Elegant and sophisticated, natural stone flooring installations have been a preferred choice for many business owners. Commonly found in high-end resorts, spas, retail stores, and homes, natural stone flooring comes in a variety of options. What are the benefits of natural stone flooring that make it a popular choice among commercial flooring contractors in South Florida?
6 Advantages of Natural Stone Flooring
Popular natural stone floor types include marble, granite, slate, travertine, limestone, and sandstone, and they are popular choices for commercial use due to the following benefits:
- Natural stone flooring is easy to maintain and can last over 100 years, if it is cared for properly.
- A natural stone floor requires minimal maintenance, and is virtually indestructible.
- Natural stone flooring is environmentally friendly, as it’s a natural product that is constantly being recreated by tectonic processes. Stone flooring can also be re-used.
- Natural stone floors help keep commercial spaces cooler, making them great commercial flooring options in South Florida’s warm climate. This in turn helps your business use less energy, resulting in lower electricity bills.
- The elegance and beauty of natural stone flooring is eye-catching and makes a statement.
- Natural stone flooring is scratch and stain resistant.
Check out the helpful infographic above outlining the many benefits of natural stone flooring:
Maintaining Natural Stone Flooring
When you have natural stone flooring, you may find yourself nervous about maintaining it. However, maintaining natural stone flooring is a snap! (Remember: being easy to maintain is one of the many benefits of natural stone flooring.) As a top South Florida flooring contractor, we work with many types of natural stone. We’ve seen stone floors that have been poorly maintained, and stone floors that are pristine even after a few decades. What makes the difference?
1. Preparation
Ensure that the gap between floor and wall is protected. In a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, or any other area with regular moisture exposure, make sure that gap is caulked. While moisture won’t damage the tile itself, it can seep into the sub floor beneath. This creates buckles, swells, and rot that can crack the tile above.
Utilize mats at any entrances to a room from the outdoors. Grit and sand are sharp. Over time, they can cut and wear into your stone or tile. Vacuum these mats regularly, so they don’t just become holding areas for grit.
2. Cleaning
You don’t have to put a ton of work into maintaining natural stone flooring. If you put a bit of work in regularly, stone floors’ innate durability takes care of itself. A regular quick sweep does wonders to avoid grinding grime into the floor. You can also vacuum, but never use a rotating brush on the floor.
The key is regular mopping. There are detergents available for stone floors and tile floors. If you know who installed your floor, call them and ask if they have a recommendation. If you don’t, call us. As an experienced South Florida flooring contractor we can suggest an ideal match. Mop every week or two, depending on how dirty your floor gets.
3. Avoiding at All Costs
Do not use abrasive cleaners, soft scrub, or acidic cleaners. These can wear the shine and color off your floor or – in the case of acidic cleaners (lemon, vinegar) – destroy the grout and sealer. Don’t wax the floor either. This counteracts the finish of natural stone.
Make this a regular habit and your natural stone flooring will still look beautiful and new in several years’ time. A little routine maintenance saves a lot of expensive replacement later on!
Do you have any questions about commercial stone flooring installations? Feel free to contact East Coast Flooring & Interiors, the top flooring contractors in Ft. Lauderdale! We have installed hundreds of commercial floors across South Florida, and we would be happy to help.