Latest News & Information

Hardwood is durable, but that doesn’t mean it’s indestructible. If you have hardwood floors, it’s important to control the humidity in your home if you want to keep your floors in good shape. Ideally, hardwood floors should be kept in an environment with a humidity level between 35-55%. Why does this matter? Here’s how humidify affects Denver hardwood:

High Humidity

Once humidity rises above 55%, the moisture in the air may begin to seep into your floorboards. Both solid and engineered hardwood are vulnerable to moisture, so they may start to swell in a humid home. Swelling will eventually cause the floorboards to warp or cup. If this happens to your wood floors, you will need to contact a professional as soon as possible.

Because high humidity levels can damage hardwood floors, it’s best not to install hardwood in high humidity areas. For example, bathrooms and laundry rooms tend to be more humid than other rooms in the house. For these rooms, it’s recommended that you choose tiles that are designed to look like hardwood instead of actual hardwood.

Low Humidity

Low humidity levels can also affect wood floors. If the humidity level drops below 35%, the wood may begin to dry out and weaken. If wood is left in this type of environment for a long period of time, it may begin to crack.

How to Control Humidity in Your Home

It’s important to keep the humidity levels in your home in check if you want to preserve the beauty of your hardwood floors. To do this, you may want to consider spending a few hundred dollars on a professionally installed home humidifier. This unit will ensure that the humidity level in your home never falls outside of the ideal range. Learn more about how your home's indoor environment affects your hardwood floor.

If you do get this unit installed, make sure you never turn it off, even when you go on vacation. Homeowners often turn everything off when they leave home, but this isn’t a good idea if you have hardwood floors. Keep the humidifier running even if you will be gone for several days so you don’t come home to a damaged hardwood floor.

You should also talk to the professional who installs your hardwood flooring about humidity. The ideal level of humidity is usually 35-55%, but this may vary depending on the manufacturer of the hardwood. Some manufacturers recommend slightly lower levels, while others suggest slightly higher levels. Always have this conversation with your flooring professional so you know the best way to care for your floors.

Are you ready to install hardwood in your home? Contact Natural Stone Sales for help with choosing the right hardwood and installing it around your home. Our expert staff has been working one-on-one with customers in the Denver area for over three decades. We specialize in providing superior and personalized natural stone and hardwood services using only the highest quality products on the market. Contact us today to find out how we can create a beautiful custom look for your home!

Many homeowners struggle to make decisions about what kind of materials they want to use in their kitchens, bathrooms, or other rooms in their home. If you’re building or remodeling a home, you know how hard it can be to narrow down your options. Even when you find Denver natural stone that you love, you may question whether it complements the rest of the room. Fortunately, this process has gotten much easier for homeowners thanks to our visualizer tool.

What is the Visualizer?

The reason why it’s so hard to make decisions during a remodel is because it can be difficult to visualize what the different materials will look like once they come together in the same room. The visualizer tool on our website allows you to pick different materials for your countertops, floors, cabinets, and backsplash in order to see what they look like together. For example, if you’re remodeling your kitchen, you can use the visualizer to see what black cabinets would look like with Arctic white granite and an interlocking tile backsplash.  

Benefits of Using the Visualizer

If you’re worried about making the wrong choice, the visualizer will ease your mind because it allows you to see what the finished product will look like before you commit to the materials. Therefore, using the visualizer could speed up the renovation process and increase your satisfaction with the finished product.   

Homeowners may also save money by using the visualizer. Without the visualizer, you may end up choosing colors or materials that you’re not happy with. Once they’re installed, you may decide to rip them out and replace them with something that you like more. Doing this can be expensive, but if you don’t love the finished product, it’s the only choice you have if you want to be happy with your home. Avoid this problem by using the visualizer to plan what your room will look like before you pay for the materials.

In addition, using the visualizer may help you discover a new material or color combination that you would have never considered before. For example, let’s say you are set on having granite countertops because you aren’t familiar with many other types of natural stone. But, then you use the visualizer and realize that you actually love the look of marble more than granite. Other homeowners may be convinced that they want a neutral kitchen until they use the visualizer and see how beautiful a kitchen can be with bold, unusual colors. See unexpected drama: an out-of-the-box kitchen color combo. The visualizer can open your mind to new possibilities in your home.

Contact Natural Stone Sales for help with installing natural stone around your home. Our expert staff has been working one-on-one with customers in the Denver area for over three decades. We specialize in providing superior and personalized natural stone and hardwood services using only the highest quality products on the market. Contact us today to find out how we can create a beautiful custom look for your home!

There are dozens of different  granite colors to choose from in the city of Denver, but to narrow down your options, the first thing you should decide is whether you want light or dark granite. Here’s what you should consider before deciding between light vs. dark countertops:

Dark Granite Countertops

Dark granite can be found in different shades of black, green, blue, brown, and charcoal gray. Homeowners typically choose dark shades of granite when they want to achieve a modern and elegant look. Dark granite is versatile, so it can complement almost any type of kitchen. However, it tends to really pop in kitchens that have light colored cabinets and stainless steel appliances. Pairing light cabinets and dark countertops will create a beautiful contrast that will turn heads. Learn more about working with dark granite countertops.

If you’re interested in using dark granite in your kitchen or bathroom, consider choosing dark gray, blue, or black granite if you have white cabinets, and dark brown or green granite if you have light tan cabinets. These are just a few of the many color combinations that you can use when you pick dark colored granite.

