Renovating
Ask an Expert: Is a Stone Floor Right for my Home?
Tempted to lay a stone floor but not sure whether it’s right for your rooms? Read on for the pros and cons of this natural material
Natural, hard-wearing and very beautiful, stone has been used as flooring for centuries, but despite its heritage, many of us have never fitted it in our homes. Perhaps stone is a little bit misunderstood. We imagine it might feel cold underfoot (it doesn’t) or that it is prohibitively expensive (it’s not), and so we stick to boards or carpet instead. In reality, stone is a versatile, durable option, delivering unique good looks and even pushing up the value of a property. Sounds good, but where to start? Here, three flooring experts share their knowledge.
Professional advice from:
Tom Hollingsworth of Floors of Stone
Piers Garnham of DT Stone
Denise Turner of Amarestone
Professional advice from:
Tom Hollingsworth of Floors of Stone
Piers Garnham of DT Stone
Denise Turner of Amarestone
Stay warm
You might imagine stone flooring feels cold, but far from it. ‘It gives a warm and cosy feel to your home,’ says Piers. ‘It feels much warmer than, say, ceramic tiles. It’s very comfortable to live with.’
‘Stone works very well with underfloor heating,’ adds Denise Turner. ‘It acts as a heat reservoir, retaining the warmth, and, unlike wood, does not have to be specially treated.’
Floor: limestone.
Check out what you need to know about underfloor heating
You might imagine stone flooring feels cold, but far from it. ‘It gives a warm and cosy feel to your home,’ says Piers. ‘It feels much warmer than, say, ceramic tiles. It’s very comfortable to live with.’
‘Stone works very well with underfloor heating,’ adds Denise Turner. ‘It acts as a heat reservoir, retaining the warmth, and, unlike wood, does not have to be specially treated.’
Floor: limestone.
Check out what you need to know about underfloor heating
Enjoy its easy-going nature
‘Stone is really low maintenance,’ says Denise. ‘It just needs a mop down to keep it clean. You can use a specialist mild detergent or just water to do this.’
Floor: marble.
‘Stone is really low maintenance,’ says Denise. ‘It just needs a mop down to keep it clean. You can use a specialist mild detergent or just water to do this.’
Floor: marble.
Use anywhere
In theory, you can lay a stone floor in any room, but, in reality, we tend to use stone in communal spaces. ‘People don’t usually go for stone tiles in a bedroom,’ says Tom. ‘It’s not really the fashion here, although it’s normal to use it in this way in places like Italy.’
Floor: travertine.
Read expert advice on choosing the perfect flooring for your kitchen
In theory, you can lay a stone floor in any room, but, in reality, we tend to use stone in communal spaces. ‘People don’t usually go for stone tiles in a bedroom,’ says Tom. ‘It’s not really the fashion here, although it’s normal to use it in this way in places like Italy.’
Floor: travertine.
Read expert advice on choosing the perfect flooring for your kitchen
Know your options
There are five natural stones that are used frequently for flooring, with more available at specialist retailers. There’s a huge variety in colour, finish and feel, even within one stone family. ‘Limestone, for instance, comes in anything from white to black and everything in-between!’ says Denise.
Discover 10 ways to harness the beauty of marble
There are five natural stones that are used frequently for flooring, with more available at specialist retailers. There’s a huge variety in colour, finish and feel, even within one stone family. ‘Limestone, for instance, comes in anything from white to black and everything in-between!’ says Denise.
- Granite is hard, resists stains and scratches, and is highly durable.
- Marble is less durable than granite, but prized for its beauty.
- Limestone is formed from organic material, such as coral and shells, and has a unique, natural appearance.
- Travertine is a type of limestone formed near hot springs, and it’s peppered with cavities, which are typically filled with resin to create a smooth finish.
- Slate is typically dark in colour, and many types are hard-wearing, making it a good choice for both inside and out.
Discover 10 ways to harness the beauty of marble
Enjoy its uniqueness
Stone is a natural product, so it’s unique, with no two tiles ever the same. ‘You are truly getting something individual when you buy a stone floor,’ says Piers, ‘unlike man-made tiles, which will be uniform in size and finish.’
It also has a long heritage. ‘If you think back through history, stone was used everywhere, from the building structure to all the finishes,’ says Denise. ‘It’s a very versatile material.’
Floor: limestone
Stone is a natural product, so it’s unique, with no two tiles ever the same. ‘You are truly getting something individual when you buy a stone floor,’ says Piers, ‘unlike man-made tiles, which will be uniform in size and finish.’
It also has a long heritage. ‘If you think back through history, stone was used everywhere, from the building structure to all the finishes,’ says Denise. ‘It’s a very versatile material.’
Floor: limestone
Consider thickness
Stone can be cut to a range of thicknesses, but really chunky tiles will only suit certain spaces. ‘Tiles that are as thick as 25mm are best suited to outdoors,’ says Tom. ‘You might want them for your hallway, but you would first need to check your floor can support that weight.’
