- November 23, 2024
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‘The pyramids are still here,’ owner points out.
Wayne Grant
News Editor
Barbara Cullinane, of Ormond Beach, hopes everyone turns to stone … turns to stone for their flooring needs that is. She has recently opened Turn to Stone Construction Service and Supply, a business that offers sales and installation services for stone products including Travertine for inside the house as well as driveways, patios and pool decks.
Cullinane recently opened the store at 1364 N. U.S. 1 in the Amaral Plaza, but has many years of experience in the flooring business. She started a laminate flooring business in 2001 in South Florida and built it up to an 18-million dollar business by 2006.
Unfortunately, the recession brought business to a standstill.
“The recession started long before it was announced,” she said.
She tried starting over in Brevard County, but decided to relocate to Ormond Beach, after visiting her brother in the area.
“I fell in love with Ormond Beach,” she said.
At her new shop, Cullinane offers a variety of Travertine and marble, and points out the endurance of stone.
“The pyramids are still standing,” she said.
She also offers brick pavers and onyx.
Travertine is cut from quarries in Turkey, Spain and Italy. It has a natural pattern, unlike manmade flooring, which has a designed pattern.
An option people have with Travertine is to leave the holes unfilled, which some people like for outdoor usage. For a smooth stone, the holes are “honed and filled.”
Also, the customer can have the grout lines uneven, which provides an even more natural look. It’s called “brushed and chiseled.” Travertine can also be placed without grout at all but the process is labor intensive.
Travertine can also be used as a veneer on walls in outdoor kitchens.
The shape of stone can also be selected. In the popular “French” style, the stones are all different sizes. In a diagonal cut, the stones are the same size.
Travertine can be used outdoors as well, where thicker pieces are used, for pools, outdoor kichtens, and can be placed over concrete. She said outdoor kitchens are hugely popular right now, and she can provide complete installation, including a Travertine veneer for the walls.
Cullinane said sometimes people are surprised that can’t match a Travertine they’ve seen somewhere. Even though the color will be the same, it will have its own pattern .
“It’s like granite,” she said, “the pattern won’t be exactly the same.”
She recommends that stone be sealed, and it can be cleaned with water and white vinegar.
She enjoys helping people renovate homes.
“It’s very rewarding when you transform a home,” she said. “It’s elegant and people just love it.”
Call 944-9917 or look for Turn to Stone on Facebook.
