STONE PAVING AND FLOORING

Selecting dimension stone for paving and flooring is based on color, texture, finish, durability, and water absorption. Stone Paving refers to Exterior Works Stone Flooring refers to Interior Installations.

Stone Finishes Stone is available in a variety of finishes: Polished finish Requires high maintenance Poor slip resistance Not preferred in heavy traffic areas Not preferred near the entrance areas Limestone, marble, and granite floors are commonly polished. Honed finish Created by stopping before the last polishing stage Dull, smooth finish Good slip resistance Slate, marble, and limestone can be honed. Thermal finish The surface of the stone is heated and then rapidly cooled Nice texture Great slip resistance Mostly done on granite.

Acid–washed: Split–faced: Tumbled: Brushed: Limestone and marble flooring are commonly acid–washed Commonly used to soften the shine on granite. Split–faced: Rough–textured surface from hand cutting and chiseling at the quarry. Primarily seen on slate floors. Tumbled: Tiles are tumbled in a machine Slightly pitted or smooth surface with rounded and broken edges and corners. Marble and limestone floors are most often given a tumbled finish. Brushed: The stone's surface is brushed, giving the stone floor a naturally worn–down appearance.

A polished finish is suitable for flooring, although a honed finish may be more appropriate where heavy traffic would wear or abrade a polished surface. A polished or honed finish may be suitable for paving or flooring that is usually dry. Paving or flooring that is subject to frequent wetting may need a rougher finish for better slip resistance.

Combining different finishes If a floor polish or wax is used on polished stone that is adjacent to thermal-finished or other rough-finished stone, the floor polish will get on the rough-finished stone and make it look dirty. For paving, combining a honed finish with a thermal finish is not a problem because waxing and refinishing are generally not done.

Combining different varieties of stone Combining stone varieties with different abrasion resistance, such as a hard granite with a softer stone, will result in one wearing faster than the other. The lesser worn of the two stone varieties will emphasize the wear of the other. Two stone varieties may require different refinishing techniques. For best results, where contrast is desired, use varieties that do not differ in abrasion- resistance value by more than five points and that, preferably, are from the same stone group.

Abrasion resistance Abrasion resistance, is a stone’s capability to resist wear, and absorption, to resist soiling and staining as well as the effects of weather.

Dimension stone is further classified as Dimension stone is defined as “natural stone that has been selected, trimmed, or cut to specified shapes or sizes, with or without one or more mechanically dressed surfaces.” Dimension stone is further classified as Thin stone if less than 2-inches (51-mm) thick Cubic stone if thickness is 2 inches (51 mm) or more.

GRANITE visibly granular, igneous rock ranging in color from pink to light or dark gray. All varieties of granite make good stone paving and flooring. Granite has high compressive strength, good abrasion resistance, and low absorption. It is available in many finishes, including polished, honed, and thermal.

MARBLE A variety of compositional and textural types, ranging from pure carbonate to rocks containing very little carbonate that are classed commercially as marble. Must be capable of taking a polish. Marble is frequently used for stone flooring and occasionally for stone paving. A honed finish is usually preferred for marble pavements to avoid showing wear. A polished finish is often used on floors.

LIMESTONE a rock of sedimentary origin composed principally of calcium carbonate or the double carbonate of calcium and magnesium. For flooring applications, a honed finish is frequently or a smooth-machined finish. For paving applications, split-face limestone is used as is smooth-machined or honed material.

SLATE microcrystalline metamorphic rock most commonly derived from shale and composed mostly of micas, chlorite, and quartz. Can be split into thin but tough sheets. Slate finishes frequently used for paving and flooring are honed, sand-rubbed (roughly smoothed), or natural-cleft.

Flagstone flooring Type of flooring using rough surfaces are called as Flagstone flooring. Usually used in stores, sheds and high traffic areas. Such flooring will be hard and durable. But less attractive look and sometimes uneven surfaces.

STONE DURABILITY Stone is a natural product that is subject to wide variations in physical properties, even when obtained from a single quarry. Properties measured by referenced ASTM test methods include water absorption, density, compressive strength, modulus of rupture, abrasion resistance and, sometimes, flexural strength.

SLIP RESISTANCE Specify materials for flooring surfaces that have a minimum static coefficient of friction of 0.6 for level floors and 0.8 for ramped surfaces. In general, slip resistance varies more among the different shoe sole materials than among the different stone varieties. A thermal finish provides better slip resistance than a polished or honed finish. A honed finish provides better slip resistance than a polished finish.

INSTALLATION METHODS Stone paving and flooring must be installed on a sound structural substrate Steel framing and wood framing are acceptable substrates for stone paving and flooring

A vapor retarder is generally recommended with stone paving, either as a part of the substrate construction or beneath a reinforced setting bed. To prevent water from migrating up into the stone from below and carrying with it dissolved materials that can stain the stone.

Unit thicknesses for stone paving and flooring range from 19 to 50 mm. Latex additives used in the setting bed and grout increase flexural strength of mortar and improve curing by retarding the evaporation of mix water.

Dry-set grouts are mixtures of portland cement and water-retentive additives. They are unsanded and are suitable for joints up to 1⁄8 inch (3 mm) wide. Sanded Grout is a mixure of sand, portland cement and water-retentive additives. They are required for large joints.

Flagstone Limestone Marble Slate Granite

Honed Finish Thermal finish Polished/Wax

Tumbled Splitfaced Brushed Acid Washed