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What We Learned from the Tiny House: Neolith Fabrication Tips and Tricks

What We Learned from the Tiny House: Neolith Fabrication Tips and Tricks

April 4, 2017

MARVA was pleased to host the Neolith Tiny House display in March, at its showrooms in the greater Washington, D.C. area and the Richmond, Virginia area.


This one-of-a-kind presentation offered fabricators, homeowners, interior designers, kitchen and bath designers, contractors, and other industry professionals the opportunity to experience the versatility and beauty of Neolith Sintered Compact Surfaces.

The Tiny House is a project created by TheSize -- an innovative natural stone company based in Spain, which offers revolutionary surfaces for commercial and residential applications. Looking for an opportunity to showcase just how limitless the application possibilities of Neolith are, TheSize realized the perfect answer: put all the applications together, in one amazing Tiny House. TheSize created a two-unit, 500-square foot luxury home, constructed with Neolith products, including the flooring, interior and exterior cladding, countertops, kitchen island, shower walls, fireplace, and even an exterior barbecue area.

The Tiny House was a hit, both for its use of space and efficient design to make the most out of every square foot, and for the luxury amenities it offered, thanks to Neolith surfaces. The kitchen featured marble-like countertops and an island with waterfall edges, while the walk-in shower featured a beautiful stone surround. The walls and floors, as well, featured Neolith surfaces in patterns that emulate wood and stone. In short, although the same product was used throughout, the end result was anything but monotonous!

For fabricators, the Tiny House exemplifies the benefits of Neolith surfaces for residential and commercial projects: Neolith can be used for nearly any application. Countertops, floors, walls, pool decking, tub and shower surrounds – Neolith can do it all! The surface is nonporous and resistant to UV rays, so it can stand up to water and sunlight, making it suitable for indoor and outdoor use. By having one go-to product for all surfaces and applications, fabricators can simplify their workflow by utilizing one surface material, requiring only one set of tools for cutting and polishing. This streamlined process will save time and money.

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Neolith is lightweight.

As demonstrated in action by the Tiny House, which is travelling across the country on its tour, the lightweight nature of Neolith surfaces makes it easy to transport, even assembled! Additionally, Neolith surfaces are available in a broad range of thicknesses, starting as compact as 3mm. This means that fabricators can transport more tiles or slabs of Neolith surfaces at once, cutting down on the amount of time to transport and number of trips. And once installed, since Neolith surfaces aren’t as heavy as some other similar products, they put less strain on the supporting materials and framing, making them more durable in the long term.

Neolith is easy to work with.

Because Neolith is durable and lightweight, it is easier to install and carry, even when using larger pieces. Large, heavy slabs can be unwieldy and take numerous people to carry and install, and run the risk of being dropped or otherwise damaged. Since Neolith surfaces are much lighter than other natural stone materials, less intensive labor is required. Additionally, since Neolith is available in very thin slabs, it can be installed over an existing surface - flooring, wall cladding, or backsplash - without the hassle of having to tear up and haul away the old surface.

Neolith is adaptable to different sizes.

Unlike natural stone, where you are limited by how large or small the slab is, Neolith surfaces are available in both slabs and large format tiles, which means less work trying to fit together multiple pieces of material in order to cover surfaces like walls or floors. This means no need to cut multiple tiles in order to fit a space, and no concerns about edges not lining up or a design being interrupted.

Neolith is extremely durable.

Neolith surfaces are among the most durable material on the market. The risk of damage due to mishandling in transport or during cutting and polishing is significantly lessened, due to the surface’s resistance to scratching, bending, water damage and extreme temperatures. Less damage means less wasted materials and time, as well as fewer collateral expenses. The durability of Neolith also means that your projects are able to weather more wear and tear than other available surfacing products, and your clients will be more pleased with the results and able to invest in other areas.

Neolith can be used to replicate the look of multiple surfaces.

Neolith offers an extensive catalog of contemporary, sophisticated styles to complement every aesthetic, from designs mimicking the texture of wood, to a stone-like façade, to industrial-chic copper and steel. As demonstrated by the Tiny House, the range of designs available offers a variation in both patterns and finishes, so you can capture any theme you like. Whatever the project at hand, there is a Neolith design to complete the vision.

Neolith requires less equipment than natural stone.

All that is needed to cut or polish a Neolith surface is a carbide saw blade; experienced fabricators of natural stone will appreciate this simpler solution that doesn’t require the special diamond blades. With the right equipment, Neolith is simple to cut and shape. Additionally, since it is so durable and scratch-resistant, Neolith surfaces are less likely to be cracked or scratched during the shaping or finishing process.

Neolith is a revolutionary compact surface, that combines high-performance specs, trendy colors, large formats, and variable thicknesses that will provide solutions for every application -- countertops, flooring, bathrooms, cladding, facades, and more. But don’t take our word for it -- take a look at some of the photos of Neolith’s Tiny House to appreciate the full range of uses for this innovative product.

Do you need a sample for a project? MARVA is the exclusive Mid-Atlantic distributor of Neolith Sintered Compact Surfaces. A full catalog of Neolith’s residential and commercial offerings is available on our website. To experience the look and feel of Neolith products in person, visit your local MARVA showroom in Washington, DC, Richmond, Raleigh, or Portsmouth.

Neolith Calacatta Gold Bathroom Shower Wall Application
Neolith Strata Argentum Living Room Floor Application
Neolith Estatuario Kitchen Island and Countertop
Neolith La Boheme B01 Wall Application

Do you need a sample for a project? MARVA is the exclusive Mid-Atlantic distributor of Neolith Sintered Compact Surfaces. A full catalog of Neolith’s residential and commercial offerings is available on our website. To experience the look and feel of Neolith products in person, visit your local MARVA showroom in Washington, DC, Richmond, Raleigh, or Portsmouth.

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