A guide to natural stone flooring

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A Guide To Natural Stone Flooring
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• Among flooring materials, none is more elegant
  and luxurious than natural stone
• It alludes to an assortment of mountain-conceived
  mineral substances that remain as opposed to any
  engineered or manufactured stone items
• Common natural stone flooring includes slate,
  marble, limestone, travertine, granite, and
  sandstone

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Factors to be considered

• Absorption Rating
• Grade
• Coefficient of Friction
• Indoor vs. Outdoor Rating
• Oxidation

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Absorption Rating

• Refers to how porous is the given material
• The more absorbent it is, the more susceptible it
  will be to stains, as well as cracking damage
  when subjected to freezing conditions
• Natural stones shift incredibly in their
  absorption rates, with sandstone being the most
  permeable to rock, which is for all intents and
  purposes waterproof notwithstanding when left
  unlocked

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• Absorption rate can be classified as per the
  following terms
• Non-vitreous Highest absorption level - should
  not be used in any damp environment
• Semi-vitreous Less absorbent - the more liquid
  they are exposed to - the more maintenance they
  will require
• Vitreous Standard absorption level -
  appropriate for most low to mid traffic indoor
  and outdoor applications
• Impervious Resistant to the absorption of
  liquids - easier to maintain- often used in high
  - traffic commercial applications

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Grade

• Can refer to the size, shape, and thickness of
  the tile, as well as the condition of its surface
• Grade 1 refers to high quality, uniform materials
• Grade 2 consists of materials with minor defects,
  such as chips, scratches, or irregular surfaces
• Grade 3 materials have major flaws in size,
  shape, surface, or chipping, making them
  appropriate only as accent pieces, or in certain
  rustic decorative applications

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Coefficient of Friction

• Measures how slippery various materials are
• The higher the coefficient, the more traction a
  tile will have
• This measure is especially important in moist
  environments such as bathrooms and kitchens, as
  well as high- traffic commercial areas

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Indoor vs. Outdoor Rating

• Some natural stone flooring materials are more
  suited to outdoor applications than others
• Non-vitreous materials will be subject to
  staining through dirt and acid rain, as well as
  cracking when absorbed materials freeze and
  expand
• Stones which have a low coefficient of friction
  will also pose a slipping hazard during rain and
  snow storms

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Oxidation

• Natural stone materials are formed beneath the
  earth over millions of years, and often contain a
  variety of disparate elements
• Sometimes iron is present in these materials,
  which can manifest as bright red and amber hues
  in the surface of the stone
• The problem in an outdoor environment is
  that those traces of iron can oxidize, a process
  more commonly known as rusting

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Natural stone supplier in uae

• Natural Stone TR. L.L.C 
• contactus_at_naturalstoneuae.comSharjahP.O Box.
  69128United Arab Emirates