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Different types of stones for flooring


5 OF THE BEST TYPES OF STONE FLOORING — Marble Unlimited Inc

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January 4, 2022 Marble Unlimited Inc

Because of their durability and strength natural stones are a noble and elegant choice for any home. The best types of stone flooring can suit all homes, adding value and a sophisticated finish to your space.

 Different types of stone flooring will work in most rooms, whether you have a contemporary or modern home. From the palest marble to the darkest slate the design possibilities of stone flooring are incredibly wide and very durable.

 

Stone floors are widely considered to add value to a property, but choose wisely as once laid you won’t want to change them for years.

1. Granite

Granite is available in a wide variety of colors and finishes. Colors range from blue and purple shades through to grey and olive green, and they often include rusty red markings. It has proven to be a flexible choice as it can be adapted to most home aesthetics. It is incredibly durable so it will work great in high traffic areas like a hallway or a kitchen.

 Photo: apartment Therapy 

2. Slate

Slate is a more affordable choice within the spectrum of natural stone floorings. It works great in wet areas like bathrooms and the kitchen, you just have to be mindful of any acidic spills. It is available in a wide variety of finishes giving a unique look to your home.

 Photo by: flooring superstore UK

3. Marble

Marble floors always add value and sophistication to your space. Similar to granite it can be found in a wide range of shades, from various greys through to green and black.

Marble floors are always a better choice in area of low foot traffic like bathrooms or even a kitchen if you don’t use it too much.

 Photo: Surrey Showroom 

4. Limestone

Limestone is an amazing choice for a rustic type of look. Occurring in many tones, from nearly white to the more common warm honey, as well as rarer greys and dark browns. Textures range from even-grained stones to smoother types resembling to marble. It is resistant to mold and bacteria so it works really well as a bathroom option or for an outdoor project.

 Photo: Surrey Showroom

5. Travertine

Travertine is an elegant, and character-filled material. When installed correctly, travertine is one of the most durable stones for bathrooms and showers. It is an excellent choice for outdoor areas or around swimming pools as it is both durable and slip resistant.

Photo by: Klinker Stone

Filed in: Architecture, Architecture inspiration, Bathroom decor, Bathroom design, flooring, interior design, interior trends, Kitchen design, Kitchen interior, limestone, limestone floors, Luxury bathrooms, Luxury Stones, marble, marble bathrooms, marble flooring, marble interior, marble living room, marble proyects, Natural stone, natural stone floooring, Travertine floor, travertine floors, trends, White marble

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Your Guide to the 5 Most Common Types of Stone Tile Flooring

It’s worth it for many homeowners to invest in stone floors because it increases the value of their property. It is also a beautiful, quality material that they will be happy to have in their home for years. If you're debating which type of flooring to install, it's a good idea to understand all the benefits natural stone tile offers. Stone may cost more than other flooring options, but its practical and luxurious qualities are precisely what customers are after. The price makes sense when you consider that the tiles you'll have installed have been cut directly from natural stone blocks. They are made from a strong material that's made to last in the rugged outdoors and will surely do well in your bathroom, kitchen, mudroom, and beyond. 

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However, stone tile flooring looks slightly different than what you'll find outdoors because slabs are polished for a smooth finish before being cut into tiles. They can immediately transform any room in your home by giving it a luxurious appearance that will be inviting for everyone who enters. Discover the endless possibilities you'll have with natural stone tile and make the most of your home improvement project.

Beige/Tan

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White

What are the Different Stone Flooring Types? 

When you're looking for stone floor ideas, you're sure to come across various styles, and it can be tricky to decide which one is right for you. Stone is a versatile material that can be customized to match the rest of your interior design and tie the room together by creating an environment that flows aesthetically. You can take your pick of colors, finishes, shapes, and sizes to make a space that you can truly call your own. Choose natural stone tiles from the industry's top brands that appeal to you the most and will go well with the motif you're going for.

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The stone flooring types available on the market are high-quality and beautiful with timeless elegance. Using the same material for the interior and exterior of your home can create the illusion of a continuous, larger space. Some types of stone are better able to catch the light and reflect it, which gives off a light and airy look. Depending on your finish, it can be shinier, glossier, or have a matte surface or texture. Any one of the styles you choose is bound to add value to your home if you ever want to sell in the future.

Below are descriptions of some of the most popular natural stone tile options available on the market:

Granite

Due to its durability, granite is the ideal stone flooring option for kitchens. It's highly resistant to wear, and you apply sealant if you want to protect it further.

