Things To Know Before Choosing Limestone Flooring

When building your dream home, you select everything very cautiously and, among all those decisions, choosing the flooring is a crucial one. The type of flooring you choose for your home depends on various aspects like the aesthetic you want, durability, and sustainability. Limestone is one of the most versatile natural stones used in flooring and can also be used as vanity tops in the kitchen and on the walls. They are available in various beautiful colors, styles, and finishes for you to choose from. 

 

 

 

Is Limestone Flooring Worth It?

Limestone is much more affordable as compared to other natural stones; so, if you want to avoid artificial stone, limestone is your best bet. It is a sedimentary rock made from minerals that settle over the earth’s surface over thousands of years and this gives them that beautiful natural texture.  

Limestone tiles are available in several sizes as it is quite easy to cut this stone and shape it in the desired way. This allows designers to use the material without compromising on the design. The stones in darker shades are more hardwearing as compared to the paler ones. Limestone is stronger than other flooring options like wood or vinyl. Besides, the cost for limestone tiles ranges from $4 per square foot to $12 per square foot.

Limestone Floor: Care & Maintenance

Limestone looks beautiful in any space you use it, but it is also highly porous and tends to lose its texture with time if not maintained with care. Once installed, it needs to be immediately sealed to keep the dirt and liquids from entering the stone’s pores for at least 2 to 5 years. Due to its porosity, it can easily absorb stains and is prone to cracks, scratches, and breaks. The best solution to prevent such issues is limestone polishing.

Limestone polishing gives the floor a shiny look and increases brightness and color too. Polishing also makes it easier to maintain the limestone floor, and it seals the surface and increases its durability as well. Once you get your limestone floor polished, you are good for at least a decade or even more if proper cleaning instructions are followed.

What to Keep in Mind While Cleaning Limestone Flooring

There are some things you should be careful about cleaning limestone surfaces. Limestone should be cleaned with a pH-neutral detergent as it is highly sensitive to acid. Using acid-based detergents or cleaning agents will dull the polish and corrode the texture of the stone. Your tile retailer or a tile manufacturer can recommend you a suitable cleaning regime for your limestone. Bleaching or steaming the limestone surface as cleaning methods should also be avoided.

Having a regular cleaning routine (like a daily or weekly cleaning routine) will make maintenance easier. For deep cleaning of limestone floors, you should hire professional cleaners.

You can start your cleaning regime by sweeping or vacuuming the dirt and dust from the surface. Then, dilute the cleaning product in warm water into a clean bucket and use a microfiber cloth to clean the surface. Tiles in outside areas will be more difficult to clean as compared to the inside area because of the heavy use. So, it would be wise to use darker shade limestone tiles in outer areas so that they won’t look dirty easily.

Now, you have all the necessary information about limestone polishing and cleaning requirements and what makes limestone a lucrative flooring option. So, don’t wait any longer and start your limestone flooring project right away.