3 Common Mistakes Made With Natural Stone Tile

Natural stone tile could be cut from granite, slate, travertine, marble, or some other stone. It is a beautiful choice for a floor and adds value to your home. But there are some decisions in the process that can result in regret instead of satisfaction:

1. Choosing your tile at the end of the design process. Stone tile needs to be adequately supported because of the weight. Your subfloor must be designed to take the heaviness of your tile without flexing since the tile will not flex. Designing structural loads is done at the beginning, so the type of tile should be chosen then.
2. Choosing the wrong adhesive and its application. Natural stone tile often is rough and uneven on the back side. This means a thicker layer of adhesive will be necessary to compensate for the bumps and hollows it must fill. But if you use an adhesive that is not meant to be thicker, the excess moisture beneath the stone can cause problems. Stone has pores and fissures, and the moisture can migrate into the tile and change its appearance. They make adhesives designed for using with natural stone tile to avoid this problem.
3. Choosing to order ‘just enough’ tile. Every tile job will have some unavoidable breakage during cutting and fitting, so experts recommend getting at least 5% more to ensure having enough. With natural stone tiles, you want plenty for another reason: they should be cut from the same spot in the quarry so they match as well as possible. Even tiles cut from the same chunk of stone will vary in tone and color, which is part of the appeal of natural stone. Thinking you will get a good match with a later order is a mistake because it will probably be from a different lot.

When you order your natural stone tile from Éco Dépôt, the highly trained experts in our Montreal showrooms can help you avoid making mistakes with your tile projects if you ask for their advice. Let us help you get the beautiful natural stone tile floor you will love.