Tile and Stone Floor Installation
Free In-Home Estimate
Beautiful and timeless. The color and design of each individual tile is unique – as designed by nature.
- Marble and Granite come from all over the world.
- Granite is a harder stone than marble, which makes it ideal for counter tops.
- Limestone and Travertine are usually smooth, but some styles are available in an unfilled finish, or a “Tumbled” look , with rounded edges and a more rustic look.
- Slate originates in the U.S., India and Africa. It has a natural cleft which makes its size and shape slightly imperfect.
*All natural stones are porous and should be sealed.
Mexican Terracotta
- Saltillo, a type of clay, is widely used to make these crudely handmade tiles which vary widely in size, shade and texture from one to another. Occasionally they will even be marked with animal tracks!
- The colors range from terra-cotta to yellow to brown.
- They can be ordered pre-sealed or a sealer can be applied to raw tiles after installation.
Stone Variations
Of course patios, entrances, pools or Jacuzzis are all areas on the exterior of your home that can be enhanced with the look of natural stone. Cut natural stone tile offers almost as many styles as clay tile, with polished marble flooring, Granite flooring, slate flooring or travertine hallmarks of formal interiors. In choosing any cut natural stone, whether you are achieving the look of a Spanish garden, or an Italian courtyard. It’s important to make sure it is recommended for floors.
FAQ’S about Stone
Travertine is stone. The World Book Encyclopedia defines travertine as the following: Travertine, is a dense, closely compacted form of limestone found mostly in banded layers. Most travertine is white or cream colored. It consists mainly of calcium carbonate. It forms when calcium carbonate separates from water through evaporation. Travertine is often used as decorative building stone because it is easy to cut. Travertine occurs in areas where limestone is common and where circulating ground water contains calcium carbonate. It often forms around the mouths of hot springs. The word travertine comes from an old Roman name for Tivoli, a town in Italy where large deposits of travertine occur. In the United States, travertine forms around the Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park.
Travertine is most used for wall and floor tile. Travertine can be used in all rooms of the house, especially living areas, kitchens, and bathrooms. Travertine can be used for decorative purposes such as backs splash and wall tile. Travertine is very “sensitive” to oils and foreign matter left on it. For example, a potato chip or small piece of cheese left laying on the tile for a week on a Sealed tile will still likely soak through and permanently discolor the tile.
Travertine can be used for counter tops, although they will require much more care than Granite. Travertine is softer and must be sealed. Travertine carries no warranties so if the materials are used for counter tops, one should be aware that extra care should be taken.
Sweep floors clean from dirt and dust. Use a few drops of dish washing liquid and warm water with either a cloth, sponge, or mop. Clean as needed. Rinse floors and dry with a clean cloth. Do not use any abrasive cleaning solvent including Ajax, Comet, or anything with an acidic base including lemon, orange and vinegar. Apply a sealer, especially to counter tops, every year to prevent deep stains. On a new installation, apply sealer the first week after the grout is installed. We do not recommend sealing exterior travertine. We recommend a professional prepare and we apply the sealer the first time. After that, maintenance can be done by end users with few problems.
- Honed – Honed tile is simply a tile with a matte finish. Most travertine has a honed finish. It is possible to get a near polish with the use of sealers, but that would be up to the installer – not the factory. Traditionally travertine doesn’t polish as well as marble which can obtain a glassy look.
- Tumbled – This stone is tumbled with sand, pebbles or steel bearings to create a weathered, aged finish.
- Filled – Natural travertine comes with pores or small holes where gases were once trapped. These holes are usually filled in with cement in order to create a uniform surface.
- Unfilled – The natural finish of the stone is unfilled, leaving pores and holes exposed. These pores are often filled in with grout during the installation process.
Natural stone is not a man made product and by its very nature is full of variation and imperfections. No single sample is representative of the tiles that may come from a particular quarry. Color coordination should be based on thorough research of each products natural range of color and tone.
- First, the size of the stones will usually go up as the tile size get larger. Installation prices of larger tiles increase as the size increases.
- The quality of the stone. The “Cleaner” less color variation of the stones often is more expensive. Very “Splotchy” or dark to light tiles in the same crate / container will often reduce the price.
- Multiple sized tiles laid together. The materials an labor both increase, as does the waste factor. Honing on site of a travertine floor is possible, but at a substantial cost, not included in the normal installation and grouting price.
Sealing of Stone / Grout
Not included in standard installation. Allow curing time before any sealer is applied. We DO apply sealer of stone and grout, including color staining existing grout.
How much waste should I plan on for installation estimating?
STRAIGHT LAY:
Up to 12″ tiles: 4-5%
16″ TO 20″ tiles: 6-7%
24″ 10%-11%
DIAGONAL INSTALLATION: ADD 5% WASTE TO ABOVE ESTIMATES.
Up to 12″ tiles: 4-5%
16″ TO 20″ tiles: 6-7%
24″ 10%-11%
DIAGONAL INSTALLATION: ADD 5% WASTE TO ABOVE ESTIMATES.
Helpful Information
Learn more about tile and stone floor types and installation in our helpful information articles.
