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Our Spring Sale finishes on bank holiday Monday, so get down here and get your orders in before you miss out on our 10% off all tiles offer.

you can find us at; www.thestonetileemporium.com

We have just increased our range of ceramic Moroccan style tiles to include these beauties! Our ranges are growing by the week, so make sure you check our Facebook page and blog to keep up to date with our new products.

Our range is ever growing. We have now included these Marrakesh style ‘multiple tile effect’ tiles in black and blue.

 

With kitchens being one of the most popular rooms for stone tiling, you can expect your cherished tiles to be affected by the daily kitchen routine. Over time, tiles can become dirtier as a result of frying food nearby and this can lead to long term staining. In addition, your tiles could get ruined before you’ve even had a chance to enjoy them if you haven’t applied an effective sealant beforehand.  Here are a few ways to deal with stone tiles that have attracted stains and gathered dust over the years.

The most effective way of cleaning stone tiles is to use a mop. You can create a solution yourself that will get rid of any stains that have resided for months or even years. First off, equip yourself with a broom and sweep up the dust that has collected on the surface. Use a dustpan for any difficult areas that need to be freed of dust.

The next thing to do is to get a bucket of warm water. Mix the water with a mild detergent or a soapy substance that is intended for cleaning stone. With mop in hand, press it into the bucket of solution and target the areas of the flooring that have accumulated the majority of stains. Mopping helps to get rid of any collected dirt that has gathered in between the tiles themselves. It’s important that you empty the bucket of dirty water so that you aren’t just applying dirty water back on to the tiles.

After mopping, dry the area with a cloth or leave it to rest for an hour or so. The cleaning solution will take effect and those troublesome stains will be gone. It’s as simple as that. Make sure you check that your specific stone tiles, whether it’s marble or limestone flooring, are capable of working well with the solution that you use.

You might have just finished tiling your bathroom walls or wiping over your newly installed floor tiles in the conservatory and realised you’ve got a bunch of spare tiles left over. Before you decide to chuck them in the skip, here are a few alternative uses for stone tiles that might appeal to you.

Coasters

This is a great option if you’ve got some stylish tiles that simply can’t go to waste. Tiles like this can be great for table coasters as they are but you can also fit rubber material underneath to provide solidity. Varnish them for extra longevity.

Borders

You might have a mirror fixed to the wall in your home that looks a bit plain at the moment. Never fear, as a spare set of stone tiles can provide the perfect canvas for a decorative border. Plain tiles can be painted or even sculpted for added effect.

Mosaics

Stone Tile Emporium have a great selection of stone mosaic tiles on offer but if you fancy having a go at it yourself, why not take your spare tiles and become a bit of an artist? Create some pretty mosaics that suit you or loved ones preferences for a great gift idea.

Tabletop

If you’ve got a tabletop without much sparkle or attraction, have a go at painting some designs for a truly unique tabletop. From a small garden surface to a larger living room table, this is a great way to establish your own personal tastes in your home.

Granite is an excellent building material that provides some outstanding interior design opportunities whilst being incredibly sturdy and reliable. It has become one of the most popular building materials in modern construction, from kitchen surfaces through to paving slabs. Here are some of the notable uses of granite in today’s construction market.

Tiling

Granite tiles are tough and easily cleaned so they can easily resist long term wear and tear. Most people actually focus on the design features of granite when purchasing for their household and granite tiles are no exception. Granite tiles can come in all sorts of natural designs and colours due to the way in which it is formed. They have plenty of decorative uses which is why their reputation as a form of tile is so substantial.

Paving Stones

Not only does granite make a pavement, pathways and garden patios a bit more interesting, it also offers excellent resistance to the general demands of the outdoors. From damaging weather conditions to constant usage, granite is incredibly sturdy for tiling and paving slabs alike.

Statues

Granite can be shaped to create stunning sculptures, whether it’s a memorial statue, garden decorations or a fountain centrepiece. The natural design is formed as a result of small minerals present in the stone itself after molten magma solidifies. Next time you visit the garden centre be sure to consider granite products as they are extremely sturdy against all sorts of weather conditions.

