Natural Stone Flooring for your Bathroom

Natural Stone can add a luxurious feel to any bathroom space, Throughout history this timeless bathroom staple has adorned the most luxurious palaces and homes the world over. This timeless look does come with a hefty price tag though! Natural stone flooring can be very expensive with tiles ranging from $10 a sq. ft to as much as $100 sq. ft depending on color, quality and texture. Costs can also accumulate with stone flooring as staining, scratching and damage can occur and with it comes the high cost of repair. Installation can be done yourself but be extremely careful when cutting and matching tiles as mistakes can be costly. Used properyl in your home, natural stone flooring can add elegance and prestige to your bathroom space.

Limestone

This natural stone is a porous material relatively soft which can stain very easily. Limestone is generally found in cream colors and soft yellows but is also found in shades of gray, black and brown as well. Although limestone can vary with respect to hardness this product is definitely not recommendedfor bathrooms and should not be used in high traffic areas as damage there is most likely to occur. Limestone is very smooth and will be dangerous when wet. Inquire about slip resistance.

Marble

As a sexy option for your bathroom flooring, nothing quite says luxurious like marble in the bathroom. Marble is essentially limestone that has been exposed to greater heat until the material re-crystallizes. This process makes marble much harder wearing than limestone. As a floor this material requires a sealing especially when used in the bathroom. Again this natural stone will stain and does so fairly easily. Marble stone is available in a wide variety of color and veining. Be ware that some stones have more veining than others. When installing these tiles it can be very difficult finding the perfect match. Sometimes it is easier to choose the tiles with the most veins. Marble is generally very smooth and can be very dangerous when wet. If you do choose to make marble your bathroom floor be sure to inquire about slip resistance.

Slate

Slate as flooring for your bathroom can be a glamourous and unique option for your new space. Slate is a fine-grained rock which reveals a textured and rustic appearance. This material in non-porous making it a better choice in bathrooms as slate is much more resistant to staining. Slate is available in a great variety of hues generally in darker colors such as shades of black and gray, maroons, rusts and greens. Slate is an extremely durable flooring material and is generally more slip resistant.

Granite

Much like Marble, Granite is a very sexy and luxurious option for your home. Quarried from deep within the earth, this porous volcanic rock is indeed a beautiful bathroom flooring option. Extremely hardwearing this surface is however not impervious to staining. Granite share similarities with marble in that iti is difficult to match pieces due to veining and color changes in the stone. Try and find like minded tiles when doing your research. You can try and mismatch and create a very unique effect.

Travertine
One natural stone flooring option that can bring a uniqueness to your bathroom is Travertine Stone. This natural stone generally found in Italy is made from calcium carbonate. This product is available in several colors and can have a pitted appearance. The pitting is a natural process and some contractors will choose to fill these pits where others prefer to leave them empty resulting in a much rougher appearance. Travertine flooring is very durable standing up to most cleaning products and is resistant to acids and bases.

There's no denying that stone does rock! When choosing natural stone for your bathroom flooring you really must do a needs assessment. First of all it is not cheap and most stone tiles require much maintenance. If your bathroom will indeed be a high traffic area exposed to children and pets, unless money is no object, natural stone may not be your best choice.