Stone tiling or natural stone tiling includes stone that has been quarried to be used as building material. Stone used for tiling includes: granite, marble, limestone, travertine, slate, quartz, sandstone, adoquin, and onyx.
In order for this to be used as tile, the stone must be hand selected and/or ground to shape.
There are several advantages of using stone tiling.
The stone is aesthetically pleasing. Unlike synthetic materials, which have uniformity, natural stone offers endless variations in color, texture, and tone. Stone tiling adds a touch of elegance to your room. It is a definite selling feature.
Many believe stone gives a tranquil feeling to the room in which it is used.
Natural stones are very durable and will last a lifetime.
Stone tile requires little maintenance. You do need to avoid placing hot, wet, or abrasive objects on the stone surface.
It is easy to clean. All you need to do is wipe spills.
Where some synthetics are not water resistant, stone tiling can withstand floods and overflows.
Because of its durability, stone tiling can be scrubbed. They are stain resistant, which makes them perfect for shower stalls. Cleaning takes far less time than synthetic materials. This makes stone very popular with busy people who have little time to clean.
Natural Stone does not exude harmful chemicals the way manmade products might.
Using natural stone is environmentally friendly. There is no emission from production and to date we have a large supply of stone.
Visit a stone yard where there are many choices of local stone. If you are unsure what to buy ask a stone expert. Your first consideration is how it will look in the room. Next is how the stone will be used. Each type of stone has its distinctly different appearance and use.
While there are many advantages to stone tiling, there are also disadvantages:
Stone tiling is extremely durable. It is also extremely heavy so extra supports are required. Because it is so heavy, stone tiling is more labor intense and it requires special equipment, possibly extra workers to move it.
Stone tile is cumbersome and time consuming to install. This makes the job more expensive.
Stone tiles have to “cushion” so walking on them in bare feet is difficult. Those with walking or back problems will not find stone tile very forgiving. Because stone is so hard, those prone to falls should not consider it as they could be very badly hurt in case of a fall.
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