So here’s our solution – If you Spot a Typo or grammatical error on the site as you browse let us know in the comments section below. For each original one we receive we will make a €1.00 donation to Focus Ireland and we also promise to correct it within 24 hours.

Thanks for your help

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There is no such thing as a bad stone tile

The boom years in Ireland saw an explosion in the use of natural stone tiles for both commercial projects such as hotels and also  private homes. Where once porcelain floor tiles were the norm , Irish homeowners who were now travelling more and seeing the beauty of marble and other stone tiles in countries such as Italy and Spain began demanding  them for their own homes.  For a period of a few years, stone tiles went from the exception,as a domestic  floor and wall covering, to being the rule as limestone and marble replaced porcelain and ceramic.

A lot of these floors are now giving trouble. Hardly a day goes by at the studio without a call from a  frustrated  architect or home owner looking for advice in how to improve the performance of their stone tiles, wondering if they have being sold the wrong  (or bad) stone tiles or if their tiling contractor has installed them correctly….

Common reasons for poor performance of natural stone tiles:

Incorrect stone installed to begin with:

Each natural stone tile has its strengths and its weaknesses hence our belief at Italian Tile and Stone that there is no such thing as a bad stone tile only badly used stone tiles. Too often Irish consumers have been supplied with stone which was never suitable for what they wished to use it for. The most common instances of this are the use of polished marble and filled travertine in high traffic  areas such as kitchens, hallways etc. These stones are prone to scratching and breaking down respectively. Too often stone suppliers have not made their customers aware of this.

Badly Fitted Stone:In a previous post we looked at the importance of using a professional tiling contractor. This is  as important, if not more so when installing stone. Its a common misconception that a good tiler is capable of installing natural stone. This is not strictly true. While there are many professional contractors who are capable of installing both it is important to realise that installing stone requires a different set of skills and tools.

Incorrect sealers: Using the correct sealers for natural stone will immediately enhance the  look, feel and performance while  also protecting the investment you made in choosing natural stone.  Unfortunately the majority of sealers on the market are topical with little or no penetration into the stone. When first applied they can enhance the color of the stone and generally they perform adequately for short periods. However, even small amounts of foot traffic can quickly result in these sealers wearing in a short period of time leaving the stone prone to staining from all manner of everyday products – from garden soil to red wine, oils etc

The next generation of tile sealers pioneered by Dry Treat will thankfully make these issues a thing of the past. Established in in Austrlia in the 1990′s, Dry Treat has approached the question of sealing stone products differently to almost  everybody else – rather than trying to protect stone tiles from the outside in as traditional sealers do, they protect the stone (or indeed brick, terracotta etc) from the inside out.

Dry-Treat is the world leader in the production of sealers for porous surfaces, such as stone, tiles, paving, concrete and grout. The chemistry of Dry-Treat’s impregnating sealers is unique, giving superior penetration and permanence, for unsurpassed protection. Benefits include

• invisible – Dry Treat maintains  the look and slip resistance of your surface and protects from staining, water and salt damage.
• Dry Treat can be used anywhere in your home or garden:- suitable for indoors and out, residential and commercial environments, kitchens, bathrooms, patios etc.
• Dry Treat makes cleaning easier, no special cleaners are required, it  stands up to house hold cleaning chemicals and even commercial cleaning techniques such as high pressure hosing etc

Dry Treat stone sealers have successfully resolved sealing issues throughout the world  in iconic buildings as diverse as The Sydney Opera House to The Hotel Imperial, Vienna. Its also the number one choice of thousands of homeowners from the four corners of the globe.

We are proud to have been appointed agents for DryTreat in Dublin and we supply it with all our natural stone tiles.  We also assist homeowners and design professionals by helping them choose the best DryTreat product to resolve any difficulties they currently have with natural stone.

If you would like any assistance with stone sealers you can contact us here

The post The Importance of Tile Sealers appeared first on Italian Tile & Stone Studio.

A question we are asked almost daily, and one which I almost made the title of this post: “What makes some tiles more expensive than others?” The truth (and the reason I didn’t) is that you get what you pay for. There are many reasons why some tiles cost more than others, including

• Quality
• Design
• Technical Capability
• Raw materials
• Size

Quality:

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” This famous quote is around along time but has  never  been more true than it is today, with such a vast array of competing products  to consider. The quality ones will and should always cost more.

Design:

I have no idea how to design something but I can appreciate good design when I see it. Good design comes from the heart, not from the brain. Around 100 Italian tile producers work with extremely good designers who are retained to capture the essence of good design in their materials. The other 1,000s of tile manufactures copy the work of these 100. Some do it very well but as with a photocopy something is always lost between the original and the copy.

Technical Capability:

How long do tiles last? A good quality tile will last a lifetime. How do we know? Because they are subjected to a litany of tests by professional standards authorities which tell us such things as their hardness, stain resistance, slip resistance etc . These standards allow us to recommend tiles that are suitable for a variety of different uses from homes to shopping centers.

Raw Materials

Most tiles are made from a combination of clay and various minerals. Producers who want to make tiles with a bit more sparkle or which can reflect light better will chose specific more costly raw materials to achieve these effects.

Size

Size does matter! The last number of years has seen a huge increase in the the number of different sizes on offer. In general larger sizes and very small sizes such as mosaic will attract a price premium to standard sizes

Good Quality Need Not Mean Expensive

Few of us are fortunate enough to have bottomless pockets and even those who do are working to some budget. It is the role of a good tile retailer to consider all the above together with a clients budget to achieve the best possible end result. Quality is remembered long after price has been forgotten!

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