Home owners and business owners alike must choose between natural stone pavers and porcelain pavers when designing an outdoor space. Gardens, patios, and outdoor kitchens and bathrooms are very popular in California. Whether you decide on natural stone pavers or porcelain pavers you will have a durable, rigid, and beautiful finish. There are, however, significant differences in the two paver materials.
Porcelain Pavers
Porcelain pavers, copings, and tiles are distinctive. They are typically crafted through a strict process using some fine raw materials. Compared to concrete pavers and natural stones, you can effectively install them in any environment.
Porcelain pavers usually provide a combination of natural beauty and engineering, which can help you achieve incomparable performance. In addition, they help you achieve exceptional uniformity and density across the pavers.
Porcelain tiles are made with accuracy, thus, allowing minimal size tolerance and perfect thickness calibration. Also, all the pieces are typically engineered with incredible uniformity. As a result, installing porcelain pavers is generally easy.
Natural Stone Pavers
Natural stone pavers will give your floor a decorative, earthy look. They are available in many forms, including granite, limestone, travertine, and slate. Natural stone pavers create unique and eye-popping physical character wherever they are installed.
Some natural stone pavers may require seals to enhance their appearance. This means that the flagstone cost might be a bit higher with time.
Typically, choosing between natural stone pavers and porcelain pavers is determined by your particular tastes and requirements. Read through the following ideas to learn how to improve your outdoors as the summer season sets in.
Porcelain vs. Stone
Generally, the primary difference between natural stone and porcelain is that one is artificial, and the other occurs naturally in nature.
Natural stones are typically made from garnet, feldspar, pyrite, and calcium carbonate. Eons are usually used to shape them into their final shapes. Additionally, natural stones may be igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic.
Porcelain tiles, on the other hand, are forms of ceramic materials. They are crafted using cray then heated in a kiln within 2200 to 2600 degrees Fahrenheit. When heated, the primary raw material for porcelain is the kaolin, which gives a vitreous or glassy look. However, tough porcelains are beautifully unique. Additionally, while they are nearly translucent and white during manufacture, they are usually painted and glazed.
Porcelain tiles are usually made into forms before subjecting them to fire. On the other hand, stones involve quarrying, shaping, and polishing.
Types of Natural Stone Pavers
1. Marble
This type of natural stone usually forms as a result of limestone recrystallizing over a long period. Marble has an excellent cool touch. Marble comes in various colors and patterns, including the most popular white and black.
2. Limestone
This is a form of sedimentary stone usually rich in calcium carbonate. With a close look at limestone, you can see the grains that form the stone shells. Pure limestone is typically white. However, adding impurities gives color results.
3. Granite
Generally, granite stones typically come as a result of solidified magma. It contains minerals such as quartz, plagioclase, quartz, and mica. Additionally, granite slabs possess hard and durable features. Granite floors are beautifully unique and are available in many colors. You can have it polished for a higher shiny finish.
4. Quartzite
Quartzite tiles are usually made of hard, metamorphic, and natural stone from quartz sandstone. The quartz arrangement in a quartzite slab gives them a pleasing look. Also available in various colors.
5. Travertine
This is a form of limestone which is popularly known for the beautiful bands it possesses. Usually recommendable for constructing springs, waterfalls, and streams and works well for cold and hot conditions. It is also the right option if you are looking for a pitted surface. However, with polish, you can attain a smooth surface.
6. Onyx
If you are looking for a beautiful natural stone, onyx slabs might fit your goal. They are typically sedimentary stones. Onyx tiles are available in white, blue, yellow, green, brown, and amber. Onyx is ideal for giving your bath or kitchen a backsplash look but also make gorgeous pavers.
Porcelain Pavers and Natural Stones Maintenance
Taking care of and maintaining porcelain slabs and natural stone is something else to consider before choosing one over the other.
You require sealing after a certain duration for the stone pavers to help them maintain a great look. On the other hand, sealing is not necessarily a requirement with porcelain floors.
You should avoid spilling acidic substances on the stone paver as this could result in your floor damage. In addition, stone floors don’t go well with extreme heat; hence, avoid placing hot pans or pots on your stone floor. Also, make sure you protect your stone floor from heavy objects and clean them using lukewarm water and a neutral pH cleaner.
For porcelain tiles, they can tolerate more harsh elements than stone floors. They are usually resistant to acids, stains, and heat. Additionally, porcelain tiles are easy to clean. However, they pose a high risk of slipping due to their smooth surface.
Conclusion
Be sure to consider your motive and use of the area before deciding on the best floor for your space. Taking time to learn the differences between natural stone pavers and porcelain slabs will help you make an informed decision.
