We’ve been talking about stone for years. In fact, decades! And we often get asked the same questions. So, we’ve compiled our top 10 most commonly asked questions about limestone. And here they are…
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Limestone is most often used as a building material. It’s durability and good looks mean it is just as popular for use on new building developments as it is on restoration projects too. Take a look at some examples of our stunning Lincolnshire limestone in situ.
Limestone can be used both externally and internally and is commonly used as flooring too. In a ground format, limestone is used as an essential component of concrete, and its versatility extends to aggregate too. Aggregate, containing limestone, is often used to form the base of our road networks and large built structures.
Stamford Stone, an additional family-owned business, owns and quarries natural Lincolnshire stone and is the exclusive global supplier of Clipsham limestone.
Natural limestone flooring is a fantastic conductor of heat and so works very well with underfloor heating. Around 90% of the floors we supply are used with underfloor heating systems. If you plan to install this combination, you should make sure you are following all the manufacturers guidelines to ensure a successful and robust fit.
If sealed correctly and maintained according to the general guidelines, your floor should not need resealing for around three years or more, depending on traffic and the products used.
Ongoing maintenance of limestone flooring is low providing it has been correctly sealed. Simply sweep and then mop the tiles with a PH neutral detergent. There are specialist cleaning products that will help with spot or stubborn stains. Don’t leave spills to soak in as these will become more difficult to remove over time. Sealing your tiles will also protect the grout and keep it looking cleaner for longer too.
Yes, you can use stone in your bathroom. However, be aware that the surface of your chosen stone will need to be sealed with a good quality sealant that will last and minimise the maintenance required. Often marble (or hard, polishable limestone) is the preferred choice for many top quality bathrooms. The key to a long-lasting tiled bathroom solution is to ensure that the walls and floor are fully waterproofed or tanked before the tiles are installed. Take a look at our gallery of bathrooms and wetrooms.
Each piece of stone is unique and so will vary in colour. Make sure your tiles are clean and dry before fitting so you can see their true colour before fixing. Having a colour variation in your tiling will add depth to the area and give a more natural look.
An additional 10% of the area/areas should be sufficient, but do feel free to ask us for advice by calling and telling us more about your project.
We would always recommend using an experienced or specialist fixer when installing natural stone tiles. Each type of natural stone, whether it be limestone, slate, sandstone, travertine or marble, has its own characteristics and structure and is best handled by someone with experience of working with these materials.
Limestone floors can be slippery, but their slipperiness will be greatly affected by the type of finish applied to the tiles; highly polished limestone will, of course, be much more of a slip hazard than the rougher surface alternatives. Think carefully about the use and placement of your stone floor tiles and choose a finish to best suit your requirements of that space.
No material is more sustainable than natural stone. Compared to all alternative flooring, natural stone tiles cause a significantly lower impact on the environment in their production and installation.
Stamford Stone is committed to environmentally friendly policies and sustainable development. Read more about our sustainability and environmental commitments.
Wall tile offers a water-resistant surface that is both durable and stylish. Perfect for bathrooms, kitchens, backsplashes, and shower walls, porcelain and ceramic wall tiles are an affordable alternative to natural stone or bare walls.
While tile flooring has been around for decades, wall tiles haven’t always been as popular. In recent years, design innovations have created an explosion of styles, shapes, and colors in tile. This has really opened up the market to homeowners looking to update their space with a tile wall treatment.
It’s a brave new world out there, with lots to explore. As you consider wall tiles for yourself, use this guide to lead the way to your new favorite tiles.
Discover the different types of wall tile, the pros and cons, how to install it, and much more in this in-depth wall tile buying guide.
Related Content >> Tile FAQ"Tile has long been a standard finish for kitchen backsplashes and wet areas of bathrooms because of its durability and ease of maintenance. In recent years, the explosion of style options has made it more of a design element. Subway tiles in larger formats, unique shapes and three-dimensional effects are trending. Glass, stone and metal continue to grow and are being intermingled in new and creative ways. Wall tile has become a relatively inexpensive way to add interest to a space." - Steve Radford, Daltile
Wall tile is made to be thin and light, so it adds less weight to the wall and is easy to install. It can also feature more detailed textures and decorative patterns. Meanwhile, floor tiles are thicker and sturdier, because they need to hold up to foot traffic. Floor tiles often don't have a lot of detailed texture.
