Nadine Floor Company

Most marble, granite and some travertine and even slate is available with a factory polished finish. These polished stones are still porous, subject to staining, and should be sealed with a penetrating-type sealer.

We suggest Granite because its ability to stand acid among heat and other abuses. Lemon is a citric acid that will not harm granite. However if it’s applied to marble, or travertine, for an example, the stone starts to dissolve immediately, and heat could also damage marble and travertine.

All stones need to be sealed. Marble, travertine, and other types of soft stone must be kept well sealed or they may stain. It is recommended to apply a sealer that is made for natural stone. Granite, on the other hand is extremely hard and naturally resistant to stains. Note that most stones such as marble, granite and some travertine and even slate could be polished by the manufacture but are still porous and subject to staining. We recommend them to be sealed with a penetrating sealer.

The basic types of natural stones are travertine, marble, granite and slate. Any of these can take a lot of abuse and last many years. However, Marble, travertine takes a little more maintenance and care. Your lifestyle and your own home design will determine which fits your house.

Ceramic tiles are the standard tiles and are usually made from red clay baked on high temperature with a glaze on the top. The only part of a ceramic tile that is waterproof or stains proof is the top where the glaze is. Porcelain uses finer clay with smaller particles, compressed at high pressure squeezing more material into the same space. It is then baked at a higher temperature than ceramic therefore the entire body of porcelain tile resists water and stains and can be used outdoors, but cannot install ceramic outdoors. Does tile chip and crack? Tile can be very fragile product prior to installation, but once it is installed, it becomes part of your construction and will not chip or crack unless hit with a heavy object or natural disasters such as earthquakes. It is very durable and should last a lifetime if it’s installed correctly and maintained properly.