Stone has become one of the most desirable materials for home improvement enthusiasts of late. As a result of this, analysts expect the natural stone industry to grow by 6.8 Trillion metric tons before 2025.
If you’d like to update your home in line with this trend, these are the five most popular stone choices to help you make an informed decision when it comes to natural stone flooring.
Granite Natural Stone
Granite is naturally dense and one of the hardest of all the natural stones. It’s almost impervious to scratching and staining, making it a good choice for households with dogs and children.
If you want to create a powerful impact in your kitchen, entryway, or bathroom, granite is an excellent choice.
Marble Flooring
Marble comes in many unique and appealing veined patterns and colors that add a luxurious feel to any home.
It’s a type of crystallized limestone and thus more porous than granite. This characteristic means it’s more susceptible to staining than granite is. For this reason, marble is more suited to foyers, fireplaces, libraries, studies, or other low traffic areas.
Green-hued marble tends to absorb water, causing it to distort. Black marble can spall at the veins and break after long exposure to water. Instead of hiding these stunning colors in wet areas like your bathroom, show them off in more visible areas.
Limestone Tiles
Limestone consists of an accumulation of organic materials like coral and shells. It’s available in a great diversity of colors from pastel shades to brown.
The honed or matte finish of limestone gives it a subtly elegant look which is great for many areas of your home.
Since it’s a porous, softer stone it’s important to seal the surface of limestone to get the most out of it.
Limestone is great for indoor or outdoor living room spaces.
Travertine Flooring
Travertine has a unique look due to the filling process used when it’s prepared for home use.
In its natural form, this stone contains thousands of holes, which make it porous. Manufacturers fill these holes and then polish the stone to give it a luxurious high sheen, which contrasts with the dull appearance of the filled specks.
As with other porous stone tiles, you’ll want to seal travertine when using it as flooring for your home.
Rustic Slate
Slate comes in a variety of warm, earthy tones which can vary dramatica
lly from tile to tile.
It has a unique layered look thanks to natural clefting along its surface.
This extremely durable natural stone tile suits both indoor and outdoor installations.
Sealing Natural Stone Tiles
It’s always a good idea to seal natural tile to improve on its naturally porous characteristics and bring out it’s best benefits. Sealing also helps limit staining and brings out the natural beauty of the stone.
Different types of sealers suit different natural stone floors, so always get expert advice before you DIY any natural stone maintenance.
Be sure to check out our tips at the bottom of this article!
Choose the Right Stone for the Task at Hand
Regardless of which of these you choose for your outdoor living spaces or interior decor, natural stone offers a sense of character and permanence that outclasses any other flooring material.
Browse our product catalog, read our blog for more information, or get in touch for assistance with all your landscaping needs.
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Helpful Maintenance Tips for Stone Tile Flooring
1. Wondering how to clean natural stone floors?
2. Click here to watch “How to Seal Natural Stone Tile”
3. We highly recommend using SRW Stone Sealer products.
S-PS PENETRATING STONE SEAL
This penetrating sealer for natural stone can be used on both vertical and horizontal applications. It preserves the natural look of the stone while protecting it from damaging elements.
S-PSX PENETRATING X-TREME
This sealer is a great choice for high traffic areas that need commercial-grade protection. Premium Stone Seal S-PSX preserves the natural look of many different types of stone.
