Stone - a unique natural material with beauty and durability, is widely used in construction and finishing works. The floor made of natural stone looks stylish and respectable, emphasizes the refined taste and stable financial position of the homeowner. It is appropriate in any interior - be it a palace setting or laconic minimalism.
Scope of application
Cladding the floor with natural stone is possible in any room, but it is not always advisable. In the bedroom, this cold coating will cause a lot of inconvenience, and in the children's stone floor is not recommended to equip for security purposes. Of course, you can put a soft and warm carpet on such a floor, but in this case it makes no sense to equip the floor with natural stone - this expensive material.
Such a coating is appreciated primarily for its beauty and monumentality. They are more suitable for the living room, kitchen, hallway. Such floors are made of granite, marble, onyx. The bathroom looks good with finishes of granite, travertine, sea pebbles, but a stone with a rough surface is chosen here. Polished floors in a room with high humidity can be hazardous.
In the kitchen and in the hallway, you can choose a stone easier and cheaper, given the specifics of the premises. This is suitable for granite tiles, sandstone or slate. Select the color and texture, taking into account the stylistic design of the room.
When choosing natural stone for flooring in a city apartment, its weight must be taken into account. Heavy material cannot be used here, this can exceed the permissible load on the logs (floors). Slab and other heavy floors can only be equipped in a private house with a reliable and strong foundation.
Stone floor benefits
This flooring is combined with any interior and other materials (metal, wood, glass, fabrics). Among the advantages of a natural stone floor are:
- Strength. Such a floor is considered the most durable and strong. It will retain its beauty and brilliance for many years without requiring any repairs. Physico-technical characteristics of the stone protect it from premature wear and deterioration.
- Wide range of applications. The floor made of natural stone can be equipped in apartments, private homes, public buildings with high traffic. This material covers the floor in shopping and exhibition centers, at train stations.
- A variety of colors and textured processing. This allows you to choose the material for almost any room.
Further, about the three most popular types of stones for flooring.
Granite
Granite flooring is environmentally friendly with a natural level of radioactivity. In this, it is fundamentally different from concrete and bulk. It is great for rooms where there is high humidity and there are risks of mechanical damage. Granite has its own individual structure, color, granularity. All these distinctive characteristics depend on the stone deposit.
Nowadays, granite flooring is the most durable. It will take several centuries to see traces of exploitation or minor scuffs on it.
If polished to a gloss or, conversely, to a dull finish, the floor will forever remain so - rough or shiny. The granite surface is not afraid of any reagents and acids, so washing and cleaning by any means will not bring negative damage to the coating.
Porcelain Tiles
Recently, porcelain stoneware has become popular. Cladding floors with this artificial finishing material is a kind of shield that protects them from negative environmental factors.
The main feature of porcelain stoneware is that outwardly it is identical to natural stone. It is very durable and durable. In this regard, it is stronger than granite and marble, and second only to diamond. It is almost impossible to split.
Refractory porcelain tiles, it does not burn at all. The design practically does not absorb moisture, perfectly tolerates low temperatures, and withstands chemical compounds.
Thanks to its dense structure, it does not absorb bacteria and does not allow dirt to pass through. Such a natural stone floor is practiced in buildings with huge traffic of people - airports, train stations, shopping centers, hotels.
Marble
Marble coating - natural, environmentally friendly, moisture resistant and wear resistant. It has many colors to give personality. Ideal for rooms where humidity is much higher than normal.
Marble materials are perfect for the kitchen, ordinary wet cleaning will not leave traces and odors. Marble can be washed by any means, it copes with chemical reagents perfectly, does not fade and does not collapse under their influence.
Despite the enormous number of advantages, marble has a significant drawback - the stone is very cold. Therefore, if the house has children or animals, the likelihood of colds. In order for the marble floor to bring a touch of individual chic to the interior decoration and not damage it, you need to think about laying a warm floor under it.
Stone texture
When decorating the floor with natural stone, its texture is always taken into account, because not only the beauty of the coating, but also its practicality will depend on this. There are several types of textures of natural stone:
- Polished. The smooth and mirror surface most clearly shows the pattern and color of the stone. It also reflects all the objects in the room. This visually increases the space of the room and is especially suitable for small apartments. However, this floor has a significant drawback - it can not be equipped in rooms where there is a lot of moisture. It is not suitable for the bathroom and kitchen, as it becomes slippery from the water.
- Matt The front side of such plates is velvety matte, the stone pattern is clearly manifested. Grinding of stone for the manufacture of tiles is done in a gentle manner while preserving all the decorative qualities. This floor does not slip from moisture on it, it can be equipped in the bathroom and in the kitchen. Such processing will not suit dark stones with a beautiful pattern, since after processing it loses its uniqueness.
- Polished. On the rough face of the tile after hard grinding, the stone pattern is smoothed out and becomes indistinguishable. Sanded tiles are used for finishing street steps and paths in a summer cottage.
- Artificially aged. Soft and porous marble is used for such processing, after which the material becomes more elegant and textured. Artificially aged tiles are used to create curbs, rotundas.
Floor Plate Formats
An improperly selected tile size can visually distort the proportions of the room. The most common floor tile formats:
- Slabs. The most overall slabs, which are used only in spacious rooms. The large format of the plate allows you to fully enjoy the beauty of natural material.
- Standard size. Each manufacturer has typical options, because this material is in great demand. Tiles are square and rectangular. They cost customers much cheaper than custom-made décor.
- Mosaic. The smallest tile, it is used to create various panels and thematic drawings on the floor. It is not recommended to lay out the entire floor area with a mosaic, this will visually hide the size of the room and look too variegated.
Tile Materials
Tiles made of natural stone for the floor will maintain their integrity for many years if high-quality material for laying is selected for it:
- Cement. Publicly available and inexpensive material that has high strength and durability. The advantage of this styling material is that it can be used to level the base slightly. Cement is used for laying slate and granite, as they do not absorb moisture from the concrete mortar.
- Glue. Before gluing the tiles, you must carefully prepare the base. It should be smooth, without cracks and chips. Special anhydrous epoxy compounds are used when laying porous stone - limestone, marble. Sometimes, marble chips are used as a coating, which is fastened with this resin. Epoxy floors made of natural stone look impressive and unusual. With high-quality manufacturing, they will last for many years.
Natural stone floor does not require painstaking care. Many contaminants are removed with plain water. Do not use abrasive cleaners; it is easiest to add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the water. Porous stones are treated with special water repellents.