Four Things to Know About Limestone – #4 Finishes & Textures

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In our final entry in the four most important things to know about limestone, we look at IMPORTANT THING #4: FINISHES & TEXTURES.

Denser, stronger limestone are ideal for manufacturers to create one-of-a-kind 3D stones. Split-face (where a thicker tile is split in half, using the split face), striated (straight lines cut into the tile), chiseled finishes, 3d basket weave, trims and moldings—the list of possibilities is limited only by the fabricator’s abilities.

In summary, a stone may have the same name, but may not be the same quality. At Villagio, many of our limestones are rated light duty, medium duty and heavy duty for residential areas.

We don’t carry the most porous (consequently most problematic) limestones.

Visit us at our Scottsdale Showroom where we can help pair the stone characteristics with your cost and maintenance expectations.

Four Things to Know About Limestone – #3 Price

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Today in our series examining the four most important things about limestone, we look at IMPORTANT THING #3: PRICE.

Virtually all natural stones, from diamonds to gems to stone tiles, are available in multiple grades of quality. Typically, if a stone is rare and desirable, it is more valuable. 

Stone available in abundance with less desirable characteristic, is generally less expensive.  Keep in mind the same quarry (and quite often the same block) will produce multiple qualities of stone. A light limestone may cost $5 or $15 a square foot. The differences will be density, hardness, ease of extrusion from the quarry, cost of manufacture, overall consistency of the stone and the market demand.

In the end, whether it’s a diamond, precious stones or limestone, quality is directly reflected in the price.

For more information on choosing the right limestone visit us at our Scottsdale Showroom.

Stay tuned for our next post on limestone finishes and textures.

Four Things to Know About Limestone – #2 Density & Strength

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We are currently looking at the four most important things to know about limestone.

Today, we look at IMPORTANT THING #2: DENSITY & STRENGTH.

As with all natural stones, limestone has a wide range of density/strength. It is important to pair the durability and cleaning expectations with your application when selecting natural stone.

Some of the very light limestone out of Turkey can be extremely porous and should be sealed BEFORE installation (they can permanently stain during the installation process) and are suitable only on walls and the lightest of traffic areas (like bathrooms).

On the other end of the spectrum, is limestone from the Jura region of Germany, which has been subject to intense heat and pressure over time and can have density and hardness surpassing granite!

For more information on how to design with limestone visit us at our Scottsdale Showroom.

Stay tuned for our next post on limestone pricing.

Four Things to Know About Limestone – #1 Color

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Our next four blog posts will focus on the four most important things to know about limestone. Today, we start with IMPORTANT THING #1: COLOR.

Limestone is a product of nature, man simply cuts it into convenient shapes. Limestone is a sedimentary stone found virtually everywhere around the world.

Most of the limestone used in the tile industry is comprised primarily from shells and bones of aquatic creatures, that has undergone extreme heat + pressure + time, which is why most limestones are light in color.

Darker limestone have been colored by other stones and minerals with heat and pressure over time.

For more information on how to design with limestone tile visit us at our Scottsdale Showroom.

Stay tuned for our next post on the density and strength of limestone.

Old is new

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When something old is completely new again…

Here is the beauty of a painted geometric design on a well-worn, whitewashed barnwood plank flooring, or is it???

Introducing GEO-WOOD Blanco. 

All the benefits of porcelain, with the incredible uniqueness of a vintage whitewashed  patterned wood floor.

Available in two widths: 5 ½” and 8 ½”, both in a 35″ length. Each width can be used together or separate, and if used separate there is a specific pattern for either width.

Now on display in our beautiful Scottsdale Airpark showroom.

Villagio Tile and Stone