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FlooringHome DecoratingRenovating
rosie_collins4

porcelain or limestone?

Rosie Collins
3 years ago

Hi guys. We are building a kitchen/dining/living extension (36sqft) and I need help with the flooring. I want a flagstone farmhouse feel (dark grey textured) and wonder which of the above is best with a wet underfloor heating system and also what is more cost effective? Finally, Can anyone recommend any suppliers? (Reference image attached) Thanks!

Featured Answer
  • PRO
    OnePlan
    3 years ago

    With a busy household I often suggest that you install a floor that is a close match in colour to the colour that your mud outside dries to on the floor ... ie pale dry mud pale floor - clay based - greyer floor - just so the muck doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb ! ( unless of course you like to mop twice a day ! )

    Comments (12)

    • Juliet Docherty
      3 years ago

      Personally, I don't think you can beat the beauty, patina and character of real stone, that would be my first choice. The edges of the slabs would be very different, porcelain can be rectified and therefore can have very thin grout lines, whereas stone is like to have slightly larger grout lines. Mandarin Stone has some beautiful ranges and a really nice brochure.

    • Sonia
      3 years ago

      I wanted a grey slate floor in mine, but my son in law advised a porcelain copy (he has his own stone and tile business in Welwyn Garden City, Herts). He advised this as all stone is porous and can get very grubby in a kitchen with time. You can of course have the slabs professionally sealed, but this does need doing regularly. This what my son in law did before expanding to sell tiles and stone.


      My porcelain slate floor has fooled many people. It does have a riven texture which, I think, makes it look very realistic. It’s really tough and easy to clean. It depends how much maintenance you want. The floor in your picture looks very similar.






    • Sarah U-S
      3 years ago

      I like both! I can recommend Floors of Stone - they are the sister company of Devol kitchens. If you’re anywhere near to Leicestershire, their showroom is amazing!!! They have some lovely flagstones and also do some nice porcelain versions too. This is hopefully a link to the porcelain ones. Ravello grey looks promising... https://www.floorsofstone.com/our-tile-range/porcelain-tiles

    • Sarah U-S
      3 years ago

      There’s another company close to Floors of Stone called Quorn Stone. Their website is very similar too!! They sell nationally - a friend has just bought her Stone floor from there and it looks fab. https://www.mystonefloor.com/

    • Rosie Collins
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Thank you guys. This is really helpful. My heart is set on stone from a visual standpoint but then again yours looks very similar Sonia! I think porcelain may be the way to go because of the practicalities of it though.

    • Sarah U-S
      3 years ago

      I think maintenance all depends on the type of stone. I have slate in my kitchen and it’s a doddle to look after as it’s a hard rock. (I just wished I’d chosen something a bit lighter though, as the darkness get me down!). I’ve also had a dark limestone before too - but that was much softer and needed lots of TLC.

    • Rosie Collins
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Ooh Sarah love to hear more about the slate! It seems to be far cheaper than the other options so I’m wondering why?! Only £12.50 per square metre rather than around £30 for the porcelain or limestone. Looks beautiful too! https://www.stonetilecompany.co.uk/natural-black-slate-tiles-600x400mm

    • Sarah U-S
      3 years ago

      I guess price comes down to supply and demand - I think slate is just a more common stone, and not massively in fashion any more. My floor looks very similar to the link that you posted, apart from mine are 600mm squares, laid in a brick pattern. Larger tiles are probably available but are more expensive. The floor is easy to look after - it was sealed well when laid and we have maybe resealed a maximum of twice in 13 years. I went with a natural finish sealant as I don’t like the glossy wet look. It’s heard wearing but cold to walk on - but that doesn’t really bother us. I suppose it has been really good value for money - BUT - it is really, really dark, and I spend every night on Instagram dreaming of something lighter!!!!

      Slate is a metamorphic rock compared to limestone that is sedimentary (sorry - I’m a science teacher 😂) - this means it’s much harder. I’m sure this isn’t recommended, but I cleaned up the smears from grouting with brick acid! At the time I also had black limestone in my garden - I completely forgot that it was limestone and not slate, and systematically wrecked several thousand pounds of paving by attempting to clean with the same acid. Limestone and acid is a big no!!!!

    • Sarah U-S
      3 years ago

      I forgot to say - I’ve looked at your link - although it’s cheap, it’s cheap because they are quite thin (12mm). They might be quite brittle. I would do a bit of Googling before purchasing. I got mine (albeit 13 years ago!) from an online place called Mrs Stone Store. I think their tiles are thicker with 20 and 30mm options. (They’re also a bit more pricey too).

    • Sonia
      3 years ago

      Dark floors do show every crumb so I do vacuum it daily. It’s a smallish kitchen so it doesn’t take long!

    • Mel Kemp
      2 years ago

      Hi Rosie, what did you go for in the end? I’m in exactly the same dilemma! Thanks, Mel

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