Natural stone has been prized for its beauty and durability since people first began constructing buildings. Today there is almost no limit to the colors and textures of natural stone available and the creative possibilities for working with it - except for one thing. Ask the ancient Egyptians who built the pyramids or ask your local fabricator - the answer will be the same. Stone weighs... Well, it weighs a ton.
A normal, 3 cm piece of travertine used in a bathroom remodeling project might weigh from 16 to 26 pounds per square foot. That can be heavy and cumbersome to work with, and if the project isn't located right next door to the quarry that produces the travertine, there will be considerable expense involved in transporting it to the project site. This is hard on the environment and expensive for the consumer.
Several years ago Curtis Ray, Geoff Habicht, and Jarrod Streng put their heads together to figure out a way to make natural stone a more accessible building material. They wanted to develop a product that would make natural stone easier to work with, lighter to transport, less of a burden on Mother Nature, and more affordable for the consumer. They did their homework, and the result is a line of natural stone panels from ForzaStone Building Solutions, launched in 2009.
"The panels have been installed in homes and buildings since 2009, but we had our national 'coming out,' so to speak, at the Coverings show this past March, and it was very successful," said Streng, one of the owners of ForzaStone. "The first thing people ask is always 'Is this real stone?' and the answer is 'Absolutely, it's real stone.'"
The panels are made of four layers. In addition to the 5 mm layer of presealed, natural stone, there are three layers that make up a 4 mm backing system: a layer of reinforced, rust-proof metal alloy, a layer of reinforced plastic ply laminate, and then another layer of metal alloy. The panels come in a variety of colors and types, are prefabricated in large standard sizes, require no grout, and have a lifetime guarantee. Plus, they weigh only three pounds per square foot.
The idea for the product came several years ago when Streng, from Atlanta, was introduced to Ray, from Phoenix. During their first meeting, they immediately hit it off, talking for hours about Ray's work in the stone industry in the United States and China and Streng's business and marketing background. Ray told Streng he had recently finished a bathroom project and wanted to figure out a way to make the process easier and more affordable. Streng liked the idea and brought his friend Habicht from Baltimore in on the discussion.
All three of the men had backgrounds in building, but their specific skills complemented each other. Ray had worked in the stone industry and had experience in fabrication, Streng had worked in marketing and sales, and Habicht in engineering and sales.
"We all have dynamic backgrounds," Streng said. "Coming together, we've been able to leverage each other's strengths."
They started out by talking to installers and fabricators as well as homeowners. They wanted to create a product that had beauty, color, and texture, but also was easy to install without grout or seams and that would be durable and longlasting.
"How we started the company was by listening," Streng said. "We wanted to make sure we were developing a system that resonated with homeowners and what they wanted."
Once they'd developed their product, they began testing it with industry standards and trying it out on friends and family.
"First we started by installing bathrooms for friends and family members," said Streng. "They got a new bathroom and we got to experiment with the product. This helped us to know exactly what any problems might be and address them."
In July 2009, they were ready to show their product at the Phoenix Home and Garden Show. They put out their panels and let people touch them and ask questions. First the visitors would ask if it was natural stone, then they wanted to know how durable it was. Streng has been known to stand on an 84-inch panel propped up on either end to show that they are flexible but won't break, because they are 800% stronger than typical slabs.
In order to insure the integrity of the product and its installation, the panels are not marketed to the do-it-yourself homeowner. Instead ForzaStone has an installer certification program that can be completed at a workshop or on line. Though installation is not difficult and doesn't require special tools, Streng said they want to make sure the panels are installed correctly so they can stand behind their guarantee. Currently the number of certified installers is more than 600, with the number steadily growing as word of the product spreads.
One of the characteristics of the ForzaStone panels that Streng, Ray, and Habicht are most passionate about is the fact that it is a "green" product.
"This product is made of natural stone and recycled aluminum and plastic, we use a green certified sealer and low-VOC epoxy, and we create very little waste in its production," said Streng. "It uses 80% less stone than usual and it's so much lighter you can ship 400% more square feet per truckload, so there are less emissions and it's much less disturbing to Mother Nature. That's really important to us."
The panels come in various prefabricator sizes up to 96 x 60 and in a variety of colors and styles of travertine and marble. Custom orders of any stone can also be made. The company also provides extras like mosaics, shower cubbies, soap dishes, and other accessories. A brand new product called the Illumination Series was introduced at the Coverings show. These panels use clear aerospace grade epoxy and PVB backer to allow backlighting for lightweight travertine, marble, onyx, and quartz.
Most of the panels at this time are being used in home renovation projects, but Streng said they hope to expand into more commercial buildings. They just opened a distribution facility in Phoenix, which includes a showroom, and are adding distributers and certifying installers on a regular basis.
Though the three owners are spread apart geographically, they believe this will be an advantage as the company grows. They stay very busy, Streng said, but they remain passionate about their young business.
"Every time we engage with fabricators, distributors, and homeowners and hear about what our product can do for them, it excites us." More about ForzaStone can be found at www.forzastone.com .
The thin, reinforced backing system used in all ForzaStone panels allows full and bookmatched slabs to be installed without the prohibitive, loadbearing penalty one would have with a standard 2 or 3 cm slab. This makes the product especially attractive for the growing home remodeling market.
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