Picture yourself wading through fading hues of gray. The feel of cool earth and stone under your feet. The smells of fresh bread wafting down the hall.
You’re not standing inside an old English manor, having been transported back through time. Even better, you’re standing in your own kitchen.
The beauty of nature and the charm of limestone flooring can be all yours – if your expectations are in line and you’re willing to provide the care.
Learning About Limestone
Limestone is similar to marble and has become increasingly popular over the years. With less veining and more of a flat, matte surface, this stone appeals to a wide-range of consumers and designers. The natural characteristics of limestone can include calcite streaks or spots and fossil formations.
According to the natural stone professionals at Daltile, limestone is a sedimentary rock formed by the accumulation of organic remains such as shells and coral. The stone consists mainly of calcium carbonate.
Limestone varies in durability. True limestone is porous and absorbent. Acids and high alkaline substances can cause dulling or etching that cannot be prevented by sealing. Fruit juices, soft drinks, wine and other acidic substances – abundant in most kitchens – should be kept from direct contact with limestone surfaces. Spills should be attended to immediately with clean water. Stone with a totally flat finish will minimize the appearance of etching. Sealing will help to prevent incidental stains.
Dust and dirt, especially underfoot, are abrasive. Limestone floors should be dust-mopped daily and wet-mopped with a natural soap or neutral pH detergent as needed.
A quick inventory of your lifestyle is the perfect indicator of whether or not limestone is the right luxury for your home. If creating the old world charm of weather-worn pathways is your goal in choosing limestone flooring for your kitchen, you should be thrilled with the results.
Knock Offs
Love the look of limestone, but wish for flooring with less "strings attached"? There are alternatives to natural stone that can give you the same classic glow.
DuraStone HPF™ (High Performance Flooring) attempts to capture the beauty of nature while infusing it with extraordinary durability and ease of maintenance features.
"We’ve utilized our state-of-the-art technology to create an entirely new kind of floor with natural-looking patterns and a truly authentic surface texture," says Leonard Ludovico, Congoleum’s vice president of product styling and design. "With DuraStone, Congoleum has captured the look and feel of stone and ceramic products, but with unmatched stain, scuff and scratch resistance, as well as incredible strength and durability that will last for many years…"
American Olean provides consumers with the opportunity to cover floors with a convincing limestone look, but none of the traditional limestone upkeep. Their Pantheon coordinating floor and wall tile is offered in pleasing, natural color tones that can satisfy even the harshest critic.
If it’s the look of limestone that you want – without the worry – today’s flooring professionals offer enough alternatives to add the charm and classic beauty of "natural stone" in every corner of your home.
Looking for Limestone
Whether you’re looking for natural stone or knock offs, research is important. The Web offers a great place to start:
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