30/09/2009 - Stone Flooring Lasts a Lifetime.
Stone is from the earth , and comes from beneath the earth’s crust. Stone is kept under intense heat and pressure (where it’s created) Stone is natural resource, much like marble, granite, limestone, slate, and travertine all these stones were and are still used in today’s building industry.
Stone is mined for building material and has been for many years, being the most used material in the building industry, even going back many thousands of years.
Stone has the longest lifetime this is why the Greeks Romans and Egyptians used stone as a building material, they used it to build things such as Greek temples, roman temples and even pyramids.
The Greeks were the main users of stone, having stone flooring with pebble and mosaic patterns on them. The Greeks started off the trend and the use of stone spread as a material of choice all across Europe. When the Romans started using stone, they took it a step further, not only creating stone floors, but heated stone flooring. The Romans put small fires with vents under the stone flooring, making it pleasant and warm to walk on.
There are many different types of stone flooring, for example
Flag stone is suitable for outdoor uses, it’s a sedimentary rock which can be split or cut into factors. Flagstone is most common in patios walkways, steps, and even ancient castles.
Granite is known for its density or thickness, resistance to scratches and being the most popular of the stone group. Granite is an excellent choice for Kitchen Worktops.
Manufactured stone, manufactured is fake stone, or synthetic material made from chips of the natural stone combined with cement. It’s often cheaper than real stone.
Marble is known for its alluring polished finish and impressive uniqueness. The is a huge choice of colours for both Marble Flooring and Marble Tiles.
Sandstone contains massive grains of quart, it has a rough texture and there are many choices with many interesting colours.
Slate is water resistant, it is composed of quart and shale, available in many colours, and its brilliant for a unique flooring.
Travertine is soft and porous, its density is of marble, it has natural cavities and can have a polished alluring finish.
Each stone has a different finish, from polished the common one, to honed, being softer. Acid washed, shiny creating marks, saw cut refined where saw marks are removed. Flamed is where the surface is heated and then rapidly cooled down. Split-faced rough textured, tumbled which has been slightly pitted and finally brushed which is where the surface is brushed, giving a worn down look.
Today having stone in your home is not only popular but it’s classy too. Stone flooring in the home is a worthwhile investment, as it is beautiful hard wearing and lasts a life time.
Stone is also very easy to care for, as it requires hardly any regular maintenance, although, you must make sure you get the right cleaning instructions for the chosen stone flooring, as you need to make sure you don’t damage the stone.
Damp mopping occasionally will keep the stone floor looking as classy as ever, things like spills, should be blotted up immediately though, as they may harm the floor, you can do this by using warm water and a correct PH detergent. Stay away from using cleaners that contain things like lemon juice vinegar, or similar acids, as they will harm the stone.
You can take extra steps to keep you stone looking brand new, for example, place mats or rugs in an outside area to collect sand dirt and dust, this prevents it from reaching your floor. You can also stop or prevent furniture from harming stone floors by having protectors added to legs of furniture. Another big no-no is dragging heavy items across the floor, always lift them, they could scuff your floor.
So if you’re looking to add value to your home or maybe just creating a new look, your mesmerising stone will last a life-time in fact, several life-times.
