Alternative Flooring options: Five Fabulous Stone Floors

The stone is mined and finished into tiles that easily allow for a variety of shapes and colors for your floor.

Natural stone has become a popular choice for many uses in modern home design. What with its durability, beauty, and affordability, many consumers are in love with this beautiful and natural alternative to chemically treated, artificial products.

We're all familiar with stone used for countertopping, but it can also be used on the floor and in bathrooms. Mined directly from quarries, the stone is finished in tiles that are easy to install, beautiful in appearance, and durable.

• Granite is truly a beautiful product, justifying its more expensive price tag. More of a smooth surface, care should be taken if using for a flooring product.
• Travertine tiles come in more unusual sizes, creating a look all their own. More of an unfinished stone look, there isn't as large a selection of colors as other materials.
• Marble, as with granite, is smoother, more delicate, and should only be used in areas of low traffic.
• Slate tile has a variegated appearance and comes in shades of gray, amber, purple, and gold.
• Limestone­ is mined from underwater quarries. Used for thousands of years, limestone tiles come in light shades of white and cream.

Natural stone is always a unique product that can be used anywhere from the bathroom to the basement. Very durable, it can be installed directly over an existing concrete surface.

Stone floors do have a few drawbacks, but they really are minimal in comparison to the overall positive aspects. Because the tiles are real stone, they tend to be very hard and don't have any give in them. Some people dislike how easily things will break if dropped. They also tend to be cold in the winter, but are cooler in the summer as well. The heat control issue can be solved by installing a radiating system beneath the stone. Some stones, such as granite, tend to be porous and can stain if certain liquids are left in place for a long period of time. This can be prevented by sealing.

If you are ready to update your flooring, request free estimates from our certified flooring contractors.

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