Thoughts and Tips on Installing Natural Stone Floor Tile

If you are considering installing a new floor, natural stone floor tile can give you excellent durability and a rich-looking, distinctive appearance.  There are a number of different varieties of natural stone you can use for flooring including marble, granite, slate and others.  You can also get pre-cut geometrical shapes or use flagstone in random shapes for a more rustic look.

Choosing to install natural stone floor tile is something you will want to do right the first time.  It can be tricky, and if you don’t take the correct steps you can spend a lot of money on nice tiles and end up with an uneven floor.  The first step is to make sure you have a flat and solid subfloor.  If you’re using concrete, make sure it is level.  You have to also eliminate any soft spots.  You may want to use a water-proof backer board, but you should be careful with this; calculate the height of the tile plus the underlay and make sure that your floor will not be too high.  If it is, this can cause problems with doors or cause there to be a large step from adjoining rooms.

When it comes to purchasing materials for the installation of natural stone floor tile , figure out the area of the room and add about 20% to the total.  You will want to buy all of the stone in one batch to make sure that you get the same kind of stone.  Your local hardware store can help you find the correct mortar for the type of stone that you’re using.  You can also ask them about renting a tile-cutting saw.

If you’re solid floor is ready and you have all of the necessary materials you should then find the center point of your room.  This is a very crucial step, and you will work from the center outwards to the walls.  It doesn’t take long to measure, but because it is so important you may want to measure twice or even three times to ensure that you’re correct.  You can then use a chalk line to mark the center.  If you have decided to use irregular flagstone, lay the larger pieces first and then put the smaller pieces in between for a consistent look.

Natural stone floor tile can give a room a great look if you do it right.  Choose a diagonal pattern if you don’t want your room to look too square.  You may have to seal the stone if it is porous, although this won’t be necessary for things like marble or granite.