If you want matching tiles on your walls and floors, thickness is very relevant. ‘Remember, you can’t really put anything thicker than a 12mm tile on the wall,’ says Tom. ‘Anything bigger is too heavy to stay up.’
Walls and floor: travertine.
Stone can be cut to a range of thicknesses, but really chunky tiles will only suit certain spaces. ‘Tiles that are as thick as 25mm are best suited to outdoors,’ says Tom. ‘You might want them for your hallway, but you would first need to check your floor can support that weight.’
If you want matching tiles on your walls and floors, thickness is very relevant. ‘Remember, you can’t really put anything thicker than a 12mm tile on the wall,’ says Tom. ‘Anything bigger is too heavy to stay up.’
Walls and floor: travertine.
Pick up on porosity
Although stone is durable, some types are also quite porous and therefore do not suit high-traffic areas, such as hallways.
‘Stone is a completely natural product and you have to seal it every five to seven years or it will stain and spoil,’ says Tom. ‘Some limestones are super-absorbent and have to be really thoroughly sealed. They may be very beautiful, looking incredibly light and soft, but they would be best suited to a space that doesn’t get masses of use by a family – an office, say.’
Floor: slate.
Although stone is durable, some types are also quite porous and therefore do not suit high-traffic areas, such as hallways.
‘Stone is a completely natural product and you have to seal it every five to seven years or it will stain and spoil,’ says Tom. ‘Some limestones are super-absorbent and have to be really thoroughly sealed. They may be very beautiful, looking incredibly light and soft, but they would be best suited to a space that doesn’t get masses of use by a family – an office, say.’
Floor: slate.
Find the right price
Some natural stone is expensive, rising to around £130 per sq m, but it’s possible to source stone for a lot less, too. ‘You can buy stone tiles for less than the price of carpet,’ says Tom.
Travertine, a type of limestone, is readily available, so prices keep falling. ‘It’s naturally marked with cavities, so it has a lot of filler in it to smooth it out,’ explains Tom. ‘Prefilled travertine is the cheapest option and, when laid well and teamed with beautiful furniture, it looks really classy.’
Floor: travertine.
Some natural stone is expensive, rising to around £130 per sq m, but it’s possible to source stone for a lot less, too. ‘You can buy stone tiles for less than the price of carpet,’ says Tom.
Travertine, a type of limestone, is readily available, so prices keep falling. ‘It’s naturally marked with cavities, so it has a lot of filler in it to smooth it out,’ explains Tom. ‘Prefilled travertine is the cheapest option and, when laid well and teamed with beautiful furniture, it looks really classy.’
Floor: travertine.
Be prepared
Stone flooring can be laid in most rooms, so long as the floor is first prepared properly and is completely even. ‘It must be laid on a solid base of a good depth,’ says Piers. ‘The tiles are then fixed using flexible adhesive as any movement can crack them.’
‘Stone needs to be laid on a fixed solid substrate,’ says Denise. ‘That might be ply, concrete or wood, for example, and it has to be properly installed to minimise movement.’ You cannot lay stone straight onto wooden floor joists, and existing wooden floors may need to be strengthened to support a stone floor.
Walls and floor: marble.
Stone flooring can be laid in most rooms, so long as the floor is first prepared properly and is completely even. ‘It must be laid on a solid base of a good depth,’ says Piers. ‘The tiles are then fixed using flexible adhesive as any movement can crack them.’
‘Stone needs to be laid on a fixed solid substrate,’ says Denise. ‘That might be ply, concrete or wood, for example, and it has to be properly installed to minimise movement.’ You cannot lay stone straight onto wooden floor joists, and existing wooden floors may need to be strengthened to support a stone floor.
Walls and floor: marble.
Go green
‘Stone has a very low carbon footprint,’ says Denise. ‘As it’s not man-made, there is no chemical process involved in producing stone tiles. Most quarries now even recycle the water used in the quarrying process; there is virtually no waste.’
Floor: limestone.
TELL US…
Tempted to lay a stone floor? Or perhaps you already have one? Share your thoughts, advice and photos in the Comments below.
‘Stone has a very low carbon footprint,’ says Denise. ‘As it’s not man-made, there is no chemical process involved in producing stone tiles. Most quarries now even recycle the water used in the quarrying process; there is virtually no waste.’
Floor: limestone.
TELL US…
Tempted to lay a stone floor? Or perhaps you already have one? Share your thoughts, advice and photos in the Comments below.
The main benefit of stone flooring is its durability. It will last for years and takes very little looking after. ‘Often homeowners have found that it actually adds value to their property, as it should not need to be replaced for many years,’ says Piers Garnham.
Tom Hollingsworth agrees. ‘If you have a stone floor professionally installed, it can add value to your home or at least boost its saleability,’ he says. ‘It’s a luxe product and, when done really nicely, becomes something that will last and be enjoyed down the generations. This makes it a really good selling point.’
Floor: limestone.