TYPES OF FLOORING

STONE FLOORING
• Stone flooring is a type of floor covering carved out from natural solid rock. Stone is a rock
that has been quarried and cut. These blocks of rocks are cut into slabs which are sent to a
processing plant to be re-cut, shaped and polished. Unlike other types of floors, stone
flooring improves with age.
TYPES OF STONE FLOORING

LIMESTONE GRANITE MARBLE SLATE

-carved out from sedimentary
rocks which are formed by the
accumulation of organic
materials, such as shells , coral,
sand, or precipitates.
-not suitable in high traffic areas
- quarried from igneous rocks
- has a very dense grain making it almost
impervious
- It is the most durable and stain-resistant
stone flooring
- ideal for use in kitchens, bathrooms and
entryways
-produced from metamorphic
rocks
-Marble is more porous than
granite and therefore more
susceptible to staining.
-ideal for use in kitchens and other
areas exposed to moisture
provided that it is properly sealed.
-Similar to marble, slate is
produced from metamorphic
rocks which are processed and
usually cut into tiles.
-Slate is naturally created in
many different colours and
tones such as green, grey,
sienna, and black.
 GLASS FLOORING
• Glass is used as flooring material for special conditions like to transmit light from upper floor
to lower floor etc.
• They are available in tiles which are fixed in closely spaced frames. Even though it is very
costly it provides beautiful appearance.
• Glass floors are made with transparent glass when it is useful to view something from above
or below; whereas translucent glass is used when there is no need to view through. In either
case, toughened glass is usually chosen, for its durability and resistance to breakage.

ADVANTAGES –
- Reasonably durable
- Looks very good
- Moisture, allergen and bacteria resistant

DISADVANTAGES –
- Hard and cold underfoot
- Expensive
- Requires professional installation
- Needs non-slip sealant
 MOSAIC FLOORING
• It consists of a finishing coat of small pieces of broken tiles of China glazed or of marble
arranged in different patterns set in lime- surkhi or cement mortar.
• The base coarse is concrete flooring and on it 30 to 40 mm mortar layer is provided.
• On this mortar layer broken pieces of China glazed or marble are set to get different
attractive patterns.
• After 20 to 24 hours of drying the top is rubbed with carborundum stone to get smooth
and polished surface.

TYPES OF MOSAIC FLOORING -

• Glass
• Ceramic
• Porcelain
• Stone
ADVANTAGES -
• Dense hard and tough
• Easy to customize yourself
• Water and bacteria resistant
• Great for do it yourself project
• Low maintenance
DISADVANTAGES - -Stone flooring is also known as Porcelain mosaic flooring is
• Glazed tiles can be slippery if wet pebble flooring which is usually commonly used and found
• Cold and hard underfoot installed in bathrooms and pool to be most durable as they
• Tiles may damage or crack areas. can be glazed or unglazed.
-It is naturally striking and stands They are usually used in
apart from others. bathroom areas.
 LAMINATE FLOORING
• Laminate flooring is created by fusing several layers of material together. It is easy to clean
and more durable and can resist scratches and chipping. Laminate flooring is stain free and
fades resistant.
ADVANTAGES-
- One of the cheapest flooring types available, laminate flooring is very easy to maintain.
- Laminate flooring provides a strong, durable surface that can resist burns, scratches, and
chips.
- It is an excellent solution for high traffic areas, resembles natural materials and comes in a
wide range of colours and designs.
DISADVANTAGES-
- Unable to refinish this flooring
- Not natural
- Hard
- Contain dangerous compound
- Can be slippery
- Produce unwanted noise
 MARBLE FLOORING
• Marble is a type of metamorphic rock and is used widely for floorings in commercial
buildings, kitchens, bathrooms etc. they are stain proof and easily cleanable.
• Hence, they are used where extra cleanliness is required especially in bathrooms, temples
and hospitals. They are also available in different colours and designs.
• Marble slabs are cut to get marble tiles of 20 to 25 mm thickness.
• They are laid on floors similar to other tiles. With power driven machine surface is polished
to get even and shining surface.

ADVANTAGES-
-Marble is available in broad range of colours, patterns and designs, thus you can select from a
variety of designs.
-No other material looks as elegant and beautiful as marble.
-It has a very smooth finish and when polished, it gives a luminous shine.
-As marble is translucent material, when exposed to sunlight, marble flooring glows and
increases radiance in the room.
DISADVANTAGES-
-Acid should never be used on marble as it shall loose its shine.
-Marble is very heavy and lot of labour is required in lifting the stone.
-Marble flooring becomes very cold in winters.
-Proper sealants should be used in marble flooring as the marble is highly porous and prone to
staining.
• Base concrete is prepared which is 7.5cm to 10cm thick and of composition 1:3:6 to
1:5:10(lean concrete).
• Over the base course , 20 mm thick bedding mortar of 1:4 cement : sand or mortar of 1:1:1
of lime : surkhi : sand is spread.
• Marble slabs of usually rectangular size is gently pressed using mallet. Marble slab is
withdrawn very next time .
• Cement slurry is spread and then marble blocks smeared with cement slurry at their edges
are laid.
• Proper levelling is checked and the flooring is cured for at least 7 days.
 TERRAZZO FLOORING
• It is laid over thin layer of the concrete topping and looks decorative along with exhibits a
good wearing property.
• Due to this, it is widely used in the residential buildings , offices, schools and other
public buildings.
• Terrazzo is a concrete surface with special aggregate of marble chips (or other decorative
material) mixed with white and/or coloured cement in proportion of 3:1 (three marble chips :
one cement). The aggregates are exposed by grinding the surface mechanically or manually.
The terrazzo flooring may be laid in different thicknesses.
ADVANTAGE-
Dense: and if sealed well, is impermeable to water.
Water resistant: due to its low moisture absorbency and hydrophobic
nature (non-affinity for water).
Appearance: Terrazzo provides an elegant look to a room if done well. It
almost looks like Granite.
Environment-friendly: Terrazzo flooring doesn’t harm the environment as it
is constructed out of natural materials including sand, marble, and other
types of stone. You can even recycle this type of floor.

DISADVANTAGE-
Professional installation
Relatively expensive
Slippery: when wet.
Hard underfoot
Cold: Being a good conductor of heat, it causes heat loss in a room.
Stains
Maintenance: Terrazzo requires heavy polishing at the time of laying and
periodic polishing to retain the shine.