Limestone is a porous rock that has given us the opportunity to build, sculpt and create all sorts of different products thanks to its versatility. As well as providing a more than adequate service when constructed into stone tiles, limestone has many other capabilities thanks to its high calcium content. Here are some of the most notable uses of Limestone, some of which you might be surprised by.

Cooking

Due to limestone’s high calcium count, it has actually been used in cooking in the past to boost the amount of calcium in foods. Bakeries are known to use limestone in many of their cakes and breads to improve their calcium count. You can also find limestone in other condiments such as salt, whilst many farmers will use the high nutritional value of limestone to feed their animals.

Glass

Limestone can be used to create decorative glass when it is heated and mixed with other chemical compounds. It contributes to the sturdiness of the glass, making it a useful product when constructing thick cooking dishes and other kitchen items.

Soil

Limestone often contains prehistoric remains of marine animals, providing it with further nutritional value. This is why it is also used to aid the growth of plants. Plants need a certain amount of nutrients to grow successfully and limestone is the perfect substance to restore the nutritional value of soil. Plants also need a certain pH level and this can also be restored through the addition of limestone.

When shopping for new stone tiles you need to have a plan that outlines you intentions for the interior design of your home. Purchasing a stone material that you favour might seem the obvious choice in the short-term but in truth, it’s vital to make the right decision for your specific requirements. Here are three key things to consider when shopping for stone tiles.

Thickness

Depending on where your stone tiles are located thickness can be a very important factor. If you plan on using stone tiles such as granite for countertops then you will need to address the issue of thickness. Using tiles meant for walls on a surface can be a huge mistake as they won’t have the same resistance to everyday usage, regardless of the strength of the material.

Spanning Distance

Tiles are designed specifically to provide a certain purpose. In some cases, stone tiles will be designed to span across a further distance, as is the case with kitchen tops. However, you need to make sure that the portion of stone you are using has the strength to cover wider ground. This is one of the reasons why wall and floor tiles are separate.

Does It Match?

Most importantly of all, are you getting the right material to suit your home? There are plenty of different materials available that offer different designs. Some are more beneficial for contemporary homes such as slate, whilst antique homes might benefit from marble instead. It’s always important to view the stone tiles you are purchasing in a home environment to see the effect they would have in your property.

If you’re looking to install your own stone tiles in the near future, you’ll probably need them to fit a certain space. It can be difficult finding the right-sized tiles for your particular flooring space, so here’s a quick guide on cutting your own tiles and the steps you should take depending on what it is you want to do.

Making a Straight Cut

It’s always important to mark out the cut with a pencil before proceeding. This gives you much more precision and accuracy.

Next you’ll need a tile cutter. Use the tile cutter slowly and gradually to avoid jagged edges, until the entire line has been cut.

Finally, push on the breaker to complete the cut. It’s this particular step that gives you a good even cut.

Cutting a Shape

If you fancy creating some unique tile designs or you have to cut a tile to fit a curved space, you have to make the cut slightly differently. Here’s what to do:

Again, mark with a pencil the line that you’re looking to cut.

This is where it gets a bit more complicated. Rather than cutting with the tile cutter, you need to create a slight groove along the line instead.

Now, take an electric grinder and use this to cut the shape. Start with the ends of the marked out line and proceed to the centre at the end.

Stone Tile Emporium has a range of dazzling stone tile ideas available, so why not take a look at our range of stone tiles here.

If you’ve decided to get your spring cleaning done a little earlier this year in an attempt to beckon the nicer weather towards us, you’re probably going to have to concentrate on the stone tiles in your bathroom, kitchen, tabletops or conservatory. Here’s a quick guide to getting your spring cleaning done quickly and efficiently.

The first thing you should do is sweep away any dust particles or unattached dirt from the flooring. Once you’re certain the surface is clear, you can reach for the mop. If you’re finding the sweeping process a bit tedious, try vacuuming instead.

The next step is to mop the floors of any sticky substances or short-term stains that have built up. Sticky substances that are too tough to remove with a mop can be scraped off the floor with any kind of scraper. Depending on the floor tiles you’ve got, you should try and find the cleaning solution that works best.

Once you’ve finished mopping up, you can leave the floor to dry for over an hour or so. It really is as simple and as straightforward as that. Remember, cleaning solutions for certain materials such as slate, granite and limestone can be found and purchased online or in any specialist cleaning store.