History

From the times before recorded history, stone has played a fundamental role in the building of humankind’s societies.  Through its use in architecture, it has granted us greater security, convenience, and a higher aesthetic for millennia. 

Without stone, the people of ancient Greece would never have known the splendor of the Parthenon.  Without their caches of high quality limestone and granite, the builders of the Egyptian Pyramids would have been unable to manifest those sacred resting places for the bodies of their departed pharaohs.  And without the limestone and granite used to construct the Great Wall, the peoples of ancient China would have been left defenseless in the face of multiple neighboring threats.

Examples of stone’s use in the building of a culture lie much closer to home, too.  From the limestone fortifying the pillars and walls of the White House in Washington, DC to the marble shining up from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, stone has been an integral force in the conception of our nation.

With its steadfast longevity, and its grand range of aesthetic, humankind has chosen stone for its power to decorate and to safeguard our religious, our political, our residential, and our commercial architecture throughout the ages.

Production

Stone is quarried from earth and mountains as blocks, sometimes hauled out by hand. Once removed from the earth, it is then cut into slabs, then into tiles. These finishing steps are applied by manpower, while everything else is done by nature.

Stone tile is a fairly new product, made available for mass production in the last 50 years. Prices today are less than times past, due to larger volume and advances in production technology. Stone frequently costs less money than ceramic tile.  Historically, only the very rich or royalty could afford it because of the costs associated with fabricating and transporting it.