Natural stone tiles are construction type pieces that are used for finishes on floors, walls, kitchen tops, and bathroom walls among other surfaces. A natural stone or rock that has been selected and fabricated is also known as a dimension stone. Fabrication of the natural stone can include cutting, trimming, grounding or other means by which the stone is reduced to specific sizes and shapes. The color of the stone, texture, pattern, and surface finish of the stone are normal requirements. Stones mined for making tiles are selected with specific regards to their ability to endure and maintain their essential and distinctive characteristics of strength, resistance to decay and unique appearance over time. A variety of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are used in the manufacture of structural and decorative tiles. Examples of natural stone tiles made include marble tiles, limestone tiles, quartzite tiles, travertine tiles, granite tiles, sandstone tiles, soap stone tiles, slate tiles and gypsum tiles, among others. These types of tiles are prized for their durability and unique beauty.

Tiles made from natural stone come in various shapes, colors and sizes. A variety of finishing techniques are applied to natural stone to achieve diverse architectural and aesthetic effects. A polished finish gives the surface a high luster and reflection of incident light almost like a mirror. Travertine tiles are always made with such a finish, and their naturally rustic appearance helps to disguise scratches and stains. A honed finish provides a flat matte finish, creating a more informal and softer look just by stopping short of the last stage of polishing, producing a smooth, satin or eggshell like, non-reflective surface. Soap stone, alabaster and limestone tiles when honed, become less prone to wear and tear because honing shows fewer scratches, and thus requires very little maintenance. Tiles such as granite, gypsum and slate tiles are often given a textured finish when made for walkways and exterior flooring. A bush-hammered finish which is similar to a hound’s tooth pattern creates a more textured finish. A rough, but uniformly patterned surface is achieved by the use of impact tools varying in coarseness. Sand blasting also creates a textured finish. By impacting sand or metal particles at high velocity against a stone surface, an irregular pitted surface is formed. A high-temperature flame used for a thermal or flamed finish produces a textured and non-reflective surface with only a few reflections from cleavage faces. Thermal finishes often change the natural color of the stone depending on mineralogical composition.

Natural stones vary in hardness and softness such that there are those more suited for heavier traffic than others. Granite stone is extremely hard, dense and resistant to scratches and acid etching and makes ideal tiles for use in food preparation areas. Travertine tiles are also suited for heavy traffic areas. Other characteristic such as the absorption and retention of water also differs. Slate tiles are particularly suitable for exterior wall or interior bathroom wall tiling as they have an extremely low water absorption index of less than 0.4%. Limestone tiles and marble tiles on the other hand can react to water and acid solutions, making them more suitable for interior wall tilling in non-wet areas.

Natural stone tiles are construction type pieces that are used for finishes on floors, walls, kitchen tops, and bathroom walls among other surfaces.

Derrick A. Henderson is the author of this article on Travertine Tiles.
Find more information about Slate Tiles here.