Interior Design and Decorating Floor Finishes - Types of Natural Stone Flooring

Types of Natural Stone Flooring

Slate

• Slate is another form of metamorphic rock that consists of silica alumina and iron oxide.

• It is easily split into layers that provide a rugged rustic look.

• It has good abrasion resistance and high durability if it has been correctly cut.

• It is impervious to water, cold hard and noisy under foot and can be slippery.

• A non-slip variety is available.

• It is difficult to lay as the product is quite brittle and heavy.

• It is usually laid into a bed of cement over concrete.

Limestone and Sandstone

• These are derived from sedimentary rocks; deposits of sediment being laid down under water or air formed these.

• Sandstone comes from deposited sand grains i.e. quartz, pressed and held together by silica, calcium carbonate or other cements.

• Limestone comes from deposited organic origin materials i.e. bones shells and consists mainly of calcium carbonate.

• Limestone is rarely used for floors today as it becomes slippery when it is worn and not all products are hardwearing.

• It is grey or beige in color.

• Sandstone - is used more in outdoor paving than indoor, but looks great in an area that flows to the outdoors such as a conservatory.

• Its irregular natural pattern is its best feature and can range from a grainy timber look to stripes and speckles.

• It is beige, brown, reddish brown, in color and some stones are hardwearing.

Granite

• Granite is a form of Igneous Rock, created by the cooling of molten magma.

• It is made up of feldspar quartz and mica.

• This is a luxury floor covering and one that needs careful consideration before specification, as it is an expensive product.

• The floor structure needs consideration, as it is very heavy.

• Once laid, it will last for a very long time, as it is hardwearing and resistant to chemicals.

• It has a timeless look.

• If highly polished it is slippery, but a honed finish provides a more manageable finish.

• It comes in limited colors - black, red, green, grey, blue, pink.

• It is supplied in a slab form and is cold and noisy underfoot. But it looks great!

Granite used for steps to a commercial building entry.

Marble

• This is a form of metamorphic rock, a combination of igneous and sedimentary rocks undergoing a major change due to extreme influences of heat or pressure.

• It is made up of calcium carbonate; it comes in numerous colors, white, grey, green, ochre, beige and is usually veined.

• It is a hardwearing beautiful product, expensive to purchase and lay as it is heavy and comes in slab form.

• It is cold and noisy underfoot.

• From a designers point of view like granite it has a timeless quality.

Marble used of floor and walls of a hotel bathroom, very stylish.

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