What is limestone?

Limestone is a sedimentary natural stone consisting of shells and fragments of marine organisms accumulated at the bottom of the ocean. Calcium is mixed with carbon dioxide from the water to produce calcium carbonate, the basic structure in all limestone and marble. Limestone contains subtle variations in color and veins, due to existing minerals at the time of their formation. These naturally occurring variations are a distinctive beauty of natural stone, with specific story and personality for every tile.

Limestone is classic in architecture and you will notice it in many landmarks, especially in the UK and Europe. Limestone tiles can be used for interior, exterior, walls and flooring (for flooring, consider the durability of limestone tiles, especially for heavy traffic areas), showers, fireplaces or countertops.

Photo source: hotel-r.net

What are the available types of limestone and finishes?

The Limestone is extracted as large blocks of stone, before being cut for the final product – the limestone tile. After quarry extraction, limestone is strictly selected for color variations. Apart from this selection process, the limestone blocks can be subjected to the following procedures:

Honing – tile surface is polished for a honed finish.

Tumbling – limestone is literally tumbled with gravel, for an unchipped, "worn" look.

Brushing – a wire brush is used for a “worn” and textured surface

Grinding – limestone is smoothed and polished, for a shiny appearance.

How to maintain limestone?

Wipe the surface with a dust mop and use a neutral cleaning solution such as LTP Waxwash or LTP Floorshine for removing dirt. To prevent staining, waterproof the surface with our recommended products: LTP Mattstone for honed, tumbled or brushed surfaces and LTP MPG for polished surfaces. Since most stones are porous, excessive use of water can lead to oxidation (rusting), exfoliation, damage of dry veins, etc. Use only recommended solutions for waterproofing natural stone.