With the passing of years working in the garden trade, we have accumulated lots of experience handling these products and we often get asked the same questions by potential buyers, so we thought we’d put together a short, informative guide to help others better understand the features and characteristics of natural stone water features and how the buying process generally works.

No two natural stone products will look the same - each piece is completely unique

This may seem obvious to some, but the fact that these features are crafted from natural materials means that the characteristics of each piece will vary, whether that be the look, tone, texture, size or markings, one thing we can guarantee is that you’ll never find 2 pieces of stone that are identical. This can sometimes mean that customers become concerned when the physical stone they receive somewhat differs in appearance from that showcased on our website or in any other marketing material. Think of the stone’s distinct formation characteristics like a tiger’s stripes - they are what give each piece its unique individuality which is something to be admired and not scrutinised! As such, irregularities including edges, bumps, angles and other variations will not constitute a return or refund in the majority of cases.

Two photos from separate customers of the same water feature with obvious visual differences: Babbling Natural Boulder Feature

Cracking may occur in natural stone features, but this will not affect their strength or integrity

The appearance of cracks, particularly small hairline cracks (often referred to as ‘fissures’) is not uncommon in natural stone. This phenomenon happens when the material expands and contracts with the rise and fall of temperatures - similar to how wood warps with changes in humidity. This occurs more so when periods of very warm weather are followed by low temperatures and rainfall.

The most important thing to remember is that cracking is not a sign of inferior stone or low-quality carving and it does not affect the material holding itself together, i.e. the structural integrity of the product.

Example of a 'new' natural stone water feature that has colour variations and blemishes: Polished Marble Feature

Cracks will often repair themselves in a process called autogenous healing

If you do notice a hairline crack appear, don’t panic, because 99% of the time it will fix itself autogenously or autonomously. Autogenous healing is a natural process that occurs when rainwater falls and seeps into the crack. Over time, the continuous movement of the water through the surface of the stone dissolves the free lime. The lime consequently reacts with the CO2 in the air which is the catalyst for converting it to calcium carbonate - a reaction that binds the stone together again and thus heals the crack! This process can often be visually identified by a characteristic white line that acts as ‘evidence’ to prove that the crack has been sealed:

Example of a hairline crack
Photo of a hairline crack that has healed itself through the process of autogenous healing, evident by the white line

We hope the above information has given you a broader understanding of the characteristics of natural stone features. If you would like to speak to us further about this subject or to purchase any of our natural stone range, please get in touch.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0121 355 7701