There is no place like home! Whether you are building, renovating or just interested in stone – be inspired,
discover the latest and keep up with the trends in one simple place: the SNB Stone Blog.
Discover how our natural stone types were formed, quarried and prized across the centuries, and what that means for the benchtops, floors and surfaces chosen in contemporary Australian homes today.
Explore the landmark buildings, sculptures and cities shaped by stone, from Carrara marble in Rome to the sandstone of colonial Sydney, and see how those ideas still guide contemporary stone design.
Practical advice on sealing, cleaning and protecting natural stone and porcelain surfaces. Learn how to lift stains, avoid etching and keep marble, granite and quartzite benchtops looking new for years.
A clear guide to porcelain slabs and sintered stone: how they are made, how they compare with natural stone for heat, stain and scratch resistance, and where they suit kitchens and bathrooms best.
The questions we are asked most often about natural stone and porcelain — from where our marble, granite, quartzite and limestone is quarried, to how stone benchtops, tiles and pavers should be sealed and cleaned. Every answer comes from more than 30 years of importing and supplying stone to architects, designers, stonemasons and homeowners across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
We employ inspectors in several locations around the world, and our directors travel continually to source material and inspect production standards. Every slab and tile is rated against a strict set of SNB Stone guidelines before it is imported. Where a stone is quarried actually matters far less than the technology used to cut, calibrate and finish it — which is why two blocks from the same mountain can arrive as very different products.
It comes down to the look you want and how the kitchen will be used. If you love the appearance of marble, a honed surface is far more forgiving than a polish. If you want maximum hardness, granite and quartzite are among the hardest natural stones available and offer a wide colour palette. We are always happy to talk through the trade-offs for your bench, island or splashback before you choose.
We strongly recommend all natural stone is sealed with Dry Treat Stain Proof™. For basalt and granite, most household cleaners are fine. For marble, travertine, quartzite and limestone, use a clean damp cloth, or a pH neutral detergent for anything more stubborn. Avoid acidic and abrasive cleaners, and wipe up spills such as wine, citrus and oil promptly.
Etching is a chemical reaction, not a stain. Acid — from lemon, vinegar, wine or some cleaning products — reacts with the calcium in marble and limestone and leaves dull marks on the surface. Sealing reduces staining but does not prevent etching, so the answer is choosing the right finish, using the right cleaners, and having the surface re-honed if marks build up over time.
Natural stone is a product of nature — it forms more than 60% of the earth’s crust and is available in thousands of types and colours. Reconstituted (engineered) stone is manufactured, and suppliers typically market only 10 to 20 colours, many of the darker ones scratching easily, and it contains large amounts of resins and chemicals. Many natural stones have better properties and perform better in kitchens than reconstituted products.
Everything you read in Beyond The Surface is built on a working supply chain. SNB Stone is a family business of more than 30 years that imports natural stone slabs, tiles, pavers, pool coping, mosaics and porcelain directly — with inspectors and directors at quarries and factories overseas, and five showrooms across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane where architects, designers, stonemasons, builders and homeowners can see full slabs in person before they commit.
A family-owned importer and wholesaler of natural stone, supplying residential and commercial projects as well as other stone retailers.
Strathfield South in Sydney, Airport West and Notting Hill in Melbourne, and Pinkenba and Geebung in Brisbane.
Inspectors in several countries and directors travelling continually, rating every material against strict SNB Stone guidelines.
Large-format porcelain and sintered surfaces from INFINITY and FONDOVALLE, sitting alongside our natural stone range.
