Buyers Guide

Welcome to the Stonorama Buyer's Guide. Purchasing natural stone is a significant investment for your hardscape project. This guide is designed to help you understand our materials, calculate your needs, and prepare for delivery.

1. Understanding Natural Stone Variation

Natural stone is a product of nature. Unlike manufactured concrete or porcelain, no two pieces of travertine, marble, or limestone are exactly alike.

  • Color Variation: Expect variations in color, veining, and texture from piece to piece and pallet to pallet. This natural variation is what gives stone its unique beauty.
  • Sampling: We strongly recommend ordering samples before placing a full pallet order. Please note that a single sample represents a small portion of the overall color range.
  • Blending: During installation, it is crucial that your installer "blends" the stone by pulling from multiple pallets simultaneously to ensure an even distribution of color and pattern.

2. Calculating Your Order (The Overage Rule)

When ordering natural stone, you must account for cuts, waste, and minor breakage that occurs during shipping and handling.

  • Standard Installation: We recommend ordering 10% to 15% more square footage than your project measures to account for standard cuts and waste.
  • French Pattern or Diagonal Layouts: These complex patterns require more cuts. We recommend a 15% to 20% overage.
  • Why Overage Matters: Ordering exactly what you need often results in falling short at the end of the project. Ordering a few extra pieces later is very expensive due to LTL freight minimums, and the new batch may not perfectly match the original lot.

3. Product Thickness & Applications

Choosing the right thickness is critical for the durability of your project.

  • 1.25" (3cm) Pavers: The industry standard for sand-set applications over a compacted gravel base. Ideal for patios, walkways, and pool decks.
  • 2" (5cm) Coping: Provides a thicker, more substantial profile for pool edges or step treads.
  • Tile (1/2" or 3/4"): Designed exclusively for interior use or exterior concrete overlays (mud-set). These cannot be sand-set.

4. Preparing for LTL Freight Delivery

Natural stone is heavy. All orders are shipped on wooden pallets via Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) freight carriers. Please review our shipping requirements carefully:

  • Pallet Weights: A full pallet of pavers can weigh between 2,800 and 3,500 lbs.
  • Delivery Method: Unless you have a commercial loading dock, deliveries are made via a truck equipped with a liftgate. The driver will use a pallet jack to lower the pallets to the ground.
  • Curbside Delivery Only: Freight drivers will only deliver the pallets to the curb or the very end of your driveway. They will not move pallets into your garage, backyard, or up steep inclines.
  • Inspection: You or your contractor must be present at the time of delivery to inspect the shipment. Any visible damage to the pallets must be noted on the driver's delivery receipt (Bill of Lading) before signing.

5. Installation & Maintenance Best Practices

To ensure the longevity of your investment:

  • Dry-Laying: Always have your installer "dry-lay" a section of the stone before applying mortar or polymeric sand to ensure you are happy with the color blend.
  • Sealing: We highly recommend sealing all natural stone after installation. Sealing protects against staining from leaves, wine, or pool chemicals, and makes routine cleaning much easier.
  • Cleaning: Never use harsh acids or abrasive chemical cleaners on natural stone. Use only pH-neutral stone cleaners.

Have more questions? Contact our team at sales@stonorama.com or call us directly. We are here to help you plan your project.