Winter is already creeping upon us; the nights are drawing in and the temperature’s nose-diving. All these signals herald the time to turn our attentions to making our homes Christmas-ready and ensuring that they are cosy and well insulated with some limestone floor tiles.

Attending to the obvious draughts and checking heating sources is important and yet there’s another way of insulating your home – from the floor up. Limestone floor tiles are one of the best solutions on the market. Natural stone tiles are a perfect choice for a colder climate as they can be fitted over radiant heating which helps spread the warmth evenly throughout the room – and retain it for longer.

Advantages of limestone floor tiles

At Stamford Stone at Home, we are passionate about our limestone floor tiles. It has so many attributes – here’s just a few of our favourites:

• Stone adds its own unique style and glamour to any setting
• It has the ability to retain and spread heat
• It is highly durable and functional and will outlast any lifetime
• Stone is extremely easy to clean and keep dust-free – making it perfect for households with allergy sufferers
• It ages beautifully – often becoming more attractive over time

How to care for limestone flooring

If you love your flooring and take care of it, it will return your investment in durability and continued good looks. Natural stone is porous and so it requires sealing to give it proper protection. Always make sure you choose the right sealant for the type of stone you have installed and follow the instructions on how to use it and how often to apply it. To find out more about stone care, download our brochure ‘Choosing and caring for your stone’.

If stains are left too long, natural stone can absorb them. So, to avoid permanent staining, make sure to clean up any spills as quickly as possible. And this is especially important for stains with acidic liquids such as vinegar or lemon juice. Contact with acid can cause permanent cloudy watermarks on the surface of the stone.

Our team of stone specialists are experts on limestone flooring and can advise on the best ancillary products to complete your flooring project – including recommendations of adhesives, grouts, sealants and primers. If you have any questions about cleaning, maintaining or laying a stone floor, get in touch today.

Tile finishes

Limestone floor tiles come in a range of styles and finishes which work equally well in a contemporary setting as they do in a classic space. There are several distinct types of tile finish which will determine the overall style of your stone and where to lay it.

Make sure you are clear about the finish you choose and make sure it’s fit for purpose. For example, beware highly polished floor tiles in kitchens and bathrooms as they can pose a slip hazard. Instead, consider some of the rougher finishes (detailed below) which will be more ‘grippy’ and therefore less slippery in the wet.

Honed finish

This is a flat, classic, easily maintained finish which is suitable for any flooring project in your home. It’s also hardwearing enough to be a popular choice in commercial buildings too.

Old English antique

This finish mimics a heavily used floor and the style works particularly well in farmhouses, cottages, traditional houses and barn conversions.

Pillowed aged finish

This alternatively aged finish replicates the stone floors of yesteryear. The look is achieved by hand machining the edges to give the look of weathered flagstone floors. Again, it’s ideal for older properties.

Tumbled

This flooring effect is achieved by gently distressing the stone’s edges and face, offering an aged appearance.

Distressed

This is a style to choose if you want a warm, familiar feel. To create the distressed look, newly quarried stone is carefully and professionally aged to give a naturally weathered appearance. This finish works equally well in old buildings and contemporary environments.

Brushed

If you prefer a softer finish you may prefer ‘brushed’ tiles. This is achieved by brushing the top of the stones, resulting in a more rustic appearance and a textured surface that mimics the effect of ageing. This style is often chosen over a smooth surface tile as it can be more resilient to marks and scratches.

Stone showcase

You can view or download our brochures showcasing our range of superior natural stone tiling or check out our new Stamford Stone Edit of designer flooring and wall tiles.

You can now browse, buy and order samples of all our products online.

Tiling for inside and out

Today’s alfresco living lends itself to limestone flooring which can continue into your garden, joining your garden and your interior seamlessly. Stone floor tiles can open out onto a patio area and harmonise with your garden.

Local Clipsham limestone

Clipsham limestone is quarried by Stamford Stone, an additional family-owned business, who both own and work local Lincolnshire quarry sites. The local stone is carefully crafted to produce our exclusive range of natural stone flooring tiles. We love the fact that you get full knowledge of the provenance of the stone flooring you are investing in. And we take the environmental impact of quarrying very seriously too. You can find out more about our environmental policies here.

Colours

Our limestone flooring tiles come in a range of natural colours which are perfect for blending with any design scheme. Ranging from whites and greys, through browns and creams, the Stamford Stone at Home collection has a colour palette which will add a calm ambience to any space.

If you would like to view our stone in person, ring and book a showroom visit today on 01780 740 970.