natural stone tile

Stone can be a good flooring material in bathrooms, kitchens or even living rooms, but due to their porosity and properties many stones shouldn’t be used in rooms where the risk of staining, scratches or water is high. See: Stone tile maintenance, advantages and disadvantages.

Stone prices

Prices vary a lot, as much as the types of stone.

Salvaged stone

Salvaged stone is an environmental alternative to new quarried stones. However, though less expensive, the choice in terms of types and colors are much more limited.

Boneyard stones

As long as you don’t need large pieces or large amounts of the same stone, boneyards (the area of stone yards where remaining parts of pieces of stone are kept) are a good place to find inexpensive stone.

Alternatives to natural stone

Alternatives to natural stone include most ceramic tile, fast-growing woods (bamboo, cork flooring…), or l aminated and engineered woods.

Most common stone tiles

Most common stone tiles include…

- granite;
- marble;
- slate;
- limestone and…
- travertine.

Below, we list basic properties of these stones.

Granite

Granite – a quartz-based stone - is particularly hard, which allows strength and durability. Granite can be polished, which is a lifetime option.

Salt and pepper granites are very common, but there are other types of granite with veined patterns, very similar to marble. Granite allows an easy maintenance, and due to its strength, durability and low porosity is unconditionally a good flooring material.

Slate

Slate – mostly derived from sedimentary rock shale - is a good flooring option, due to its density and tough composition. Slate is available in many colors, mostly blacks, grays and greens. Veined patterns are also common. Besides flooring, slate is also widely used on walls and countertops.

Marble

Marble involves a large set of colors and veined patterns, and can be very different in hardness (though most marbles are softer and with a higher porosity than granites). Marbles should be honed and sealed in applications involving kitchens and bathrooms.

Limestone

Limestone belongs to the marble family, but it’s less dense than common marble. Limestone’s colors are mostly earth ones: off-white, beige, gray... Some limestone contains dolomite, which turns the stone harder. Limestone isn’t recommended in situations where moisture and staining can occur, or where scratches are a problem.

Travertine

Travertine is a variety of marble (or limestone, to be more precise). Like limestone, travertine is less dense than most marble, and also rather porous.

Due to its porosity, and like limestone or even marble, it shouldn’t be used in rooms where the risk of staining, scratches or water is high.

Colors range mostly the beige, the brown and intermediate ones. Travertine demands higher cares than other stones, and improper cleaning products can be destructive.

See, for other details: Stone maintenance, advantages and disadvantages