About us

We are re-locating

Amarestone is in the process of re-locating the showroom and office.

Until the new office is up and running, the landline phone is diverted to voicemail but please leave a message and we will call you back as soon as possible.

Please revisit this page for further updates.

Natural Stone Specialists

Amarestone specialises in the supply of limestone, granite and marble from France and has also developed trading links with selected quarries in Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany as well as in England and Wales.

The Amarestone Story

Amarestone was created in 2003 by Steve and Denise Turner.

The company was set up to combine their love of all things French with their passion for natural materials.

Amarestone still specialises in French limestone but has expanded to source other types of European stone.

French Limestone - bespoke sinks and basins
specialists in french limestone

A member of the Stone Federation GB

specialists in french limestone

Ethical Stone Register

Amarestone was one of the first three pilot study members of the Ethical Stone Register

Our range of products and services includes:

French marble - Bleu de Savoie acid etched Swimming pool coping and surround paving
Tiles and Paving Slabs

Most of the quarries we work with will produce tiles and paving slabs for internal and external use to the dimensions that we specify with a wide range of surface finishes applied to them.

It means that our customers can have any stone cut to any size with any type of surface finish. In most cases, there is no additional charge for bespoke sizes.

French marble - Bleu de Savoie swimming pool steps and paving
Steps and Copings

One of the many benefits of using natural stone is that the customer can have step treads and copings to match the paving and wall claddings.

This gives the interior designer or architect great flexibility when it comes to designing bespoke feature areas for clients.

Stone blocks 6 sides sawn
Sawn Six Sides Blocks

Many of our quarries will cut “Six Sides Sawn” blocks for stonemasons and for stone carvers.

French limestone has a long-established reputation for being the best limestone for carving and building and we offer the widest range of French limestone available anywhere.

We also supply 6SS blocks from other European quarries.

French limestone - Lavoux cladding
Masonry and Cladding

Natural stone is now recognised as the most environmentally friendly material for all aspects of building. It is the material of choice for ashlar cladding and masonry work. 

French Limestone has been used on some of the world’s greatest heritage buildings and is now sought after for new build projects. To further increase our range, we also offer high quality natural stone from other European countries including England.

French limestone quarry blocks
Quarry Blocks

For our clients that have the ability to cut large blocks, we can ship large “raw” blocks direct from the quarries. 

Many stonemasonry companies use our services to source and import raw quarry blocks.

Stone installation and consultancy
Installation and Consultancy

For complete peace of mind, we offer a full “one-stop” design, supply and installation service in conjunction with our partners who are also full members of the Stone Federation Great Britain.

How you can benefit from our services

natural stone importer

Amarestone is an importer of natural stone from selected quarries across Europe.

The advantage of using natural stone from us is that you can be sure that the material chosen for your project has been tested in an independent testing laboratory. The correct interpretation of those test results means that you can be confident that your stone will be fit for purpose. 

Ethical stone importer

As one of the first pilot members of the Ethical Stone Register to achieve Tier 2 Verified Level, you can be sure that the stone you buy from us has been sourced ethically.

The Ethical Stone Register is a single source point for ethically and responsibly sourced natural stone. It is a unique resource created specifically for the natural stone industry in response to The Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the issues of sourcing materials responsibly. 

To become a Tier 2 Verified level member of the Ethical Stone Register, applicants undergo strict, independent checks to ensure that the members conform to the best practices laid down in the Register.

French limestone specialist

As a specialist in French limestone, nobody outside of France knows the French stone industry quite like we do. With our wide range of contacts across France, it means we can match and source stone for heritage and contemporary projects. So if you are looking for a specific French stone, just call or email and we will be pleased to help.

Visit our French Limestone page.

Frequently asked questions

Can we use the same limestone inside and out?

Inside/outside living is a growing trend and many of our clients ask if they can have the same flooring running from inside to outside. The answer is yes and there are lots of limestones, particularly the French limestones, which survive the winter weather. It’s important to get the right advice on this as some can be damaged by frost. Your stone supplier should provide you with technical test data which demonstrates its suitability. Look for a stone that survives at least 140 freeze/thaw cycles and ideally 240 cycles. There’s more information in our  Guide For Landscape Designers.

Does underfloor heating work well with stone floors?

Yes, definitely. All types of natural stone flooring work very well with underfloor heating. The electric undertile systems and the hot water pipe systems are great with stone floors. There are some things to consider, such as using anti-fracture (or de-coupling) matting to prevent cracks caused by thermal expansion. This is the case whether you use stone or ceramic or porcelain tiles. We can advise on how the substrate should be prepared to maximise efficiency and minimise running costs.

What sizes and finishes do the tiles come in?

The simple answer is that you can have any size and surface finish that suits your project. The only constraints are the size of the block that is quarried and the equipment that the quarry uses to cut and finish the stone tiles.  The Stone Federation GB has guidelines on the maximum sizes of tiles and slabs. If they exceed 60x60cms or 50x100cms, there could be issues with the installation. Call or email for a detailed explanation. 

What if I spill red wine on my floor?

This has always been a popular question whenever we see customers at exhibitions. Red wine and turmeric are widely perceived to be the villains and have the potential to ruin natural stone floors.

An unsealed stone floor will absorb whatever liquid is spilled on it (so will many types of porcelain, as well as granite and quartz kitchen worktops). The key to keeping the floor in pristine condition is to seal the stone tiles with a good quality stone sealer. This will help to keep it stain free and easy to maintain. The best type of sealer impregnates into the stone and protects it from within.

What’s the best stone for carving?

In our opinion, and in the opinion of a growing number of professional stone carvers, the best limestone for carving is from the Lavoux quarry in south west France. The ultimate carving stone comes from the Lavoux Fin bed within the quarry. This is the lower bed where we find a fine grained uniform stone that holds an edge really well. As an added bonus, it is also frost resistant for external works (tested to 144 cycles of freeze/thaw).

See more Lavoux Limestone (opens in new window)

Do you supply stone for commercial landscaping projects?

Certainly. Some of our French limestones and granites have been used in large scale commercial projects with great success. There are several reference projects for commercial / civic paving and landscape furniture that we would love to show you. We have projects in the UK and around the world that will be of interest.

Give us a call or send an email and we will be happy to help.