Since wall tiles can be thin, they’re not a good option for flooring. However, some floor tiles can be used for walls, depending on the size, weight, and the manufacturer’s instructions. It’s a good idea to consult a professional before choosing to install floor tile on your walls. Lots of factors go into determining how flooring tile will work as a wall treatment.
Related Content >> Wall Tile TrendsIt’s easy to think that all tiles are the same, but there are key differences between ceramic, porcelain, and real stone tile. It’s likely that one kind of tile will be a better fit for you than the rest.
Ceramic tile is composed of a clay and water mixture. This mixture is shaped into tiles before it’s dried and fired at high temperatures inside a kiln. Many ceramic tiles are then glazed, which makes them waterproof.
Unglazed ceramic tiles offer a more natural look that some people prefer, but they are only water-resistant, not waterproof.
Porcelain tile is a more durable and dense version of ceramic. Because it’s kind of like an upgrade, people consider porcelain to be distinct from ceramic.
Porcelain is also made from a mixture of clay and water. The clay is often comprised of feldspar, kaolin, and quartz, which makes it more dense than ceramic clays.
Natural stone and marble tiles create the luxury looks that are so sought-after in bathrooms and kitchens. Those gorgeous color variations and patterns are in high demand, and there’s a stone for every style. Some of the most popular natural stone tiles include travertine, granite, limestone and more.
This kind of tile is a good option to consider if you have the money. Be aware, though, that natural stone requires more upkeep compared to ceramic or porcelain tiles. Natural stone needs to be regularly sealed and resurfaced to maintain its beauty and practical functionality.
Related Content >> Porcelain vs. Ceramic TileTile refers to all the types discussed above, but this section will go into detail on the process of creating ceramic/porcelain tile. Understanding how tile is made can help you determine if it’s a good fit for your application.
Most ceramic tiles are comprised of two layers: bisque and glaze. The bisque is the body of the tile, and it’s the thickest layer. The glaze is the top of the tile, where the color sits. Some tiles don’t have a glaze - these tiles have through-tile construction, meaning since the color is solid all the way through.
Once the tile is formed and dried, a high-tech inkjet printer will add the desired colors and patterns. It’ll also be glazed to protect this image from wear and tear.
Want more information on 5 Questions to Ask Your Limestone Tile Supplier Before Purchasing? Feel free to contact us.
Once both ceramic and porcelain tiles are glazed, they will be fired to burn away any remaining moisture and to set the glaze. Porcelain is fired at an extremely high F - higher than ceramic at F. Since porcelain is fired at a higher temperature, and has denser clay materials, it becomes impermeable to water.
The body color refers to the color of the bisque (or construction) that makes up the base of the tile. Body color doesn’t always match the top glaze, so if the glaze is chipped, the body color can be revealed.
Ceramic tiles typically have a red body, and they won’t match the glaze in most cases. For some porcelain, it’s a different story. Some porcelain is manufactured with a through color, if the surface chips, the body color and pattern underneath will be the same. This is called “through body porcelain.”
There is also something called color body porcelain, for porcelain tiles that have a multi-color glaze on top. In color body porcelain, the bisque of the tile matches the dominant color in the glaze. This design can often hide the appearance of chips, though not as completely as through body tiles.
Related Content >> Floor Tile Buying GuideRectangular tiles come in a range of size options, from subway tiles to much larger planks. Subway tiles themselves aren’t a single size, either.
Typically, you can find Subway tile in sizes from 1” x 3” to 4” x 16” which gives you the option to select the best size for your use. Smaller subway tiles might look best in a backsplash, but maybe you would want something larger for the shower wall, so you have less grout to clean.
Plank-shaped tiles are typically for wood looks, but they don’t have to be. You might think a plank wouldn’t have a lot of size variation, but that’s not the case! Planks come in a range of sizes, especially since the wide plank trend has gained popularity. You can find sizes from 6” x 24” to 12” x 48” in tile planks.
If a tile has one edge that's 15" or larger, it’s considered a large format tile. These large tiles are becoming more and more popular, and there are a lot of reasons for that.
