Frequently Asked Questions

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Is limestone basically the same material?

                                    Limestone is a sedimentary stone. This means the stone has been formed by millions of years of compression. There is though huge variation in quality – limestone is not all the same and this is a mistake that some people make. If you compare two different stones you may well find that because of their respective densities that one is half the weight of the other. The lighter stone may be cheaper and easier to lay, but it could wear more quickly and would be far more porous. Maintenance of the later if sited in the wrong area could become a problem. When you consider that such materials are bedded in cement then making such a mistake would be very costly. Seek good advice, make sure that you learn what the most suitable limestone is for a particular area not just the ones you want to use! It may be that your chosen material is inappropriate for the area you wish to tile so you may need to think of an alternative solution? Do not though be put off purchasing limestone flooring because there are many hard types available that suit a variety of situations. As a rule the smoother the limestone, the harder it tends to be. One final tip – because of its geology limestone looks best when finished with a honed surface. Some companies will polish the surface of their limestone instead to give the impression that it is harder than it actually is. Don’t be fooled by this and check out your chosen limestone’s finish before making your purchase.  

How do I protect a stone or terracotta floor?

                                    Stone and terracotta tiles whatever their age need to be sealed because they are porous. If left unsealed then over a period of a few months the thousands of pores in a floor will fill up with dirt, grease and muck. If left unsealed then each time it is cleaned a floor it will become progressively more difficult to return to its original state. Muck becomes ingrained into the more high traffic areas of the floor and its maintenance becomes a problem. Sealing a floor works because the stone or terracotta’s pores are at a microscopic level filled with sealant. Any spillage will therefore only stain the surface and such stains are much easier to remove with good stone cleaning agents. If a floor is properly sealed and cleaned then there is every reason to expect a beautiful patina to develop as the floor ages. Different floors need different sealants. The harder ones tend to need less glutenous sealants and not so many coats of it. 

What is the best method to adopt when sealing a stone or terracotta floor?

                                    It can take several coats of sealant and many hours to properly seal a floor. However when you bear in mind that the floor you are purchasing is expected to be easy to maintain for many years then this shouldn’t be such an issue. Some tilers may tell you a floor requires only one coat of sealant or maybe that it doesn’t require sealing at all. This is incorrect and possibly has more to do with the amount of time they have allocated to your project than what is necessarily appropriate for the floor! Stone or terracotta is best sealed when dry. It can be sealed when wet and there are now sealants available which allow this to happen but as a rule it is best to wait for the floor to dry out. Most reputable tilers will advise somewhere between two to four coats of sealant, this is dependent though on the actual density of the stone. They may also refer to the sealant as an impregnator too. The first one or two coats of sealant are normally applied before the tiles are grouted so that none of the grout bleeds into the stone. Allow several hours between coats for the sealant to properly impregnate the material. Always apply the sealant evenly. Do not apply the sealant in large quantities or it will pool (develop puddles on the surface of the stone or terracotta).        

                                    Tips – serious spillages are normally associated with red wine or anything acidic. If quickly removed these pose no threat. However if left for several days a floor can become stained as the acid will eat away at the sealant. This is not the end of the world as it is. Nowadays possible to either spot clean an area where this has occurred or use chemicals to remove the problem and then re-seal if necessary. This very rarely happens though.

What is the procedure when you lay a stone or terracotta floor?

                                    Firstly the sub floor must be completely sound, level and dry. If the stone or terracotta has arrived wet, it is preferable to dry this before laying it. Experienced tilers can though lay the material wet and there are sealants now available that allow you to seal floors wet too. Best practice however suggests that the tiles should be dry so that you can see patterns, veining and the full colour variation of the tiles. You should also mix all the tiles from all crates so as to avoid putting too many prominent looking ones together. Cement adhesive is then applied to the sub floor. The type of adhesive bed depends on whether or not the tile thickness varies. If the tile is of a consistent thickness then a thin bed adhesive is used. If the tile size varies then it is normal to bed the floor on a sand and cement adhesive (mud) bed. Never ‘spot’ the adhesive in dabs, always apply it evenly to the sub floor as well as to the back of the tiles too. Bear in mind that the thicker the bed of adhesive the longer the floor will take to dry out. This is also dependent too on the weather, floors can take much longer to dry out if it is damp and cold when they are laid. Some tilers prefer to pre-seal the tiles before they begin laying them so as to prevent any muck accidentally getting into the tiles. Otherwise once laid the floor needs to be cleaned to make sure that any residual dust or adhesive is removed before sealing it can begin. The floor must then be left to dry out completely. Do not under any circumstances attempt to seal a floor until it is totally dried out. The floor is then sealed and then grouted (please see above question “What is the best method to adopt when sealing a stone or terracotta floor?”). 

How can I check to see if my floor has been properly sealed?

                                    The best way to check if your floor has be sealed fully is to pour a cup of water onto the surface of the stone/terracotta. If it is correctly sealed the water will bead and sit on the surface of the floor. If however the stone absorbs the water you know it is not properly sealed. It is then necessary to put another thin coat of sealant onto the floor to ensure that it is correctly sealed. Once the sealant has been allowed to impregnate the stone and harden off perform the same procedure again to make sure water beads on the surface of stone/terracotta.  

How is it best to clean a stone or terracotta floor?

                                   You must never clean a sealed floor with bleach or a bleach based product, this is because it will destroy the sealant that is protecting your floor. Stone or terracotta floors should firstly be swept to remove dust and anything else left on the surface of the tiles. A proprietory stone/terracotta cleaner should then be used. This is a normally a bottled high quality soap solution that will not harm the floor or remove the sealant.  The cleaner should be poured and diluted into a bucket of water and the floor mopped liberally and then left to dry. A good tip is to focus on the areas that receive the most foot traffic. If there are marks that do not come off with mopping then use a bristle brush on these areas instead. It is possible to apply a small amount of the cleaner neat if there are really stubborn stains. Failing this there are more intensive cleaners that can be purchased if the normal cleaning agents cannot remove the stain. These can remove grease, oil etc that has be left to harden to the surface of the tiles or even the sealant itself. These occurrences are rare but nowadays there are a huge number of cleaning products designed to make cleaning floors much easier. Contact us if you experience cleaning problems for best advice otherwise try to clean your floor no less than once a week to ensure it’s maintains it’s beautiful appearance.

Does Antique Materials use only natural materials?

                                   Yes, we make it our policy not to use concrete reproductions of our limestone, mosaic and terracotta products, hence names such as ‘Natural Limestone’. Concrete and for that matter other artificial reproductions never wear like a natural material does. They may be marginally cheaper but in our opinion they are a false economy. Overtime artificial materials will wear differently and therefore lack the beauty and patina that comes when using natural materials, hence our policy. 

Do you install your products?

                                   We normally leave this to tiling professionals in the field and can recommend one if you need this service. If however you would like the added reassurance of Antique Materials handling and project managing the whole supply and installation then we are pleased to consider this.

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Last modified: 03/30/06

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