Humans are thought to have originated during the Stone Age, which was defined by using tools and weapons made from rocks. Before that, animals and humans were mostly distinguished by their physicality. But with humanity’s usage of stones, the environment for both was completely altered. Stones are a naturally occurring tough material made of particles of minerals and soil that are integrated in rocks.
Natural stone is most ancient and oldest construction material. It is one of the excellent building materials. This is an appealing feature which means that no other elements or supplies are needed to make it. It comes in varieties of colours and textures. The strength and weakness of every type of stone have their own special characteristics, making them most suitable for specific purposes. Stones are used for a variety of tasks in masonry such as decorative pillars, swags, and porticos, as well as flooring, wall tiles, wall cladding, paving, roofing, and many other applications. In the present article, we will be looking at natural stone flooring as a potential option for your ideal home.
The flooring in a house is the first to receive damage from everyday activity. It is essential to put money into flooring that can handle daily use and provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
According to ‘R. In his book Construction of Buildings, Barry lays out the essential components for a quality floor, including stability, strength, defense against the elements, long-lasting performance, fire safety measures, heat insulation, and soundproofing.
It’s important to note certain points when deciding on a floor covering for your home. The material needs to be able to withstand abrasion and water, as previously mentioned, and must also be resistant to chemicals, easy to repair, and easy to restore. The physical properties of the flooring are not as important as the beauty and originality that it should possess.
Natural stone is a perfect flooring material. Selecting a good stone for your home can be a tough job as there is a large selection of stones with diverse characteristics. By using these suggestions, we will attempt to provide you with some insight on selecting natural stone for flooring.
What is Natural Stone Flooring?
Tile that is made from actual rock that has been formed naturally by the planet over thousands of years is distinct from tiles that are manufactured by combining different materials and components such as ceramic or porcelain.
Stone tile has been used for thousands of years. The most frequently encountered sorts of organic stonework are marble, travertine, limestone, granite, quartzite, slate, and sandstone.
One of its many advantages is its timeless elegance. Homes and buildings that incorporate natural stone in the design will never go out of style, and the addition of tile will enhance the worth of the house.
Using natural stone flooring is a popular way to open up a space and make it feel larger. This is accomplished by smoothly joining together indoor and outdoor spaces with the same material.
The substance has the ability to absorb and transmit light to create an atmosphere that is both ethereal and luminous.
Why to Choose Natural Stone?
By choosing to use natural stone for flooring, you are selecting a one of a kind product that originates from nature. Using natural stone as a construction material is crucial since it conveys its own distinct personality, solidity, and grandeur.
The advantages of using natural stone are numerous. Hence here we have described the benefits of stone.
Types of Natural Stone Flooring
Looking for natural stone flooring ideas? Listed here are comprehensive assessments of the finest natural stone floor tiles. We will talk about traits, merits and demerits, expense, and tidying up afterwards.
1. Marble
Marble flooring is renowned for its elegant and posh appearance, distinctive veins, silky feel, and shining luster. There is a big selection of shades available, but white marble is the preference of most people.
Marble tiles come in all sizes, from big individual tiles to smaller mosaic pieces. Pretty much any shape is available – square, rectangular, circular, triangular, hexagonal, whatever you can think of.
Marble is the ideal choice of natural stone to be used as flooring in bathrooms to achieve a spa-style aesthetic.
Marble is a great option for both flooring and for counter tops in a lot of homes due to its extensive availability of tile varieties. You might want to reconsider having marble in the kitchen.
It is important to keep in mind that marble is composed of a relatively soft calcium substance that is easily scratched and etched when exposed to acidic items such as food and beverages, resulting in a faded appearance.
Particularly with marble countertops in the kitchen, it may easily become etched if it is exposed to ordinary acidic cleaning products like vinegar and orange juice on a regular basis.
Products used for either dental hygiene or aesthetics may possess acidity that can degrade marble. In bathrooms, harm to marble vanities, floors, and showers is not usually as frequent as it is in kitchens.
Marble tile floors have a lower likelihood of being scratched or etched, so it commonly isn’t a problem in customary living spaces like the restroom. Even though a kitchen floor made of marble may still give you some trouble with upkeep.
Etchings and scratches on the surface can be eliminated and polished with home repairs such as the Etch Remover / Marble Polishing Powder. Still, in the kitchen, such repairs will be frequent.
Despite needing a bit more attention than usual, marble flooring remains highly sought after. It is typically found in every corner of the house.
2. Granite
Granite tile is the top choice when it comes to durability and the finest option for natural stone flooring in kitchens. This material measures up to a 7 on the Mohs scale, making it firmer than marble.
It won’t scratch, etch, or scorch. No worries when it comes to spots if the item is sealed; darker shades most likely do not need to be sealed.
The added benefit of this material is that it’s simple to maintain; it conceals dirt and messiness, so you won’t need to be constantly vacuuming and wiping.
For these reasons, granite tile is fantastic for floors.
For many years, people have put in granite countertops due to their excellent performance and their easy-to-maintain qualities.
The advantage of granite is that it offers far more colors and designs than other types of materials. You may find some patterns to be too busy for floor coverings.
Granite is a great material to use for paving a patio or driveway. The combination of the stone’s inherent attractiveness and the masterful workmanship of an artisan can create a one-of-a-kind and lovely design.
