5 n'ime ụdị ala nkume kachasị mma maka kichin, ụlọ ịsa ahụ na ndị ọzọ

Ụdị ala nkume dị iche iche ga-arụ ọrụ n'ọtụtụ ọnụ ụlọ, ma ị nwere ụlọ nke oge a ma ọ bụ nke oge a. Taịlị nkume ndị e kere eke na kichin bụ n'ezie otu n'ime ọdịdị kachasị ewu ewu. Ebe ha na-eme nhọrọ mara mma maka ime ụlọ ịwụ na paseeji. Ma, ọ bụghị naanị anya na-eme ka nkume ala ụlọ bụrụ nhọrọ siri ike ma.

From the palest marble and limestone to the darkest slate and granite, the design possibilities of stone flooring are vast and many are very durable, making them one of the best types of flooring materials to choose if you want to add value and character to your property.

Nkume okike ọ dị mma maka ala ụlọ kichin?

Nkume okike eji eme ihe na kichin ga-enye ma ụdị na arụ ọrụ. Na-adịgide adịgide, na-adịte aka, granite bụ nhọrọ a na-ewu ewu nke a na-ejikarị eme ihe maka countertops mgbe nkume limestone ga-eme ka njedebe na-ekpo ọkụ na-ekpo ọkụ na ọ gaghịkwa ada ngwa ngwa. Ọ dị mma ma ọ bụrụ na oghere kichin gị na-enweta ọtụtụ ụkwụ. 

Ego ole ka okwute ala dị ala na-eri?

Prices vary enormously and will depend on the grade and quality of the stone. But, this is usually one of the downsides to natural stone flooring as prices compared to other types of floor tiles are elevated. Most stone is newly quarried but reclaimed slabs are available, which, although considered more environmentally friendly, are usually more expensive. Expect to pay upwards of £30 per m² from a high-street or national retailer and up to and over £500 per m² for high-grade or rarer stones. 

Na US ị nwere ike ịtụ anya ịkwụ ụgwọ ihe ọ bụla site na $8 ruo $18 maka naanị nrụnye. Na ndị ọzọ pụrụ iche aghụghọ na-eri ihe.

Kedu nkume kacha mma maka ala?

Stone floors are widely considered to add value to a property, but choose wisely as once laid you won’t want to change them for years. The most durable option is granite while many would say that marble is the most popular (albeit expensive) option.

1. GANITE

Dị n'ụdị dị iche iche nke agba, na-enwekarị specks ịnweta ma ọ bụ granite veining dị nro bụ nhọrọ na-agbanwe agbanwe nke enwere ike ịmegharị n'ọtụtụ ụdị ụlọ. Na dị ka ọ bụ nnọọ inogide ọ ga-arụ ọrụ na elu okporo ụzọ ebe dị ka a paseeji nakwa. Ọ na-abịa n'ụdị dị iche iche, mana ọ bụ ụdị a na-egbuke egbuke nke na-egosipụta n'ụzọ zuru ezu agba na ụkpụrụ. Agba dị iche iche site na ndò na-acha anụnụ anụnụ na odo odo ruo na isi awọ na akwụkwọ ndụ akwụkwọ ndụ olive, ha na-agụnyekarị akara uhie na-acha uhie uhie.

Granite floor tiles typically cost from £30 per m²/ $4/sq. ft. ($4 /case)for basic and uniform, black small format tiles. Expect to pay, on average, between £50-£70 per m²/ $14 for larger format tiles, that have a more interesting and colorful finish. The limitless variations of granite flooring colors and textures means that it is hard to put a price on some of the rare examples available. It is very possible to spend in excess of £150 per m²/$200 /sq.ft to find the perfect patterning for your floor.

2. Slate

Na-ekewa ngwa ngwa n'ụdị dị iche iche ma dị na njedebe ederede, slate na-arụ ọrụ nke ọma na mpaghara mmiri dị ka ụlọ ịsa ahụ na kichin (dabere na onye na-esi nri!).

Slate sits at the cheaper end of the spectrum, costing as little as £10 per m²/$3.49/sq. ft. ($34.89 /case) from a high street or online supplier, up to £50 per m²/$11.00/sq. ft. for interesting colors and textures from specialist suppliers.

3. MARBLE

Malite ndụ ya dị ka nkume nzu, n'ọnọdụ ụfọdụ ihe mejupụtara ya na-eme ka ọ bụrụ veins na-ahụkarị nke marble. N'ụdị ya dị ọcha, enwere ike ịchọta ya n'ụdị dị iche iche nke ndò ndị ọzọ, site na isi awọ dị iche iche ruo na akwụkwọ ndụ akwụkwọ ndụ na oji.

Marble floors come in at a similar price to granite, with an equal number of variations in color and texture on the market. It's as great in a kitchen as it is in a bathroom. Expect to pay from £50 per m²/$10.99/sq. ft for the most basic tile, to as much as £150 or £200 per m/$77.42/sq. ft. ($232.25 /case)² for decorative tiles or tiles with specialist color-ways and finishes.

4. LIMESTONE

Occurring in many tones, from nearly white to the more common warm honey, as well as rarer greys and dark browns Limestone is often a rustic. Textures range from even-grained stones through to smoother types with fossils and coarser, open-textured varieties. Some can be polished to resemble marble. It can scratch easily as it's quite soft so be careful in kitchens. However, as it's resistant to mold and bacteria, it works really well as a bathroom flooring option.

