Stone Paving and Porcelain Paving in Godalming | What are the Differences Between Stone and Porcelain?

Natural stone paving and porcelain paving are commonly used in kitchens, on floors, in bathrooms, and for outdoor spaces. These slabs and tiles have advantages and unique qualities that add beauty to your surroundings in the Godalming area. If you are wondering about the differences between stone supplies and paving supplies but don’t know where to turn next, this simple guide will help you to make an informed choice about your surfacing needs.

Love Stone, located on Farnham Road in Ewshot, is a proud supplier of slabs and tiles in Indian sandstone, porcelain and a wider material range. We trade as a stone merchant with full local, regional and nationwide coverage.

Godalming is a key service area for our company, established in 1966. Please read the testimonials of our previous customers for reference purposes.

Materials

Let's start with the basics. Natural stone paving is exactly what it sounds like. It is a material that comes from the ground. Slabs and tiles are manufactured from various types of stone, including granite, Indian sandstone, limestone, marble and slate. These are sedimentary materials which have formed over endless years (although marble is metamorphic and created from limestone under pressure and heat). These materials are dense by nature.

On the other hand, porcelain paving is man-made by manufacturers but still distributed by stone merchants. They are produced by mixing kaolin clay, finely ground sand and feldspar, then firing the mixture at extremely high temperatures, exceeding 1,200°C, to create denser slabs and tiles.

Customers from Godalming can collect stone supplies and paving supplies in person, or they can arrange to have deliveries made for larger loads.

Aesthetics

The appearance of a slab is a matter of personal taste, but it is essential to know the attributes of natural stone paving and porcelain paving when making your choice. Natural stone is unique, and no two slabs or tiles are exactly alike. Natural stone supplies give your home a one-of-a-kind look. Many natural stones also display tonal variations and can include features like calcite veining, fossilisation, fissures, vents and, of course, crystallisation.

These distinct characteristics are part of what makes natural stone charming and appealing. You can further customise natural stone with various finishes.

Each of these subtly alters the appearance of slabs and tiles.

Natural stone supplies, unlike porcelain paving supplies, also tend to appear darker when wet and this can have a positive impact on aesthetics. This is one more reason as to why stones like granite, Indian sandstone, limestone, marble and slate are so popular with customers in the Godalming area.

Porcelain paving slabs and tiles, on the other hand, are manufactured to reproduce the look of natural materials like stone or wood. Some porcelain paving supplies replicate the tonal variations found in stone. Others have a more uniform appearance. All porcelain with a stone effect has some level of pattern or print repetition, which varies depending on the product.

Homeowners in Godalming can typically expect this to occur every 20 to 100 units when working with slabs and tiles supplied by a stone merchant

Porcelain technology has advanced to the point where our modern products convincingly imitate natural features like fossils, veining and the weathered edges of real stone floors. Most porcelain tiles have a matte natural finish, but you can also find textured or glossy finishes at Love Stone.

When wet, porcelain paving maintains a similar colour.

Slab and Tile Sizes

The sizes and the formats vary between natural stone paving and porcelain paving. Natural stone supplies come in free length or random length slab and tile sizes. These will have fixed widths of between 400mm, 500mm or 600mm, and a choice of lengths which range from 500mm to a ceiling of up to 900mm. This allows for versatile flagstone designs with staggered joints.

These create a more natural feel for your Godalming property.

Natural stone tiles, for interior work, come in fixed rectangular tiles, square tiles and opus patterns in addition to free lengths. Many natural stones can be customised with pieces like bullnosed steps, pool copings and skirting.

Porcelain paving slabs and tiles come in fixed sizes and are not available in the free length format. The most popular porcelain slab or tile size for outdoor surfaces and interior flooring is 900mm x 600mm. You can lay these tiles in a choice of bonds and patterns depending on your preferred look.

Small-sized formats are popular for use in bathrooms.

If you need stone or paving supplies, a stone merchant will be able to give you plenty of guidance instore or over the phone. Love Stone is a stockist of Indian sandstone, porcelain paving and a wider product range that can transform the appearance of properties in the Godalming area.