Is Limestone Flooring a Good Option for the Kitchen?

Many of the granite blocks and slabs used to build the ancient pyramids of Egypt came from quarries at Aswan, a region located along the Nile River, but the bulk of stone materials came from Minya, a town to the south of Cairo. The limestone quarries of Minya are still operational to this day. Similar to Carrara marble, the rocky crust here is lined with a limestone that’s dazzlingly white, and it continues to be cut into blocks, bricks, and slabs. The builders of the pyramids chose the most attractive blocks to cut and hone to a shiny finish for the purpose of lining the exterior. Over time, these massive panels were lost to theft, vandalism, and harsh climate. Archaeologists have also found evidence of limestone used as flooring materials in ancient Egyptian communal kitchens. These spaces were raised a couple of feet from the ground to reduce the amount of desert sand coming in. If you’re thinking about limestone for your kitchen floors, here are a few things to consider. The Natural Texture of Limestone Looks Great Of all the natural construction materials you can choose for interior flooring, limestone offers one of the most attractive textures when it features a brushed finish. While this texture is mostly seen outdoors, the return of rustic interior design has seen it move indoors, and the look is quite earthy when the tiles are of slightly different colors. You can walk barefoot on textured limestone tiles and get a cool massage effect. Granite Gold Squeeze & Mop Floor Cleaner® is safe to use on limestone, granite, and all other types of natural stone. Watch this brief video to learn how to use it: Limestone Is Softer Than Other Materials Concrete, porcelain tiles, granite, and even marble are all harder than limestone. When you touch limestone with your fingertips, you may not feel the difference in hardness, but if you were to stand barefoot for a few hours on top of limestone tiles, your knees and ankles wouldn’t get tired as quickly when compared to granite or engineered stone. Limestone Is an Affordable, Medium-Range Flooring Material Let's say your kitchen is a busy space where elaborate meals are prepared at least a couple of times a day. We can assume there will be spills and utensils accidentally hitting the floor from time to time, and this could take a toll on limestone tiles because they’re not as durable as quartz or granite. Nonetheless, it’s generally easier and cheaper to repair or replace limestone tiles. Limestone Needs to Be Protected The decision of installing limestone in the kitchen is similar to installing marble. Limestone is a sedimentary rock that can change appearance when water or other substances penetrate its porous surface. Thankfully, Granite Gold Sealer® will help you in this regard. Periodic applications of this stone-safe limestone and granite sealer can go a long way toward keeping the tiles looking like the day they were installed. Reach out to Granite Gold® today if you need help caring for your limestone flooring. For instance, if you don’t know how to clean grout between floor tiles, we’ve got a high-quality product (Granite Gold Grout Cleaner®) that can take care of the job. Call us at 1-800-475-STONE (7866) if you have any questions, and check our handy Store Locator to find Granite Gold® brand products at a store near you.