Granite flooring imparts a luxurious and sophisticated atmosphere to any room. The modern home typically desires granite bathrooms and kitchens.
3. Travertine
Hot springs that gush through limestone create travertine. Its distinctive qualities and look make it a desirable choice for flooring.
Travertine tile makes for a great selection of flooring for bathrooms, showers, hallways, living spaces, and laundry rooms.
Bear in mind that travertine is related to marble and limestone. All three of them are essentially similar when it comes to the performance, as well as the upkeep that is needed.
All three stones are alike in that they can be worn down and scarred from acidity and cleaning products. Specific knowledge of proper care and cleaning is necessary.
Therefore, keeping travertine in the kitchen as flooring may be slightly more of a chore to take care of, due to etching being more likely to occur, compared to other materials such as granite and manufactured options like porcelain tile.
Tumbled travertine is a popular choice for pool decks. The sandy hue complements the landscape of the garden and swimming pool area nicely. This surface also has a non-slip quality to it, and even under the blazing sun it remains cooler compared to other surfaces.
Using it for driveways is desirable due to its strength and ability to reduce slipping.
4. Quartzite
Quartzite is a widely utilized material used for producing ornamental tiles and wall coverings, however it has experienced a swift surge as a countertop material in recent years. It can appear much like marble but offers the long-lasting characteristics, efficacy, and minimal upkeep of granite.
Those who are fatigued by the labor-intensive upkeep of granite and marble opt to use quartzite instead.
The change from sandstone to quartzite happens as a result of heat and pressure acting on the material, making it much tougher.
Quartzite has a hardness rating of 7 on the Mohs scale. It’s as hard or harder than granite. This material is renowned for its sparkling luster, its ability to withstand high temperatures, its impermeability to substances, and its resistance to scratches.
Parts of a house or building that experience a lot of movement by those within can substantially gain from having a quartzite floor. The rock is also capable of enduring the outside environment and is usually employed for paving patios.
Quartzite is an excellent material to use for both interior and exterior flooring. It can be applied to interior surfaces in any part of the house, even the kitchen, without difficulty.
Countertops, vanities, and fireplace surrounds are other common uses.
5. Slate
Slate is another common floor tile. It is known for its delicate grain and distinctive split pattern. The alluring beauty and tough nature of slate tile are two major advantages.
Slate tile is available in a range of shades, including green, red, purple, black, and brown, and in multiple blend-of-colour selections. The hue is based on the kind and volume of iron and other natural compounds it has. It is noteworthy that the characteristics like grade, strength, and resilience of slate can differ. Certain types of slate are incredibly robust, withstanding chemical erosion, abrasions, and even breakage.
However, some slate can be just the opposite. When attempting to fix it, it is almost impossible to match the usual texture of slate.
It is beneficial to experiment with the precise slate tile that you plan on buying to assure its long-lasting capacity.
Benefits of Natural Stone Flooring
- Natural stone has a broad range of colour, pattern and texture. Every single piece of natural stone differs from the other in colour, texture and pattern and each tile gives its unique look and appearance.
- Natural stone flooring will become a lifetime and unique home decoration material. The authentic, long lasting, classic beauty and durability of natural stone has added the value of any building. It offers a significant upgrade to the value of your property, a considerable bonus if eventually selling the property.
- Choosing natural stone is a great choice for durable and strong material. It can survive fire to extremely high degrees. It cannot easily be broken and destroyed.
- Natural stone is durable and can also be used for driveways and other outdoor, heavy-traffic zones. It is also frost resistant.
- Natural stones are also used in outdoor place. You would love to read how to install stone patio in your outdoor place.
- Natural stone can last long and is the only material which is known to improve with age sometimes. After a few years, other material will start to wear away and get damaged however natural stone does not damage and last for more than life of a building.
- Natural stone flooring is undeniably beautiful. They offer a warm and pleasant environment to a house, and look good with any decor theme of home. What’s more, tiles made of natural stones are environmentally friendly, making them suitable for homeowners who are worried about the environment.
- Natural stone is durable and sturdy. It is not slippery like other flooring materials i.e. ceramic tiles or vitrified tiles making it a safe choice for homeowners having pets, kids and senior citizens. These tiles also have good insulation to help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Drawbacks of Natural Stone Flooring
All natural stones have their own drawback. Travertine is soft. Granite is delicate and can be discolored; it is difficult to refinish slate. Marble can become brittle. All stones present certain drawbacks, but most of them can be utilized for flooring. It is necessary to be informed of the drawbacks of any natural stone flooring material prior to making a purchase. Certain types of stone need to be treated regularly with a sealant in order to keep the surface protected. Some polished stone like marble can scratch easily. Some stones are very brittle and will chip easily. One other drawback is high cost of stone.
Conclusion
In conclusion, stone is chosen mainly for its aesthetically pleasing hue, range of colors, texture, shine, and long lasting quality as well as being easy to clean. It is imperative that you make a point of thoroughly investigating and learning the characteristics of the natural stone flooring material before you make a purchase. Determine if it is suitable for all of your specific requirements.
Enquire with your relatives and buddies about what they think and what they would recommend. Input It would be beneficial to obtain advice from individuals who have recently incorporated natural stone into their homes. Consult your merchant and inspect the gemstone meticulously before making a purchase.
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