Stone surfaces popular for durability, variety of styles

Hotel & Motel Management, Oct 18, 2004 by Heather Gunter

Hotel decor constantly must be updated because of use and wear, and to keep up with ever-changing styles. One exception is tile and stone. Surfaces made of these materials have staying power that can outlast even the building around them.

"People ask me what the replacement time is or how long their stone is guaranteed for," said Bryan Mitnick, v.p. of CCS Stone in Moonachie, N.J. "They make tombstones out of these materials--mostly granite. You can never outlive it. It's going to slowly wear or the finish may come off, but it's a rock. It's going to be around forever."

"Stone will last for so long that it's possible that you'll renovate your hotel one or two more times before you'll look at doing anything with the stone," said Chris Dolne, president of Indianapolis-based Hotel Vanities International. "So sometimes you want something versatile, that can be used in a future renovation even though it may be far off."

Stone and tile are particularly useful for bathroom surfaces. Granite is becoming more popular for vanity tops, according to Dolne.

"All the granites make beautiful vanity tops," he said. "The vanity tops are very durable. Many of them have a hardness greater than steel. They don't get scratched up. You can run a knife blade right over the top of most of these granites and it won't do anything to it."

Another popular area for using stone is for furniture tops in guest-rooms, including nightstands and dressers.

"Again, hoteliers are choosing the stone for its durability," said Neil Aberman, president of The Stone Resource in High Point, N.C.

The increasing use of stone is due to price decreases, he said.

"The price of natural stone has come down dramatically in the last 10 years," Aberman said. "Technological advances from quarrying to processing and fabricating the product have brought the cost way down. Also, there's more competition with different countries supplying the raw material. For example, Chinese materials weren't on the market 10 years ago and now they're all over the market. And Chinese materials are priced very well."

Keep it clean

Although durable, there are some precautions for cleaning stone and tile surfaces.

"It's imperative that housekeeping does not use the wrong chemicals when cleaning the stone because they can remove the sealers that have been put on the stone," Aberman said.

Resealing also is necessary for some types of stone.

"Resealing involves spraying on a chemical and wiping it off," Aberman said. "It doesn't involve a lengthy process. But 99 percent of hotels out there don't do it. And housekeeping departments often use the wrong cleaner and then ruin the stone."

Seal granite right after it's installed and reseal it every three to four years, Dolne said.

"Typically it's a housekeeping or maintenance task," he said. "It's a very easy thing to do. You just wipe the sealer on."

Dolne doesn't recommend a water-based sealer because it's difficult to use and can leave a white film that must be removed with steel wool. Instead, he recommends a silicone-based sealer.

Before using a cleaning product, test it on a scrap of the material left over from installation, Dolne suggested.

"The main thing is to avoid certain chemicals," Dolne said. "For example, Absolute Black granite, even as tough as it is, can be stained by lemon and other citrus juices."

Other types of stone require more care than granite.

"Marble and limestone are like a fine wood," Aberman said. "They require more care than granite because they're softer and they can scratch and stain more easily than granite."

Marble must be sealed more frequently than granite--every three to six months, he said.

Hoteliers should consider maintenance, availability and replacement, Mitnick said.

Before picking a material ask, "If something happens down the road, is it something that you can never get again?" he said. "If you want to expand or match the stone in the future or do some renovation, those are some considerations when choosing stone--consider your needs down the road."

Also, take care when choosing a supplier, Dolne suggested.

"Material and equipment used to produce and fabricate granite varies widely," he said. "Be careful to deal with an experienced company used to doing work with the large chains and that has lots of references, and be cautious when it comes to low prices."

Ways to maintain stone over its long lifetime

* Do dust mop floors often.

* Do clean with mild detergent or stone soap.

* Do thoroughly rinse and dry the surface after washing.

* Do blot up spills immediately.

* Do protect floor surfaces with nonslip mats or area rugs, and protect countertop surfaces with coasters, trivets or place mats.

* Don't use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine or onyx.

* Don't use cleaners that contain acid, such as bathroom, grout or tub and tile cleaners.

Source: The Marble Institute of America

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Company                          Circle No.

CSS Stone                               370
Hotel Vanities International            371
International Marble & Granite          372
Mincey Marble                           373
Mont Granite                            374
Quarry Tile Co.                         375
Stone Resource                          376
Stuart Dean                             377
Summitville Tiles                       378
Tropical Stone                          379