5 o nga momo papa kohatu pai rawa atu mo nga kihini, kaukau me etahi atu

Ko nga momo papa kohatu rereke ka mahi i roto i te nuinga o nga ruma, ahakoa he whare hou, he whare hou ranei. Ko nga taera kohatu taiao i roto i nga kihini ko tetahi o nga ahua tino rongonui. I a raatau he whiringa ataahua mo nga kaukau me nga huarahi. A, ehara i te mea ko te ahua anake ka pai te whiriwhiri i nga papa kohatu taiao.

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.

HE pai te KOhatu maori mo nga papa o te kuihi?

Ko nga papa kohatu taiao e whakamahia ana i roto i nga kihini ka whakarato i te ahua me te mahi. He roa, he roa, he kowhiria te kirikiri he mea rongonui e whakamahia ana mo nga papa-a-papa i te mea ka hoatu e te kowhatu kowhatu te whakamahana o te kirikiri, e kore hoki e ngenge noa. He pai mena ka nui te takahanga o to waahi kihini. 

E hia te utu mo te papa kohatu maori?

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. 

I te US ka taea e koe te utu i tetahi mea mai i te $8 ki te $18 mo te whakaurunga noa. Me nga hoahoa ahurei ake ka nui ake te utu.

KO TEHEA TE KOhatu pai mo te papa?

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. KARANITI

E waatea ana i roto i te whānuitanga o nga tae, he maha nga kohuke kohuke me te kirikiri veining maamaa he whiringa ngawari ka taea te urutau ki te nuinga o nga momo whare. A i te mea he tino roa ka mahi ki nga waahi waka nui penei i te aroa. He rereke nga momo whakaoti, engari ko te ahua orohia e tino whakaatu ana i nga tae me nga tauira. Ko nga momo karaehe mai i te puru me te papura tae noa ki te hina me te oriwa kaakaariki, a he maha nga wa kei roto nga tohu whero waikura.

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. PAPA

He ngawari te wehewehe ki nga momo momo matotoru me te waatea me te kakano, ka pai te mahi a te papapa ki nga waahi maku penei i nga kaukau me nga kihini (kei te ahua o te kai tunu kai!).

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. MApere

Ka timata tona oranga hei kowhatu kowhatu, i raro i etahi ahuatanga ka maataata ona waahanga ki te hanga i nga uaua o te mapere. I roto i tona ahua parakore, ka kitea i roto i te tini o etahi atu atarangi, mai i nga momo hina tae noa ki te matomato me te pango.

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. KOHAEKE

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

Ko te Travertine he mata poroporo me nga kohao iti ka rite ki te hautai; teitei ake te karaehe, he iti ake nga rua o te travertine moni me te tae oraora ake. Ka taea te tiki mai i etahi kaiwhakarato kua rite; ki te kore ka whakakiia ki te waahi. Ina whakauruhia tika, ko te travertine tetahi o nga kohatu tino roa mo nga kaukau me nga ua.

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.

KO TE WHAI O TE KOHAA NATURARA KA MATIHIA E KOE MO O TAPA?

Ko te mutunga ka tohua e koe ka pa ki te ahua katoa o ou taera, me te hua o to ruuma. Ma tenei papakupu e whakaatu ki a koe he aha nga mea ka oti i te taera papa.

• Whakahonoretia – a smooth, matt surface for a natural look.
• Ka takahuri – 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.
• Kua paraitia – a finish that is created by stiff bristles for a slightly rough appearance.
• Hammered – the surface has been finished with a pocked effect.
• Urunga – a description used for stone that has soft, rounded edges.
• Kua orohia – smoothed for a glossy finish.
• Kua mura – a textured, non-reflective surface produced by a flame; sometimes referred to as a thermal finish.

HE AHA NGA KORERO O TE PAPA KOHAA?

Ko nga mea hei tirotiro i te wa e whakaaro ana koe ki te papa kohatu taiao i to kaainga ko te utu me te tiaki. Ko etahi momo kowhatu e hiahia ana kia nui ake te hiri i te mea he poha, ka tupono ka memenge me te pakaru. Me whai whakaaro ano koe ki to ratau mauroa na te mea he ngawari ake te pakaru o etahi momo papa kohatu i era atu. I tua atu, he tino uaua me te utu nui ki te tango.

Ka taea e nga taera kohatu te makariri me te pakeke i raro i nga waewae, a me whai whakaaro tenei ki te whakatau ki hea e takoto ai. I roto i te ruuma e anga ana ki te tonga, ka mau te kohatu i te pāmahana ambient me te mahana ki te ra, engari ki te mea he ruma kei te anga ki te raki tera pea ka makariri, kare pea he papa kohatu te whiriwhiri pai. E ai ki tenei, ka taea e koe te whakamaroke i te papa kohatu ki te whariki. 

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.

HE WHAKATOKANGA NGA TAPA KOHAA KI TE WHAKAMAHA O RARORO?

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.

MEPEHEA TE WHAKATOHU I NGA TAPA KOHATU

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 o nga utu whakaurunga ki etahi atu waahi. Mena ka whakatau koe ki te whakatakoto i a koe ake, mahia to mahi kaainga i te tuatahi, me tono ranei tetahi tohunga ngaio ki te aromatawai i te mahi mo koe.

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. 

ME pehea te tiaki i nga taera papa kohatu taiao

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.