How Nature Stone^® Flooring Began

An Innovative Idea Leads to a New Stone Flooring Industry

Nature Stone^® is the largest stone and epoxy flooring company in the U.S. Founded in 1989, we have engineered a propriety epoxy resin specifically for stone and epoxy floors. We’ve served over 25,000 residential and commercial customers and installed over 10,000,000 square feet of Nature Stone^® flooring.

Russ Masetta started a concrete resurfacing business and quickly became frustrated. Patching concrete worked, but the end result wasn't very attractive. Masetta began searching for something to improve
the appearance of the concrete.

He had seen a stone and epoxy mix that was used in Florida for patios, but he wondered what effect Ohio's harsh winters would have on the product. So he began experimenting with different epoxies and small river stones.

He discovered a remarkable product—one that was beautiful and, at the same time, had a wealth of important practical properties. Water could pass through it. It was stain and salt resistant. It could correct uneven floors, was slip resistant and required a minimum of maintenance.

It not only worked in cold climates, it had enormous benefits. It could eliminate the puddling that comes from snow tracked into garage floors. It could instantly transform cold concrete basement floor into attractive recreation rooms. It was perfect for laundry rooms since it couldn't be harmed by water or flooding.

Nature Stone^® is now the largest stone and epoxy flooring company in the U. S. The innovative stone and epoxy flooring Masetta pioneered has become an industry of its own. And Masetta is still experimenting, investing heavily in research and development to assure customers the best possible materials
and installation processes.

His latest product is a new premium flooring, called the Nature Stone^® Flooring Exclusive System, dubbed the "aristocrat of stone flooring."

"We worked on this product for almost five years;" Masetta said, "What we have created with the Exclusive System is a beautiful flooring solution for garages, rec rooms, laundry rooms, basements, patios, pool decks and high traffic commercial areas that has all the critical product attributes that provide for a competitive edge in longevity and long-lasting beauty."

The Exclusive System, Masetta says, uses a high quality epoxy blend as a base. That base is mixed with the finest stone available, then topped with a protective coat of the finest epoxy to create flooring that is longer lasting, retains its gloss, offers UV protection and resists breakdown over time.

Both the Exclusive System and the company's original flooring are quality options, he says, depending on a customer's needs and budgets.

As stone and epoxy flooring was evolving into an industry of its own, Masetta, as the Professional Remodelers of Ohio (PRO) Chairman of the Government Affairs Committee and as a Trustee of the Better Business Bureau, led the fight to develop quality standards.

"I didn't start out to be the largest; I was just trying to make a living. In creating this business, though, we've created an entire industry and, right now, the industry does not have any government or building code standards. It's ‘buyer beware’ so I'm devoting a great deal of my time to convincing government officials that standards are critical to protecting customers."

Masetta is giving seminars to contractors and architects on what constitutes stone and epoxy flooring. He is also developing educational materials for customers.

"You need to know what you are buying," he says. "Quality really does matter. The right epoxy, the right stone and the right mix are critical to a beautiful, long-lasting, quality. The proper thickness is important, too. Otherwise, the flooring will not hold up to daily wear and tear and will break down."

What’s next for Nature Stone^®? Masetta says he will continue to expand both regionally and nationally through company-owned locations and franchises. He gets many requests for franchises, but wants to manage the company's growth cautiously in order to assure the continuing high quality of his product.

Nature Stone^® is truly a unique success story. After eighteen years, the company has made its mark with its unique products, focus on quality and service and its commitment to its customers and the community.

Nature Stone^® has flooring offices in Bedford (Cleveland), Columbus and Youngstown, Ohio.