The one thing that scares many people away from the idea of having natural stone floors installed is the maintenance.  For some reason, stone floors have gotten the reputation for being hard to take care of. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.  Think about how difficult it is to hurt a rock.  It only stands to reason that a natural stone floor would be pretty hard to mess up once it’s installed either.  Maintenance of stone flooring is really pretty simple.  There may come a time when you have to call in the professionals for help.  Here are some of the basic care routines you can expect to need with this attractive and durable flooring type:

Maintenance of Stone Flooring

The one thing you should understand about natural stone flooring is that unlike the other materials, like carpet, vinyl, or laminate, stone should last for several lifetimes as opposed to a few years.  It’s worth it to take a few minutes and learn how to care for your stone flooring.  The maintenance of stone flooring starts with sealing it.  When it is installed and about once a year after that, stone floors need to be sealed.  While some homeowners try to take this chore onto themselves, it’s really better to leave it up to the professionals.  A contractor will notice potential scratches or blemishes that need attention better than you will. 

Of course, there is the daily and weekly maintenance to think about as well.  If your stone floor is in a high traffic area, it might be best to run a mop over it 2 or 3 times a day. It sounds like a lot, but it really won’t take that much time and protects your floor from the scratching effect of dust and dirt.  Be sure to use a stone soap mixture to clean the floors at least once a week regardless of the location. 

If you do notice a scratch or gouge in your floor, be sure to get help for it as soon as possible.  The good maintenance of stone flooring is directly related to how good it will look and the life of the flooring. 

For more information on maintenance of stone flooring

You have been unhappy with the way your kitchen floor looks for quite some time now.  While you have no idea who thought lime green vinyl flooring was tasteful and pretty, the fact remains that it is what greets you everyday when you visit the kitchen for your first cup of coffee in the morning.  No one needs that kind of wake up call.  Personally, you like the idea of using stone tile for kitchen floor.  It looks elegant, it’s known to last well, and there are all kinds of different materials and finishes to choose from.  Take a look at some of the options you can consider when you tile your kitchen floor using stone tiles.

One of the biggest advantages of choosing stone tiles for the kitchen floor is the versatility.  You can pick from marble, slate, terra cotta, and granite.  Especially if you choose to cover the entire floor in any of these materials, you will want to be sure your kitchen sub floor can support the weight of the tiles you choose.  If you are in doubt, a general contractor can let you know if your floor is up to such standards. 

Stone Tiles for Kitchen Floor

Another thing to keep in mind when considering stone tile for kitchen floor is the expense.  While they will last forever and look amazing doing it, they certainly aren’t the cheapest option around.  For this reason many people choose to use these tiles as accents.  You could decide to create your own border and center floor piece using stone tiles and fill in the rest with more affordable ceramic or even wood tiles.  You end up with a beautiful, unique floor without the high cost of all stone tiles. 

No matter how you look at it, whether using stone tiles as an accent or as the whole floor covering, stone tiles add an elegance and beauty to whatever room you choose to use them in.  In the kitchen, these tiles, once properly sealed, will stand up to the normal activity and spills in the kitchen without you having to worry about replacing them all the time.