There is a lot of variation in the price of limestone tiles. The cheapest you will come across are around £30 per m² for a basic option, the average price is between £50 – £80 per m²/ $2-$11 per sq. ft, but much like granite and marble, you can end up spending up to £200 per m²/($200.00 /case)².

5. TRAVERTINE

Travertine nwere oghere nwere oghere na obere oghere na-enye ya ọdịdị ogbo; ọkwa dị elu, travertine premium nwere obere olulu nwere agba na-adọrọ adọrọ karị. Enwere ike nweta ya nke ọma juputara na ụfọdụ ndị na-ebubata ya; ma ọ bụghị ya, ọ ga-adị mkpa ka ejupụta na ọnọdụ. Mgbe etinyere ya nke ọma, travertine bụ otu n'ime nkume ndị na-adịgide adịgide maka ime ụlọ ịwụ na ịsa ahụ.

The cheapest travertine options are very affordable, starting from around £15 to £30 per m²/$468/case and giving a similar effect to limestone. The most you will look at spending on travertine tiles is around £70 per m²/ $50.30/sq. ft, $133.02 /case.

Kedu ihe mmecha okwute okike ka ị ga-ahọrọ maka taịlị gị?

Ngwucha ị na-ahọrọ ga-emetụta ọdịdị nke taịlị gị n'ozuzu ya na, n'ihi ya, ụlọ gị. Nkọwa okwu a na-agwa gị ihe na-emecha n'ala tile.

• Asọpụrụ – a smooth, matt surface for a natural look.
• Tụgharịrị – an aged or distressed finish created by the tumbling process, which uses a machine with water and stones to give softer edges.
• Riven – stone, usually slate, is split to expose the natural texture for a rustic look.
• Ahịhịa – a finish that is created by stiff bristles for a slightly rough appearance.
• Akụdara ya – the surface has been finished with a pocked effect.
• Ohiri isi – a description used for stone that has soft, rounded edges.
• Achachapụrụ – smoothed for a glossy finish.
• Ọkụ – a textured, non-reflective surface produced by a flame; sometimes referred to as a thermal finish.

GỊNỊ bụ ihe ọjọọ dị n'ala nkume?

Ihe ị ga-eleba anya mgbe ị na-atụle ala nkume nkịtị n'ime ụlọ gị bụ ọnụ ahịa na nhazi ya. Ụdị okwute ụfọdụ na-achọ ka a na-akachi ya mgbe nile ka ha na-agbaji ma na-enwe ihe ize ndụ nke ịda ada na mgbawa. I kwesịkwara ịṅa ntị na ịdịte aka ha dị ka ụfọdụ ụdị nkume ala na-akpụcha ngwa ngwa karịa ndị ọzọ. Na mgbakwunye, ha nwekwara ike ịdị oke ike ma dị oke ọnụ iwepụ.

Tile nkume nwere ike ịdị oyi ma sie ike n'okpuru ụkwụ, na nke a kwesịrị ịtụle mgbe ị na-ekpebi ebe a ga-atọgbọ ya. N'ime ụlọ na-eche ihu n'ebe ndịda, nkume ga-anakwere okpomọkụ dị n'ime ma na-ekpo ọkụ na anyanwụ, ma ọ bụrụ na ị nwere ọnụ ụlọ dị n'ebe ugwu nke nwere ike ịghọ oyi, ala nkume nwere ike ọ gaghị abụ nhọrọ kacha mma. Nke a kwuru, ị nwere ike mee ka ala nkume dị nro na akwa akwa. 

China and glass will almost certainly break if dropped on a solid stone floor. Some polished surfaces can be slippery in bathrooms, but there are textured tiles with non-slip finishes. The best way to find out if a floor covering is suitable for your space is to ask your supplier; if your selected tile isn’t appropriate, they will be able to suggest a similar option that is.

ỤLỌỌRỤ ỤLỌ NKE NKWUKWU KWEKỌRỊTA NA ekpo ọkụ n'okpuru ala?

Solid stone floor tiles are the perfect partner for underfloor heating because of the ease at which it absorbs and emits heat. This can be especially useful in a bathroom or kitchen. Not only will it feel pleasant under bare feet, but it is also an effective way of reducing the risk of damp because of the constant ambient temperature in the room.

Otu esi atụkwasị taịlị nkume

It is possible to tile a floor yourself if you're a keen DIYer with the correct tools, time, patience and you don’t mind making one or two mistakes. For the sake of a weekend’s work, you could use the money nke nkwụnye ụgwọ n'ebe ọzọ. Ọ bụrụ na ị kpebie ịtọgbọ ya n'onwe gị, buru ụzọ mee ihe omume ụlọ akwụkwọ gị ma ọ bụ opekata mpe ka onye ọkachamara nyochaa gị ọrụ ahụ.

This said, many suppliers recommend professional fitting for natural stone, so if you're not confident in your abilities it may be worth getting the help of a professional if you want the perfect finish – especially if you've spent a lot of money on your natural stone floor tiles. 

Other considerations include whether your joists will take the weight of large tiles or thick flagstones – timber floors may need strengthening. 

Otu esi ejigide taịlị nkume ala

Natural floor tiles will need to be sealed to prevent damage, staining, and to avoid repairing stone floors yourself. Your supplier or installer will be able to recommend the most appropriate products to use and should provide you with advice on looking after your chosen material. Once you have the correct product, cleaning stone floor tiles is a simple job.

Using cleaning products that aren’t recommended can leave behind a film, which can attract dirt and may need chemical removal at a later date. Regular sweeping will keep loose dirt away and, if needed, stone can be professionally cleaned and restored.