Natural stone floors are growing rapidly more popular as people begin to discover their versatility and beautiful earthy qualities they can bring to a room.
However, many people do not realize that while they look like they would be as simple to clean as tile, they do not realize that each different type of stone may require different care.
With every type of stone comes a different list of care instructions to keep them looking wonderful through the years, half the battle is being aware of what your specific floor needs to stay strong and beautiful.
* Travertine stone is a crystal limestone known for its incredibly unique appearance and is largely composed of calcium carbonate.
Because of its composition, travertine is susceptible to etching and light abrasion.
* Marble flooring has been used for centuries and called many things, modern day marble flooring is comprised of calcite or dolomite crystals known for its dazzling appearance.
It, like travertine, is prone to light abrasion and etching.
* Slate is a stone available in an endless array of colors and cuts; a derivative of shale, this crystalline rock does not show wear very easily.
However, it does have a weakness toward light abrasion.
* Cantera is a beautiful stone formed from volcanic ash and available in a myriad of colors.
Sealing is a key element to keeping this stone beautiful for years and years to come.
* Sandstone is a varying stone comprised of many different elements, which explains the range of colors between red and brown, though it does tend to be a little dull.
To make it more eye-catching and easier to care for, sealing these tiles is usually required.
* Limestone is usually white and has been used for centuries.
This calcium carbonate stone can also have iron oxide added to it to make it look brown, red or yellow; carbon to make it blue, black or gray and it can also be honed or polished.
Limestone is also prone to light abrasion and some acid etching.
* Granite is formed from molten rock under extreme pressure largely composed of quartz, feldspar and small amounts of mica.
It is offered in many different colors and is one of the hardiest stones available standing up to acid damage and light abrasion.
* Terrazzo is a marvelously colorful stone comprised of marble chips set in cement or epoxy resin, then pressed until it is smooth and hard.
It is less susceptible to acid damage and light abrasion than some other stones.
* Onyx is a wildly popular and deeply black stone known for its high gloss shine with awe-inspiring green, white, yellow, brown or black highlights.
It is also infamously difficult to protect because of its high gloss finish.
It is very susceptible to light abrasion and acid wear.
* Quartzite is harder and denser than slate and is comprised mostly from silica, quartz and calcium carbonate.
It is not typically easily damaged by acid and light abrasion, and can sometimes be found tiled.
Other terms are incredibly important to research if you're going to make an informed decision about your natural stone floors.
Honing and sealing are both important distinctions to make so if you're not well-educated in how to care for your floors, it may be in your best interest to contact a professional.