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FAQ’s
Natural stone products are going to inherently vary in color from batch to batch and year to year. Photos on a website or in a printed brochure can also mispresent the true color of a product based on lighting conditions, how the photo was taken, and how it is being reproduced on the screen or in print. Surface Shop recommends ordering a sample of the materials you are interested so you can see an actual physical piece of the material to make a decision, as well as relying on the photos on our website and in our printed materials to give you an overall understanding of the color blend. Surface Shop strives to maintain batch consistency to the greatest extent possible with a natural product to allow our customers to feel confident the stone they are receiving will match the sample and the examples provided on our website and printed materials.
You’ll find both loose stone and tile products and panel system products at Surface Shops. The main difference is that panel system products are highly calibrated and designed to be installed essentially like wall tile. Each panel is the same size and this allows for a rapid installation. Loose stone products will vary in the shape and size of each individual stone and are designed to be installed in either a repeating or randomized pattern. Loose stone products can be both installed as a dry stack or mortared in method, depending on the type of stone and how the installer works the product during installation. Generally speaking panel system products are easier and require a less skilled contractor to install whereas loose stone is best laid by an experience stone mason.
In the broadest sense, Surface Shop products are meant to be installed over cementious substrates, such as brick, block and tilt up construction on exterior applications and cement board on interior applications. Exterior projects or applications in or around water should have a water proofing membrane / crack isolation layer applied to the cementious substrate and then the stone is installed using a polymer modified tile thinset. Depending on the product type and application, mortaring in the joints between the individual stones might be necessary as well as sealing of the finished installation. Consult the product page, specification sheet, and installation guide for specifics on the instsallation of each product.
Please submit a request through our contact page, email us, or call us during normal business hours so we can get you in touch with your nearest Surface Shop distributor or dealer. If we don’t have a distributor in your area we will contact you directly on how to buy Surface Shop products.
Pricing on Surface Shop products will vary by the type of natural stone, product type, and color selected. Contact us to be connected with your local distributor for a quote and to learn more about Surface Shop products.
Yes, at Surface Shop we know from years of experience that physical samples are one of the most important parts of evaluating a hard surfaces product. Samples can be ordered through the main line at Surface Shop or through your local dealer or distributor. Samples are designed to give our clients an understanding of the color, texture, and scale of the product and should be used in conjunction with our website and printed materials to provide a full understanding of a product.
Surface Shop strives to keep a healthy inventory of all the best selling products and colors in our line up, however because these products are sourced from around the world lead times can exist based on current inventory and the speed of global supply chains. Please call or email us to check stock before placing an order to confirm lead time.
It’s important to clean most hard surface products post installation using a non acidic cleaner to remove any adhesive, mortar, or grout residue from the face of the material. Most exterior applications and any application that is going to be subject to moisture should be sealed. Refer to the spec sheets and installation guides for each product for specific details around post installation guidelines for your product.
Most hard surface products, in particular natural stone, are a very durable product, that require a relatively little amount of ongoing maintenance. Some routines that might need to be implemented would include light pressure of exterior installations to remove dirt and grime and dusting /vacuuming of interior installations to remove dust. Applications that are sealed post installation will need re-sealed according to the timeline set forth by the sealer, which is typically no more often than once every 18 months.