Lorem ipsum dolor

Check out our Care and Maintenance guides under the Resources section.

Cosmos offers a huge variety of Natural Stones. Click Granite, Marble, Quartzite, Onyx, Schist, Soap Stone or Semi-Precious to see our natural stone offerings.

‍

Natural stone can be used in numerous applications, both on the interior and exterior of your home. They can be used as counter tops in kitchens, bars, laundry rooms, vanity tops in bathrooms, tabletops, flooring, walkways, building facades, interior wall cladding, fireplace surrounds, accent walls, stairs – landings and risers, patios, etc.

Stone prices vary largely, and this is mostly to do with the location and size of the stone quarries. Remote or smaller quarries mean that they are harder to get to and harder to quarry which leads to a scarcity of product and surge in pricing. Other factors could be the mineral content in the stone and the cost of logistics in bringing the product to you.

Kitchen and bar counters are commonly exposed to liquids like water, milk, juices, wine or other alcohol, acidic substances like citrus vegetables, some fruits, acetic acid as well as sharp utensils, all of which can damage any countertop. However, Granite is one of the strongest and most dense stones in nature with high tolerance to heat and tension due to which it is resistant to etching, staining and absorption making it one of the top choices for use in kitchens and bars. Click Granite to see our huge collection of this Natural Stone.

Cosmos makes every effort to maintain a consistent pallet but, our collections do change depending on trends and seasonality. While there is a high chance that we will have the same product in stock, please note that it is normal to have slight variations in the background color and vein patterns between production lots. We will make every effort to get you the closest match. Please contact your nearest location and we will be happy to help you out.

Yes, Cosmos Quartz is non-porous, creating the ideal surface for hygienic food preparation and if properly cleaned it is virtually bacteria free.

Yes, Cosmos Quartz is highly heat resistant but, NOT heat proof.

Quartz is the second most abundant and naturally occurring mineral found in the Earth’s Crust. Quartz is also the fourth hardest mineral known to man.

Quartz is a manufactured product designed to emulate natural stone or other surfaces whereas, Quartzite is a natural stone found in the Earth’s crust. This article does a great job at comparing the 2 products.

The Coefficient of Friction or COF indicates the Slip Resistance of a tile. The higher the COF the more slip resistant the tile. This is the most important factor when selecting a floor tile for areas that get wet, such as your shower or bathroom floor.

• For residential applications, a COF Rating higher than 0.50 is recommended
• For commercial applications, a COF Rating higher than 0.60 is recommended and required to meet ADA compliance

The COF rating is usually listed on the carton of each tile product, on the product page or on the product tear sheet. You can find the tear sheet for your product in the resources section.

‍

The Porcelain Enamel Institute or PEI wear rating indicates the ceramic tile’s abrasion resistance or the overall durability of the tile against foot traffic. The rating scales goes from 1-5 and these 5 classes are explained below:

• PEI 1: Lowest abrasion resistance. No foot traffic, wall applications only.
• PEI 2: Low abrasion resistance. Light foot traffic like residential bathroom floors or wall applications.
• PEI 3: Moderate abrasion resistance. Light to moderate foot traffic in residential applications like kitchens, bathrooms, dining rooms, family rooms and foyers.
• PEI 4: High abrasion resistance. Moderate to heavy foot traffic applications like residential, medium commercial and light industrial floor and wall applications including shopping malls, offices, restaurant dining rooms, showrooms and hallways.
• PEI 5: Very high abrasion resistance. These tiles can be used anywhere including airports, subways and grocery stores.

The PEI rating is usually listed on the carton of each tile product, on the product page or on the product tear sheet and is especially important in determining a product’s usability in a project. You can find the tear sheet for your product in the resources section.

‍

The major difference between the two products is that a ceramic/ porcelain tile is a manufactured product while natural stone tile is made from natural stone quarried from the earth. Ceramic/ Porcelain tiles are also easier to maintain than natural stone tiles.

• The major difference between the two types of tiles is in their ability to hide/ cover wear over time.
• In Glazed tiles, the glaze is baked into the top surface of the clay where the color of the glaze is usually different from the color of the clay. Due to this color difference, any chips or breakages to the top of the tile will stand out.
• Through body tiles on the other hand, do not have a glaze and the same color runs through the body of the tile making it more resilient to wear over time.

‍

The major difference between Ceramic tiles and Porcelain tiles is in the way they are manufactured. Porcelain tiles are fired at temperatures higher than 1200 degrees Celsius resulting in a product that is superior in properties like chip and break resistance, stain resistance, and extremely low water absorption (less than 0.5%). Due to these enhanced properties, porcelain tiles and slabs can be used in showers, swimming pools, building facades and more.