Light Granite Countertops

Granite is sold in various light colors, including tan, gray, white, blue, green, and cream. Homeowners who have small kitchens or bathrooms tend to gravitate towards light colored granite countertops since using these will open the room and make it appear larger than it really is. If you have dark cabinets, it’s almost always best to choose light colored granite for the countertops to avoid making the room look stuffy and bleak.

White is one of the most popular light colored granite countertops. Many homeowners who choose white granite pair it with white or gray cabinets and sleek stainless steel appliances. The all-white look has been trending in the design world for over a year or so, but if you’re worried about your kitchen looking dated in a few years, choose a more classic color combination. For example, pairing white or gray granite countertops with espresso wood cabinets is exceptionally beautiful and creates a look that won’t go out of style anytime soon.

Other Options

You can never go wrong with choosing light or dark colored granite, but if you want to try something bolder, you may want to consider a bright red or blue granite countertop. These are rarely used as countertops because many homeowners prefer sticking to more timeless choices. If you’re brave enough to use a bold color, be sure to make it the focal point by using neutral colors throughout the rest of the room.

Both light and dark granite can be beautiful as long as they complement the rest of your kitchen or bathroom. Contact Natural Stone Sales for help with installing marble around your home. Our expert staff has been working one-on-one with customers in the Denver area for over three decades. We specialize in providing superior and personalized natural stone and hardwood services using only the highest quality products on the market. Contact us today to find out how we can create a beautiful custom look for your home

Choosing which natural stone you want to use for your countertops and flooring is hard enough, but deciding on a color can be even tougher. There are many different beautiful colors of Denver marble, which makes this decision even more difficult. Here are some tips to help you choose the right marble color:

Think of the atmosphere.

Before selecting a color, think of the atmosphere of the room. How do you want people to feel when they step into the room? In general, cool colors such as blues and whites will make a room feel larger and more formal, while warm colors such as golds, browns, and deep greens will give the room a cozier feel. Keep this in mind as you make your final selection so you don’t create the wrong vibe within your home.

Create a color scheme.

Many interior designers reference the color wheel when choosing natural stone colors. There are two ways to use the color wheel in this situation. First, you can use a triadic color scheme, which means you are using three colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel. For instance, you could use purple, green, and red-orange since these colors are all three spaces away from each other on the wheel. In this example, it may be wise to go with a green colored marble so you could incorporate purple and red-orange into the room in other ways. What is a triad color scheme?

You can also use a complementary color scheme, which involves using colors that are opposite of one another on the wheel. Keep these color schemes in mind if you are completely redoing an entire room and need to create a new color scheme.

Remember, you can always repaint.

Many people get carried away trying to find a color of marble that matches their existing wall color or decorative accents. But remember, replacing these decorative accents and repainting the walls is easy. This means if you find a shade of marble that simply does not complement the paint, consider repainting the room instead of saying goodbye to the marble color that you love. Marble countertops and floors make a much bigger impression than the color of the walls or the decorative accents, so this should be a bigger priority.

Use Pinterest.

If you are drawn to a certain color of marble but can’t visualize how it will look as a countertop or floor, turn to Pinterest. Find out the exact name of the marble and search for it on Pinterest so you can see how other people have used it in their homes. This is a great tool for people who have trouble seeing the bigger picture.

Now that you know how to choose the right color for the marble in your home, it’s time to contact the professionals. Contact Natural Stone Sales for help with installing marble around your home. Our expert staff has been working one-on-one with customers in the Denver area for over three decades. We specialize in providing superior and personalized natural stone and hardwood services using only the highest quality products on the market. Contact us today to find out how we can create a beautiful custom look for your home!

Many homeowners are beginning to use Denver glass tiles on the backsplashes in their kitchens, which is a wise choice because of this material’s durability and beauty. But, there’s one more decision that you will have to make regarding the glass tiles. Choosing the grout color is just as important as picking the backsplash tiles, so don’t take this choice lightly. What color grout should you use between the tiles on your backsplash? Here are some tips to help you make this important decision:

Blended vs. Noticeable Pattern

Do you want people to be able to see the pattern of how the glass tiles were installed from a distance? Or would you rather the glass tiles blend together? If you want the tiles to blend together, it’s recommended that you choose a grout color identical to the base color of the tiles. This will allow people to focus on the beauty of the backsplash instead of the pattern of installation. However, if you want the pattern to be noticeable, choose a grout color that contrasts the main color of the tile. For instance, if you are installing white tiles, choose a charcoal gray grout.

Light vs. Dark Colors

How often do you plan on cleaning the backsplash in your kitchen? If you choose light colored grout, you will need to either commit to cleaning the grout on a regular basis or have it sealed to prevent staining. Dark colored grout hides more, so this is a great choice for homeowners who don’t want high maintenance materials.

Resale Value

If you plan on selling your home in the near future, don’t choose a grout color that is out of the ordinary. Instead, choose a light, neutral tan color, regardless of the color of the tiles. This is a classic choice that will appeal to every buyer, whereas choosing a grout color that contrasts or is similar to the tile may not.

Remember, you never know how a color will look once it’s been applied. For this reason, it’s in your best interests to test the grout before you give your contractor the green light to use it. Don’t test the grout on your backsplash—instead lay two pieces of tile down on a piece of cardboard and apply a layer of grout in the middle. This will allow you to get a better idea of what the color looks like without having to actually apply it in your kitchen first. Learn all about tile grout.

Now that you know how to choose the right grout for your tiles, it’s time to contact the professionals. Contact Natural Stone Sales for help with installing tile around your home. Our expert staff has been working one-on-one with customers in the Denver area for over three decades. We specialize in providing superior and personalized natural stone and hardwood services using only the highest quality products on the market. Contact us today to find out how we can create a beautiful custom look for your home!