Posted by: Melissa Bunis, Boston Stone Restoration, EM NARI PR Committee Member and Dakota Lotz, Divine Stoneworks

The International Surfaces Event was held in Las Vegas at the end of January and for those that attended there was so much to see and do. The event is comprised of three world-class trade shows, SURFACES, StonExpo/Marmomac and the Tile Expo events, this is THE show for the professionals in the floor covering industries. Over the course of four days, attendees could see new products, try hands-on demonstrations, and attend educational lectures.

Some of the cool things that we saw were a virtual reality headset that lets you see the marble slabs you have chosen in a real kitchen layout. Sometimes it is hard to imagine how the stone will look once installed and this helps clients see the final results before they commit.

Another new item we saw was porcelain (man-made) slabs that were made to look like natural stone with varied veining and coloring. They have made great improvements and they look like the real thing!

One of the educational seminars covered the issue of silicosis in the workplace. Silicosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust. It is very important that when cutting stone a wet method is used to reduce dust and that workers use the proper respiratory equipment. Some stone installers cut on-site and that can be very dangerous if not done properly. They are exposing workers and homeowners to potential illness.

It was a great show and we can’t wait to attend next year!