The Advantages Of Natural Stone Tiles and Mosaics
The Beauty of Natural Stone is that no two pieces are a like. The natural variation and characters found in natural stone cannot ever be replicated and is timeless, never going out of fashion. Where as trends in Porcelain tiles are changing constantly.
Natural Stone Tiles & Mosaics can be used in all interior and exterior applications like Kitchens, Foyers, Bathrooms, Patios, Pool Surrounds, Exterior Cladding as well as commercial high traffic applications. Natural Stone Pavers & Wall Cladding products can be used in Exterior applications and can withstand Extreme Weather conditions.
Attainable price points that are on average $1 - $3 more per sqft compared to porcelain tiles. However they are stronger and less prone to cracking! The elegant appeal of nature stone is exceptional and really cannot be compared to that of ceramic or porcelain tiles.
Using Natural Stone will make your space more LUXURIOUS and will increase the value of your home ( in comparison to using ceramic / porcelain ) . This is one important feature in a house that really defines and differentiates a regular house from a Luxury high end house.
Natural Stones are generally maintenance free and do not have to be sealed. But applying sealer once every 5 years will help protect it and keep it looking new. Sealing is very simple. For example covering 300 sqft will cost you $20 for the bottle and can be applied within 30 minutes. Keep in mind if you are using natural stone tiles in a shower or other constantly wet areas it is highly recommended that it be sealed every 3 - 5 years.
Stones can be cleaned simply with warm water and soft non detergent soaps. Just remember not to apply any kind of harsh chemicals to Stones or any other hard surface flooring. Harsh chemicals can degrade sealers in place and also discolor the stone itself. Please be sure to read all manufacturer recommendations of the sealer that you choose to use and follow the directions provided.
NATURAL STONE SURFACE FINISHES
The surface of a filled and honed natural stone product is a smooth matte finish. During production of these stones, all the holes are filled with a special and durable cementitious filler that is permanent and will not corrode, discolor or break free from the stone itself. This type of nature stone product is best suited when used in showers or around bath tub surrounds due to its smooth finish and ease of sealing. Although its great on walls it can also be used on any floor.
Polished stone is somewhat like filled and honed. With these stones being filled and then polished they are very smooth and have shiny appearance that create a more formal look. You will find that this is the most popular finish for marble materials. This is also a common finish for granite tiles and counter tops.
This surface gives an antiqued appearance with a smooth yet rustic finish. During production the abrasives that are applied to the surface of this stone eat away sharp holes and edges to give it a perfect feel on bare feet. This surface comes unfilled and the end user has the option to leave it in its natural state or have it filled in with sanded grout after installation.
Just like brushed this surface also gives an antiqued appearance with a smooth yet rustic finish. It is the same finish as the brushed however, the edges are also slightly chipped all around to achieve a more distinct look. The surface comes unfilled and the end user has the option to leave it in its natural state or have it filled in with sanded grout after installation.