A larger tile covers more surface area, so there’s less grout to clean. Plus the oversized dimensions can make a space feel larger. For wall tiles, you’ll see lots of large format rectangles that are oriented vertically to create the sense of a much taller room.
Any square tiles ranging in size from 2” - 24” are considered standard sized tiles. Square wall tiles are most commonly 6” and larger.
These tiles are easier to install and easier to measure than larger sizes. Many of the most classic tiled walls are made from standard size square tiles.
Mosaics are made of tiny tiles ranging from .5” - 2” in one dimension. Mosaic tiles can be squares, circles, and sometimes even thin “strips” of tile. They’re popular in backsplashes, showers, and anywhere that could use a tile accent.
While beautifully detailed, mosaics can make for a busy wall, so it’s a good idea to keep mostly clean lines in the rest of the space.
Related Content >> Tile Flooring TrendsUnique tile shapes are becoming the norm. Discover what options are out there beyond simple squares and rectangles.
"Home finishes follow fashion trends. We are seeing now, more than ever, the affect that fashion can have on home finishings market. There are many tile options that have texture, pattern and color that exude the classics of men’s suiting and fabrics. In addition, has brought more metallic options with raised lace patterns and texture in metallic colors for really bold spaces." Cynthia Flottmann, Roux Design Studio
Hanging wall tile is a similar process to tiling a floor, but the vertical surface adds some complications. Tiles have the potential to slide down. Plus obstructions like walls, windows, and doors can require lots of extra cutting.
Some people might consider this too much of a challenge to tackle it as a DIY project, but for those dedicated weekend warriors, it’s not impossible. With the right preparation and tools, you can install wall tile on your own.
Before you start tiling, make sure your walls and floor are squared up, or plumb, by using a level. The last thing you want is to evenly install tile on an uneven wall, and have all your hard work go to waste. If the walls are really “un-square” then you can use trim and baseboards to square up the look of the room before you start.
But what if you’re tiling the walls and the floor at the same time? Where do you start? Don’t worry. When tiling a floor and a wall together, you should start with the wall first, but leave the bottom row of tile empty until the floors are completed. This method saves you the most time, and decreases the risk of you messing up your brand new floor while working on the walls.
Tile itself is pretty simple to clean, but you need to make sure you have the right tools for your material. Cleaning porcelain or ceramic tiles is different from cleaning a porous surface like a natural stone or marble tile.
Related Content >> How to Clean Tile FloorsGlazed ceramic and porcelain features a smooth, non-porous surface that isn’t going to absorb any moisture or staining. That makes man-made tile really easy to clean and maintain.
Simply wipe down any dirty tiles with a household tile cleaner of your choice, and watch as they look just like new. There’s no mold, and no mildew. Just beautiful tile walls.
Porous surfaces like real stone, marble, travertine, and limestone can be penetrated by caustic cleaners, which will stain the tile. Caustic cleaners include products like bleach and vinegar.
To gently clean natural stone without damaging the surface, it’s a good idea to use a dedicated store-bought stone cleaner. This takes all the guess-work out of cleaning.
However, if you’re really invested in using a homemade cleaner, stick to gentle methods, like soapy water, or water and baking soda.
Regardless of what you use, you should always test a cleaning solution in a place that isn’t obvious, to confirm there won’t be any surface damage. Plus, as always, it’s crucial to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for maintenance.
While tile is relatively simple to clean, grout is another matter. Unless you have epoxy grout, or a sealer was mixed in during installation, all your grout will have a porous surface that should be sealed regularly (about once a year). As you can guess, not a lot of people are actually doing this.
So what happens when grout isn’t sealed? That porous surface can absorb stains and moisture, which can then lead to mold and mildew build-up. No thanks!
There are plenty of methods to clean grout, ranging from homemade solutions to tougher, store-bought products. Most of the time, you can get the job done with a soft bristled brush, some soapy water, and a bit of elbow grease. For those tougher grout lines, there are other cleaning solutions you can try, including baking soda or hydrogen peroxide.
Related Content >> How to Clean and Seal GroutJust in case you’re not fully convinced, here are just a few of the reasons wall tile could be great for you.
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