Sandstone Floor Tiles
Sandstone tiles are made from sandstone, a sedimentary rock composed of sand-sized particles of quartz that have been eroded, deposited by the wind or water and then bonded together with a natural 'cement' of minerals in the ground water.
Over long periods of time these particles are compacted to form this course grained sedimentary rock. Sandstone tiles are often characterized by both their color and the visibly coarse grains. Once of the advantages of sandstone tiles over other rock tiles is that they feel warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The fact they are semi-porous also means that they offer good durability and stain resistance. Sandstone tiles with a honed finished are ideal choices for flooring heavy traffic areas.
There are a variety of finishes available including:
- Riven: A textured finish with real character;
- Honed: A smooth finish that is perfect for high-traffic areas.
Cleaning Sandstone Tiles
- Dust your natural sandstone floor tiles regularly to prevent them being scratched by dust and grit which will collect. Don't use any kind of spray treatment or cleaner on the dust mop. Make sure you dust lightly and do not grind the dirt across the floor.
- Mop your natural sandstone tiles with plain water for regular weekly cleaning. Natural sandstone floor tiles are semi-porous and you do not want to use any kind of cleaning product on it on a regular basis. General cleaning products can etch and stain natural sandstone floor tiles.
- Clean your natural sandstone floors every couple of months with a neutral cleaner that is made specifically for natural sandstone. You can find these cleaners at your local flooring store or home center and they can be applied by mop. Make sure you follow the packaging instructions explicitly.
- Take your shoes off when you enter your house. Shoes bring in almost all the dirt and grit that will do the most permanent damage to your natural sandstone tiles. Taking your shoes off helps make your floors last longer.