The Pros and Cons of Natural Stone
By Jennifer Turner
Floor Store Tile & Stone Specialist
Apart from death and taxes, there is one other certainty in life: nothing is perfect. Every kind of flooring has its advantages and disadvantages, and your choice has to be based on which attributes are most important to you. This series is intended to provide you with unbiased information to aid you in that decision.
Stone Flooring
Materials used in natural stone floors include limestone, marble, slate, quartzite, granite, flagstone, sandstone, and travertine. Stone tiles are sliced from boulders into a variety of sizes and shapes, and then a finish is put on the tiles. There are four basic finishes: polished, honed, brushed, and tumbled. Polished tiles are shiny because the stone is highly polished until it is smooth enough to reflect light. Honed tiles, polished just enough to create a flat, smooth surface, have a matte finish. Brushed and tumbled tiles are textured.
Pros
The most obvious advantage of stone flooring is its drama and beauty. There is an almost infinite range of color and texture, from the bottomless depth of highly polished black granite to the controlled chaos of multi-colored slate, and they all make a resounding aesthetic statement. Because stone is made only by nature, keep in mind that the color and appearance of a single stone tile won't represent the entire batch required to surface a floor, even if all the tiles were cut from the same block. For most people, this grab bag of surprises is a plus. But if you're looking for uniformity in a floor, you may well have to inspect every tile - which could be enough to make you consider, say, a man-made ceramic.
Some stones, like granite, are naturally hard and nonporous, so are virtually maintenance-free straight from the quarry. More porous stones, such as marble and travertine, are generally sealed after being cut into tiles, and this must be repeated periodically to avoid staining.
Cons
If its beauty is the most obvious positive feature of stone, the most obvious negative may be its cost, especially when you add installation - and this should almost always be done by a professional. And while some varieties need almost no maintenance, others require rather more than the modern homeowner is used to.
Granite is the most durable natural stone -- withstands heat and moisture, and is impervious to stains. Rare colors and unusual patterns cost significantly more than commonly occurring grays and beiges.
Soapstone starts out as a light gray color and mellows to a medium charcoal with age. Withstands heat and moisture and doesn't stain. Does not need to be sealed. Scratches are common, but easily repaired.
Slate resists both stains and water, but can crack if laid on uneven ground. Sealant should be applied either during installation or immediately afterwards.
Marble, travertine, and limestone are porous stones, so they must be sealed regularly to reduce staining.
For some, the feel of hard stone beneath one's feet can be jarring, and just as stone can be pleasantly cool in summer, it can also be freezing cold in winter. However, even this has an upside: by storing and subsequently releasing heat, stone floors can actually reduce your heating costs.
Finally, there is the issue of weight. Though we mention it last, your very first consideration should probably be whether your home (or whatever structure you are considering) can support the weight of a stone floor.
The Floor Store is a direct importer of tile and natural stone, with a wide selection in stock every day. Go to www.floorstores.com to find The Floor Store location nearest you, in Albany, Concord, Dublin, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, and Pittsburg.
