As you know, we have been building Stone Furniture for the past 12 years. Stone is an amazing resource because it possesses many beautiful natural qualities including aesthetics, strength and longevity. Each stone is unique in its own natural beauty and we love using it.
Although this is not making major headlines, quality stone is getting much more difficult to find. Because there is still a demand for stone, we are seeing the prices increase while the supply dwindles. The issue with some lines of stone is that the quarries may hit a good pocket producing rich colors and qualities but in limited amounts. We have had this happen with our Green Marble that is imported from Asia. When we first started receiving this beautiful stone from the quarry, it was a dark green. As time went on though, the stone turned into a lighter mint green and eventually faded into a light gray. They closed the quarry due to the fact that the stone was not as desirable. Another reason stone may be discontinued is that the permit for the quarry expired and was not renewed.
When we build our furniture, we look for stone with a certain density and hardness. We cannot use pieces that have laminating, which is a layering that allows water to get into the cracks. When the water freezes and expands, it causes flaking and hairline fractures. Nor can we use rock that is prone to crumbling. It truly takes a special rock to be made into outdoor furniture. The sad truth is that although stone is a strong and durable building material, it is not a renewable resource. Currently, we still have access to stone to build our incredible Stone Furniture, but there likely may come a time when that is not going to be the case. Thus, we decided to be proactive and add a second line of furniture, one that is as durable as stone but also sustainable.
We have started to make sustainable furniture by offering a line of concrete furniture as beautiful and durable as stone but more accessible. Concrete has been used since the Roman Empire. The Pantheon is a legacy to the Romans' concrete engineering as it is still standing today and was built circa 126 AD. The impressive dome can still be admired by the public today. So we have gone from Caveman Composition to Roman Engineering!
Concrete consists of aggregate and hydraulic mortar, a binder mixed with water that hardens over time.
Some of the benefits of creating a concrete line are:
* More colors - there is no limit to the color range that can be created
* Sustainable, Earth-Friendly
* Different Designs and Shapes of Rocks
Natural stone is Earth-Friendly in many ways, the main benefit being that you never have to replace your furniture during your lifetime. This saves natural resources such as trees and water. However, the depletion of local stone reserves and permanent shutdowns forced us to find a creative solution. Though we will still offer various lines of different and rare stone and regional rock as long as possible, we are looking ahead to the future. Concrete will allow us to continue to offer amazing furniture that will compliment your outdoor décor and stand up to the elements.
