstone. It is one of the most striking and beautiful stones, but is fragile. It is popular for jewelry, vases, and figurines. It can be used for fireplace surrounds, table tops, bar tops, etc., but scratches easily.
Slate
Slate offers a unique look. It is great for floor tile and roofing shingles, but not the best choice for kitchen countertops. It is a relatively soft material and can stain rather easily. It is also not the easiest material to clean up. However if you are looking for a “weathered” look, it is quite appealing. It is a fine-grained metamorphic rock that splits into thin, smooth-surfaced layers. It can also be used for roofing shingles.
Soapstone
Soapstone tends to be light gray in appearance and takes on a darker appearance with aging, as it goes through an oxidation process. Sealing with mineral oil is recommended every few weeks for the first year to enhance the oxidation process. Abrasive cleaners such as Ajax are not recommended. If you desire, or are looking for an aged, or weathered look, soapstone may be appealing. It is a metamorphic rock rich in magnesium and iron. It can be used for kitchen countertops and sinks and is sometimes used for fireplace surrounds because of its ability to distribute heat evenly.
Travertine
Travertine is a porous material, which often begins as a limestone and in most applications is filled. It usually contains small fossils or hollow fossil imprints. It is made up of large quantities of calcium carbonate formed from hot springs containing calcium rich water that bubble up and then cool down. It is often considered an ornamental stone. Travertine is quite popular for flooring and is sometimes used for vanities, or in bathroom applications.
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Granite, Marble, Natural Stone, Onyx, Soapstone on June 9th, 2011 by Barb | | Comments Off
Natural Stone—Spotlight On Onyx
When it comes to natural stone, there are a lot of beautiful selections to choose from. While granite is the most popular choice for countertops, onyx is a stone that can really catch your eye. Onyx is often considered a gem stone and is made up of cryptocrystalline quartz, which is often formed in bands, which are parallel and regular. Some onyx colors have a transluscent appearance that gives the illusion of looking down through the stone. For this reason, some consumers install lighting underneath the stone to intensify this look. Onyx comes in a variety of colors, but most are considered fragile because they are hard to work with. Extra caution is needed when fabricating onyx. If you are looking for something unique, and strikingly beautiful, you might want to consider onyx. It is popular for bar tops, fireplace surrounds, vases, jewelry, etc.
Following are a few pictures of onyx:
Honey Onyx slab
Thanks for reading!
Barb
Posted in Granite, Onyx, Spotlight Colors, Uncategorized on November 23rd, 2010 by Barb | | 1 Comments
