Our natural stone guide below gives a brief outline of the characteristics and different types of stone.

Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock, formed when limestone is exposed to high temperatures and pressure. Historically is has been used as a building material, in sculpture and many other applications. Marble comes in many colors and is characterized by the veins and pattern present in the stone. Granite is an igneous stone that is beautiful yet extremely hard, and resistant to marking. Available polished, honed, sandblasted and flamed in colors from white through to emerald and black, granite floor tiles are great for high traffic areas.

Travertine
Travertine is a sedimentary rock, similar in composition to limestone, which has been used in building for centuries. It is formed near hot springs, where carbon dioxide rich water passes through the stone and leaves it with voids and pits. This gives the travertine its natural honeycomb characteristic. Travertine tiles can be filled with a resin at source, and honed to leave a flat, matt surface. This gives the tiles a more contemporary finish.

Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock formed from different crystal forms of calcium carbonate and is an important building stone. Most limestone contains fragments of marine organisms, seashells and sediment, which have been compressed to form solid rock.

Slate
Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock, made up of many layers under relatively low pressure and temperature. Split into thin layers, slate is extremely durable and slate floor tiles are ideal for high traffic areas.

Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary stone with a rough texture. Hardwearing and handsome, it is perfect for kitchens, bathrooms, entryways and patios.

Basalt
A fine grained, dark colored igneous rock generally formed from volcanic lava flows. Made from minute crystals it is very hard wearing and durable. It is imperative to allow basalt to dry completely before each stage of the installation process as the stone can have small voids as a result of volcanic gases trapped during its formation and we recommend sealing both the front and back of the tile.

Quartzite
Quartzite is a densely crystalline, metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Through heating and pressure the original quartz sand grains and quartz silica cement fuse into one. It can have significant shade variation throughout and reflective crystals are present which shimmer in the light.

Onyx
Onyx is a cryptocrystalline form of quartz. Featuring exotic and intricate bands of virtually any color, its translucent qualities give a highly dramatic look when 'back lit.