Slate

With its fine grain, and cleft texture, it gives off an attractive appearance that will last a long time with the right upkeep. There are different color combinations to choose from, so you can personalize it to your liking.

Travertine

When hot spring water bubbles through limestone, it creates travertine. Much like granite, it must be taken care of properly to prevent damage, but it works great for pool decks and showers.

Limestone

Calcium carbonate and mineral calcite form this sedimentary rock in shallow marine water. It is unique from other options because it contains pieces of corals, fossilized creatures, shells, and more.

Marble

For a luxury appearance, marble is usually the go-to choice because of its dramatic veining and array of colors. It's also known for its smooth texture and glossy finish that brings it all together.

The Benefits of Natural Stone Tile

Stone tile floors have advantages that other flooring types don't offer, and it's why they are a common choice for homeowners with the budget to put towards a higher quality material. It's widely known for its beauty and the luxurious atmosphere it brings to any space. On top of that, it's also extremely resistant to wear and will surely boost your property value in the real estate market. 

These are some of the benefits you can expect from natural stone tile:

Your Design Associates for Stone Tile Floors

At Floor Coverings International®, we can help you make an informed decision about the flooring you'll have installed in your home. Our Design Associates are knowledgeable and experienced professionals who can present you with an array of stone flooring types for you to choose from, such as marble, granite, slate, and more. You can customize your floors with gorgeous, naturally-occurring stones in various colors and sizes to complement the rest of your architecture and interior design. Take the first step and speak with us to tap into our expertise and learn more about your options.

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Types of natural stone floors.



Natural stone floors differ not only in color, type and type of stone. Stone on the floor can be laid in different ways, using different technologies. And in each case, you will get your own, unique effect.

Tile floors

Stone floor tiles are one of the most common solutions. Most often, tiles of two different colors of stone are used, as a rule, quite contrasting, and two different sizes - large tiles and small ones interspersed with them. nine0003

Stone floors can also be tiled in the same size - this option can be seen in the halls of public buildings or, for example, in private lawyers' offices.

In general, the options for creating stone floors using tiles of different colors and sizes are huge. It all depends on your wishes, the imagination of the designer and, of course, the availability of the selected varieties in the assortment of the company where you place your order.

A tile floor is interesting because, if desired, it can be calm, aristocratic and restrained - for example, coffee-colored marble without a pattern. And if you wish, it can be very dynamic and unusual - just choose a stone of two bright contrasting shades with a picturesque pattern. nine0003

Another advantage that floor tiles have is that any natural stone can be chosen. Granite, travertine, marble, onyx, and quartzite are equally suitable for such a floor design. Including you can combine different types of stone - for example, white marble and dark granite.

Natural stone screed

Real stone screed can only be installed in a small area. If we are talking about installing the floor in the living room, bedroom or hall, then a special technology is used - imitation of seamless installation. nine0003

There are two important points here. First, you need to select the cuts of the stone so that the pattern from one of them smoothly flows into the pattern of the other. They should create the effect of a holistic picture, a single harmonious canvas. To do this, the company where you place an order must have a sufficient stock of the stone you have chosen. Or it should be possible to order this stone from the deposit.

The second point is in the installation itself. It is necessary to lay stone slabs and arrange the seams so that they are not noticeable. This is not an easy job, which not every company can do. The point is not only in the availability of the necessary equipment, but also in the experience of the craftsmen, their attentiveness and sensitivity to the stone. nine0003

This floor certainly looks very, very impressive, especially on large areas. A single, solid stone looks luxurious and noble. If, in addition, a stone backlight is mounted in such a floor, the effect will be simply stunning.

Bookmatch natural stone floor

Bookmatch or butterfly laying is one way to create a unique design masterpiece right on your living room or bedroom floor.

To create such a floor, a type of marble or onyx with a pronounced pictorial pattern is chosen. Next, a slab of stone is taken, the pattern on which the customer likes the most, and a cut is made. Two or four layers are cut frontally from the slab, which are then laid on the floor, creating a mirror-symmetrical pattern. After the pattern is created, the resulting slabs are bonded and polished. nine0003

In its beauty, such laying of the floor can surpass any man-made panel. The natural lines of the stone pattern create a unique pattern that shimmers with natural colors.

The beauty of this floor is that it is unique. Even from the same type of stone, it will not be possible to create two identical Bookmatch patterns.

To make this floor even more luxurious and picturesque, the illumination of the stone located under it will help. Particularly interesting is the onyx floor lighting. However, marble also has sufficient light transmission to produce an original effect. nine0003

Floor panel made of stone

A man-made panel, although it does not have the unpredictable expressiveness that is inherent in Bookmatch installation, still has its own advantages inherent only to it.

