Stone Flooring

Stone flooring has been described as "durable opulence". Cut directly from the earth, stone offers natural beauty and durability for entryways, kitchens and baths.

While it's more expensive than other flooring, stone will dress up a room with simple, lasting elegance. The cost of stone flooring ranges from $10 to over $25 a square foot, plus installation. Here are a few options:

SLATE- Impervious to stains, sealed slate is a great choice for areas that get high traffic because is has a textured, non-slip surface. Water can't penetrate slate, and it's easy to care for, as it can be cleaned with a damp mop.

MARBLE- Not as durable as other types of stone flooring, but more than makes up for it with beauty and diversity. Marble offers dramatic veining and swirling, along with a wide range of colors, making it aesthetically appealing.

If put in high traffic areas, it will eventually show wear. It's also possible to stain it, even after you seal it. You can polish it to make it glossy, but that makes it slippery.

LIMESTONE- Formed from compressed seashells and coral reefs, limestone offers a different color pallet than marble - lighter shades of pink, yellow, and beige, as examples. But, like marble, limestone is soft enough to absorb stains and it will show wear if it's placed in a busy spot.

GRANITE- On the other hand, granite is the hardest stone flooring, so it's perfect for those high-traffic areas. Granite comes in many colors and shades, with veining and swirling, but looks "busier" than marble because of the tighter patterns.

RIVER ROCK- Not good for large areas because of all the additional grout that is visible, and because of the uneven surface, but an excellent choice for small rooms (such as half baths). These come on 1-foot square sheets with netted backing, and fit together in a random pattern so that you can't tell where the sheets meet.

CERAMIC TILE- Along with clay and porcelain, ceramic is man-made from natural materials. Manufacturers have the ability to color and size the tiles to simulate real stone.

WARNINGS - First, you should be aware that if you use a sealer/enhancer on any stone flooring, it will change the color of the stone. Make sure you have the retailer give you a sample AFTER it's been enhanced, so that you can properly assemble your other decor items.

Second, if the floor under the tiles is "spongy" (has give when you walk on it) ceramic tile will crack (because it's NOT spongy). If you're using 3/4" thick material, you won't have a problem, but if you have 3/8" tiles or thinner, you will. So make sure the under layment is stable (under the ENTIRE surface) before you have the tiles installed.

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