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Limestone is sedimentary rock consisting mostly of organic material such as skeletons and shells of marine creatures and sediments. This material settles to the bottom of water and over millions of years solidifies into solid rock producing a fantastic material for creating durable and beautiful stone floors.
Limestone is a beautiful stone. Limestone floor tiles are available in many different colours and shades - it comes in an array of pastel shades, ranging from blues & grays to tans - see our popular Keynes Mix as an example. Limestone flooring can be also found in dark greys & blacks which occurs when there is a high content of organic material - our wonderful Ashton Grey flag is a particularly striking example. There is a high content of iron oxides when yellows, browns & greens are prominent as can be seen in our fabulous Jaipur flagstone. Generally there tends to be a lot of mineral veining, streaking and speckling on the surface of limestone tiles and some will have abundant fossilisation while others are more muted.
Limestone is strong, hard wearing, and sturdy. We can advise you on the appropriateness of any of our natural stone tiles for your particular use.
Limestone tiles may need to be resealed on a regular basis (see fixing and sealing FAQ's). Cleaning is best done by regular sweeping and vacuuming. When you mop ensure that you mop as dry as possible and do use a dedicated natural stone cleaner - no bleach, no flash, no mr muscle! Do not use regular soap as it will dull the tile leaving a film behind. Worn vacuum cleaners with metal or plastic attachments can scratch the tile (see maintaining and protecting tile FAQ's).
Yes absolutely. A limestone floor can provide a beautiful durable floor for the heart of the home. In a kitchen environment remember the stone tiles are subject to surface changes and potential damage from kitchen acids including citrus juices, vinegars, mustards etc. By correctly sealing the stone during installation and correct maintenance of your floor you will have done everything possible to minimize the impact of these substances on your floor. Remember your stone floor is supposed to age naturally like any beautiful natural material, part of this aging will be picking up stains and marks that may not be caught immediately. These will fade and become part of the stone tiles' character eventually.
You should always use cleaners and sealers designed for use with natural stone products, preferably for that particular stone. One of the most important things is to use a competent & professional natural stone installer. When you are searching for potential installers only ask for quotes from those who are fitting natural stone most of their working week. A porcelain or ceramic tiler who may fit natural stone once or twice a month is not a recommended fitter. Natural stone is a different beast entirely and you need to employ someone who will not be fazed by the installation challenges that a natural material has over a man-made factory produced ceramic tile. This is by far the biggest mistake people make when getting a stone floor.