Natural stone panels are a very common flooring option in both private and public spaces.

Its undoubted advantage will be that when laying the panel, the area and geometry of the room does not matter. A good designer is able to develop a beautiful and harmonious pattern of stone panels for both small and large rooms, while correctly using the features of the room layout. nine0003

Also, a stone panel will be of interest to those who want to get a certain pattern on their floor. It can be geometric motifs, an abstract ornament, or even a repetition of some kind of picture.

Stone floor mosaic

Mosaic flooring is not the most standard solution, so it always looks fresh and original. Stone mosaic flooring can be used on its own or in combination with tiles. In the latter version, using mosaics, you can visually model the space of the room, expanding it or narrowing it. To do this, it is enough to correctly position the direction of the sections with the mosaic. nine0003

Mosaic on the floor can be different. For example, with the help of small elements of natural stone, you can lay out a whole picture, which will subsequently be polished and will look like a stone panel. You can see examples of such a mosaic on our website in the Florentine mosaic section.

You can also lay a pixel mosaic on the floor, each element of which is a regular square. Complex patterns with smooth lines are not laid out from such a mosaic, but by combining different colors and shades, you can create amazingly beautiful mosaic carpets with abstract or geometric patterns. nine0003

A natural stone bathroom floor can be laid out with tumbled mosaics – it feels like sea pebbles, turned by water. Stepping on it with bare feet is a real pleasure.

As you can see, natural stone flooring offers a huge variety of solutions for every taste. It can be whatever you want it to be. The skill of our company's employees will allow you to translate into reality any ideas related to the design of a stone floor for your home or office. To do this, we have at our disposal all the necessary equipment and experience in working with projects of varying complexity. nine0003

Natural stone flooring: types and features

Natural stone floors are ideal for those who are looking for a reliable, durable and luxurious flooring. In terms of aesthetics and presentability, no other type of design can be compared with natural material. In addition, natural minerals are characterized by wear resistance and practicality, which allows them to be used for decades without the need for repair. The fact that it is available in a wide variety of types and colors also speaks in favor of the choice of natural raw materials. Therefore, natural stone floors can be matched to any interior design and style of the room. nine0003

Important! Various types of rocks are used for the production of coatings. Each of them is characterized by certain properties, which should be considered when choosing raw materials for floor tiles.

Contents

The most common types of stone for flooring.

Different types of natural stone are used for flooring. In particular, slabs of the following species have become widespread:

Important! Before making a precise choice, it is worth comparing the performance properties of different materials. nine0003

Features and benefits of marble.

This is one of the most common rocks used in flooring. It is characterized by a luxurious structure and rich colors, while each layer is characterized by a unique and inimitable surface pattern. Among the operational properties of marble:

Interesting. This breed is able to "breathe". This property is manifested due to the porosity of the structure. Thus, a favorable environment is created in the room, there is less chance of reproduction of the fungus.

However, marble requires special treatment. In particular, the plates must be treated with special protective compounds with calcium. They will help to keep the attractiveness of the stone for a long time. In addition, the protective solution prevents stains from accidental spills of colored liquids. nine0003

Features and properties of granite.

Another very common type of natural stone, which is widely used in interior decoration.

Important! Granite is the most durable mineral rock.

Among the performance characteristics of the stone:

It is worth noting that it is quite acceptable to use it for flooring on outdoor terraces, near pools and, of course, in living rooms. Granite is characterized by a large palette of shades: gray, red, green, lilac-pink. The service life of the stone is calculated in tens of years, which allows it to be used in the capital construction of buildings, the operation of which is planned for a long time. nine0003

Special properties of travertine.

The second name of the rock is limestone tuff. It is formed in the process of precipitation from cold or hot springs with a carbon dioxide environment of a special element - calcium carbonate. Travertine is characterized by a porous structure. The density index varies between 1400–1800 kg/m 3 . The color scheme is represented by shades of warm light colors.

Interesting. Travertine has been used in construction for a long time. For example, the Roman Colosseum, which is more than 2 thousand years old, was created from this breed. This fact is the best evidence of the durability of the material. nine0003

Among the operational properties it is worth noting:

In addition, travertine is distinguished by a “warm” surface texture and ease of maintenance.

Characteristics of a slate floor.

This breed is characterized by a unique layered structure and an original surface pattern. It is formed in the process of sedimentation of silt on the seabed. Shale is represented in nature by two types: crystalline and clayey. The first is characterized by dark shades, the second - by lighter and warmer colors. nine0003

The special properties of slate are: