Sandstone Tiles

Sandstone, from which sandstone tiles are made is a sedimentary rock composed of small grains bonded by a binding material such as such as quartz, calcite, or iron oxide. Sandstone is often formed in layers and has varied applications as building stones. This coarse grained sedimentary rock is formed by consolidation and aggregation.

Sandstone has been used for thousands of years because of its reliability and it's workability. Sandstone tiles come in a range of colours and textures that has made them extremely popular in housing design. Sandstone was one of the most prominent stones used by builders during Australian colonial times.

Sandstone tiles are gaining increased popularity for use in homes because of their range of textures, colours, and tones. Sandstone tiles used for flooring in all levels of homes. They are found in million dollar mansions, Federation houses, fibro-zone houses and even beach bungalows, where its durability has replaced lino and hardwood floors.

Sandstone tiles work as all-purpose type of flooring, anywhere. The design features are the big bonus to go with the basic fact that sandstone tiles is guaranteed to survive any home environment. Sandstone tiles work well in the Australian climate, able to take the heat and the cold equally well.

The most basic sandstone tiles come in a mix of surface tones and textures. Sandstone tiles, local and imported, come with a huge range of styles and textures. You can live with sandstone tiles creating your own personal style. Sandstone tiles allow you to work with colour schemes, designs, and have as much fun as you like with your home colours.

Their quartz content of Sandstone tiles creates a delicate clear sheen that enhances their natural beauty. Sandstone tiles are perfect for areas where you'd like muted, elegant stone on the floor or walls. Tumbled sandstone tiles are ideal for conservatories, public lavatories, and other areas that would benefit from a gentle texture and muted brown tonal shade.
Sandstone tiles can be put almost anywhere that would have tiles, including fire surrounds, conservatory walls, and other areas that you'd like to use a natural stone in order to enhance the beauty of a room.

Sandstone tiles being non slip are ideal for floors in wet areas but because of their porosity should be sealed if used in bathrooms or kitchens.

The Beauty of Slate Tiles

Slate tiles are one of the most versatile coverings and can be used for floor and wall and in almost every aspect of the home. A whole room can be lined with natural slate tiles. You can even cover furniture with it. It looks just beautiful on bars, tables, and countertops. Even home decor products such as slate wall clocks, coasters, trivets, and chess boards can be made with slate. But why use natural slate tiles?

Most other natural stone tiles are expensive due to the difficult quarrying processes and also the cost of importing. Slate however, is one of the most economical materials used for slate tiles. Even imported slate tiles can usually be purchased for less then orders of quartzite or marble

There are a wide variety of slate tiles from around the world where you can find it in almost any color, size, and shape you could want. It is available in a variety of finishes including a rough clefted surface, a smooth polished look, or a soft honed finish.

Natural slate tiles are very durable and resistant. Looking after slate tiles is generally easy, only requiring different levels of treatment depending on its use. Floors made of slate tiles will obviously get the most physical abuse. The natural properties of slate make it highly resistant to the pressures of even the busiest of locations. Floors covered with slate tiles require an initial treatment of chemical penetrating sealer after installation usually about three coats. An optional chemical finish that will seal its pores can also be applied. Cleaning can then be as simple as using soap and water.

Countertops covered with slate tiles should be treated in the same way, with extra care given to areas which are used more often. Walls and backsplashes require even less care, and home furnishings don't need any at all, although some chemical treatments may be applied to bring out the natural colours in the stone.

Being highly durable, slate tiles can be used in basements, kitchens, walkways, indoors, outdoors, and almost anywhere without much physical harm coming to it. While it can be chipped or cracked, it is a tough material that can stand against most abuse. As long as it is installed properly with the necessary chemical treatments, there is no reason for you to ever have to replace it.

Slate forms within the earth in giant veins that run dimensionally through the ground. It is extracted in the form of enormous slabs, which contain random colours tones and hues whose properties depend on the various chemicals which were present during its formation. These markings create an enormous natural landscape within the stone.

This also make slate tiles come in almost any colour range, and slate tiles can be found imported from countries around the world. The nature of any lot of slate tiles is seasonal, bearing a distinct look which makes it slightly different from the stones quarried at any other time. This means that this natural stone is unique across a variety of characteristics, making your use completely custom to you.

Travertine Tiles Add Style to Your Home

Travertine tiles are known for their strength and fantastic appearance. Travertine is probably one of the oldest stones and has been used throughout history. Visiting Italy one can see many examples of travertine being used on monuments, buildings and floors. Travertine is produced by nature featuring high density and hardness.

Travertine belongs to the limestone family also known as Calcium Carbonate. Marble is also a type of limestone that has had additional heat and pressure applied to it by the earth's crust. Travertine is formed by minerals dissolving in ground water and then being deposited on the earth's surface by rivers, natural springs, or geysers.

Travertine has one advantage over other natural stones, it hardens with age and exposure. Due to its origins and structure', it can be processed in many ways, leading to different visual effects. Prior to polishing, the 'cracks' can be filled either in a matching colour or with clear poly-resin, or even in a contrasting colour, that can change the appearance quite remarkably.

This is why home owners are attracted to travertine tiles as well as architects for construction of commercial buildings. Not only are they hard wearing but are attractive for their beauty. Travertine tiles are proving an ideal option for both indoor and outdoor use. In fact, they are widely used for backsplashes and wall cladding. Apart from that they complement kitchen and living rooms very well.

Travertine tiles come in many colours. Ivory, beige, reddish brown, and gold are but few of the colours that are the most chosen. Travertine tiles contain iron in various amounts, this gives the tile completely different colours in each lot purchased.

Travertine tiles can have four major finishes, polished (shiny), honed (matte), brushed and tumbled. The type of finish given to the travertine tile will determine how shiny the surface will be. Polished and honed surfaces are flat and smooth, the brushed and tumbled surfaces are flat and textured. The polished surface is the shiniest, while the tumbled surface reflects the least amount of light. The most favoured finish for travertine tiles is honed

Another feature that makes Travertine tiles favoured by homeowners is its resistance to dust. Maintenance is easy, as it is naturally a clean material that is impervious to dirt. All that is needed to keep them sparkling is to mop the tile with a damp cloth after sweeping the dirt away.

Travertine is certainly a nice choice for people who seek a unique appearance in their room as none of the tile lots are the same. This gives them uniqueness to your home. They are easy to cut to shape, and is top of the list of building material preferred by builders. Travertine tiles are seen as one of the very strong and functional tiles as well as one that give beauty to your home.

You too can bring an antique and exciting look to your home with Travertine tiles.