Embracing the green

[Huligar]

CONNECTING WITH EARTH Stone accents bring the outdoors inside

By Rena Fulka, Staff Writer
Americans once again are embracing the green. Inside the home, this re-emerging trend is translating to earth tones and accents in brick and stone.
"People want natural elements inside their homes because they want to be connected to the earth somehow," said interior stylist Julea Joseph, of Reinventing Space in Palos Park.
"They're becoming more minimalistic, streamlined, simplistic and green. They want a textural, earthy and dimensional look instead of a flat surface. They're going minimalist in furniture and putting the detail on the walls and floors."
Stone accents offer a great opportunity to add texture, depth and interest to a room.
Henry Coyle, owner of Coyle Construction Co. Inc. in Orland Park, adds style and elegance to his custom-built homes by incorporating natural limestone, granite and marble on walls, whirlpools, walk-in showers, kitchen backsplashes and heated floors.
"I've built homes where half of the first floor (decor) is all natural stone," Coyle said.
"More and more people want fancier and more elegant things in their homes, and they're looking for natural stone because no two pieces are the same. People love the beauty of natural stone, but it's expensive to install. And natural stone is like a sponge. It requires a lot more maintenance because it has to be sealed once or twice a year depending on the amount of traffic in the area."
Homeowners with limited budgets have plenty of other options for replicating the real thing in their living spaces.
Southtwest Fireplace Supply Inc. in Frankfort installs manufactured stone veneers for $18 per foot for use in fireplaces and other home remodeling projects.
"It's less expensive than natural stone, easier to install and easier to fix if you have a problem," business manager John Ivancicts said.
"And you do not have to have a weight barrier foundation."
Stone accents are gaining in popularity as design trends veer from the once-popular uniform look.
"With stone products, every install looks different with unique nuances," said Ivancicts, adding that earthy, natural colors are favored choices.
"The nice thing about (Owens Corning) Cultured Stone is that it can be installed over brick."
Clients often choose this option for updating aging fireplaces, he said.
Product durability is attributed to the increase in demand for exterior application.
"A large trend on older brick homes is to add stone accents to the outside corners of the house," Ivancicts said.
"When we add stone accents to the existing brick, it gives the home a 30-year face-lift without much work."
Cultured Stone is a manufactured cement-based product that requires a high skill level for installation.
"There's a lot of work involved in preparing the wall. You have to put down a vapor barrier. And you need a metal lathe and mortar because you're creating a concrete board on the wall itself," said Doug Lehman, retail manager for Owens Corning masonry products.
"It feels like a remodeling project."
Easy-to-install veneers may be the best option for do-it-yourselfers looking for a cost-effective option for natural stone accents.
Owens Corning's Modulo, a best-selling stone veneer in Europe, made its debut in the United States last year at Menards stores across the country.
"Every Menards has the product on the shelf or makes it available through special order," Lehman said.
"It's lightweight, easy to cut, creates a nice texture and replicates natural stone. The product is a wall cover alternative to paint and wallpaper. And it has more of a decorating feel to it than a remodeling project because installation is less invasive."
Fireplaces, accent walls, wainscot and basement block walls are popular choices for Modulo stone, which can be applied directly to drywall or existing brick for as little as $6 per foot.
"Bringing the outside in to the indoors is a very attractive look. People get a sense of stability and durability. It's timeless. It dramatically changes the look of the home," Lehman said.
"And we've made it easy to obtain that look. In Europe, the main installer is a housewife because of the ease of application. And most tools are included with the product."
Modulo stone is packaged in easy-to-handle boxes that weigh less than 40 pounds.
Typically, installation for small projects is a two-day process requiring gloves, eye protection, a drop cloth, a utility knife and a hacksaw.
"It takes one day to allow the stone to adhere, and another day to grout and tool down the grout," Lehman said.
"A beginner can achieve great looks with this product."
Lehman compared placement of flat and corner stones to putting a puzzle together.
"Modulo stone can be pressed into place," Lehman said.
"The adhesive allows 20 to 30 minutes of play, so you can do a do-over. It allows people to have a degree of mistakes, if they have to. And you can go at a pace you feel comfortable with."
If a stone begins to slide, it can be held in place with a push pin until the adhesive sets, he said.
Then it's on to the grouting.

	grout GROUT The material used to fill in the joints between stone tile. Grout can be cement or plastic resins.

	limestone LIMESTONE A sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate.

	Marble MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems associated with the material. INTRODUCTION Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite (CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed, is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds react differently with marble and produce various by-products, which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. TYPICAL USES Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage to which marble is susceptible.