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It can be overwhelming trying to narrow down a tile choice, but once you decide on a stone look – how do you decide between natural stone and porcelain that looks like natural stone? Below are a few things to consider when trying to make that decision.

• Cost – natural stone is typically more expensive than porcelain tile.
• Maintenance – Natural stone needs to be sealed where porcelain tile does not require sealing. Natural stone tiles with high polished finishes can require more maintenance than honed natural stones or porcelain tiles.
• Look and feel – with today’s technology it can be very hard to tell the difference between porcelain that looks like natural stone and a natural product, but for natural stones that have a lot of color variation and movement – there is no substitute for the real thing!
• Chipping – if a natural stone tile is chipped, the color is the same throughout the tile and is less likely to be noticed. If the porcelain tile is a through-bodied tile, it will also have the same color throughout, but not all porcelain tiles are made this way.
• Installation – the cost to install natural stone can be more expensive than porcelain tile.

If you are unsure what’s right for you, please come by and we will be happy to show you different examples of natural stone and the porcelain tiles that are designed to look like natural stone. We have porcelain tiles in 16″ and 20″ in three colors that mimic the look of travertine that are just over one dollar per square foot.

About Antica Venezia:
Taking its inspiration from Venice, Italy, Antica Venezia offers evocative shades of color that include warm, earthy hues as well as original, dramatic tonal blends that are realized with unmistakable Italian flair. This stunning series’ Old World aesthetic is reminiscent of the architecture of the city that has been subject to the unpredictable forces of nature and to centuries of wear. The distinctive texture and chiseled edges emphasize the imperfect beauty of this unusual series. In addition to sizes 12″x12″ and 18″x18, Antica Venezia offers a colorful floor listello – an eclectic mix of Antica Venezia  tile and fashionable decorative pieces – that can be used as an accent for added style. Made of glazed porcelain, this durable series is suitable for interior and exterior use and can be used for residential or light commercial applications.

Color choices:
Beige
Multicolor
Salvia
Terracotta

To see more tiles, check out our tile product catalog on our website. When you are there, you can filter to see only more Emser tiles if you wish!

About Emser:
Established in 1968, Emser Tile, headquartered in Los Angeles, has become the leading supplier of the world’s finest tile and natural stone. Through our international production network and product development expertise, we offer a myriad of possibilities that help dealers, homebuilders, commercial builders, contractors, architects and designers bring their ideas to life. Emser Tile products are frequently used in residential and commercial projects throughout the United States including the following: homes, condominiums, apartment buildings, hotels, malls and educational facilities. Although Emser Tile has grown rapidly in response to changing trends and technology, our dedication to outstanding quality and service has remained as strong as ever.

Custom tile showers can really transform something as routine as a shower into a personal spa retreat in your own home! In this shower installation example, there are many elements that make it so appealing. Let’s look at the details and what makes this installation so attractive.

First, the use of tumbled natural stone gives the shower a more dimensional look because the tile has texture, movement and range of color. The use of smaller tiles give you a chance to really enjoy the differences in each tile.

This shower would have been very attractive with only the use of the tumbled stone. However, we decided to take it one step further and add more decorative elements such as the liner bar (also called a listello) and the random scattering of a contrasting stone.

There are some other elements that you may not even notice that contribute to the stylish and designer look of this shower. Notice how the finish on the plumbing hardware coordinates with the accent (darker) stone tiles. Also notice how the corner shelves in the shower almost disappear into the background of the main tile (also called field tile). If these items had been brass or white, for example, they may have drawn unnecessary attention to these items and made the shower look too busy rather than perfectly coordinated!

The design used in this shower very successfully used 3 different types of tile and coordinated them all to where they blended and complimented each other – creating a classic and timeless design.

Contact us for more ideas on shower tile designs.

One of the goals of this blog is to help educate you on topics ranging from design ideas for new projects to how to care for and maintain the products you already have. We feel it’s important to educate you on how to maintain your floors properly because we know they are an investment that you want to keep. Floors take a lot of abuse, but like anything else, if you treat them well they will return the favor by staying in good shape for as long as possible.

A few things to keep in mind before we talk specifics about cleaning:

• Always have walk off mats at every entrance to your home. These are important because they can aide in trapping dirt from shoes before it can enter your home and scratch the floors.
• Check your furniture feet to ensure they have feet protectors on the bottom. These will prevent the chair bottoms from scratching and denting your floors when people slide their chairs out to stand up.
• Remove any spills as quickly as possible. The longer a spill sits, the more risk you run of damage or permanent staining.

Ok, now let’s talk specifics!

First are foremost, you should always try to use a manufacture approved floor cleaner. (and follow the directions) Why, you ask?

• Manufacturers have spent countless hours designing cleaners that are most effective for their product. They know how it was made and what ingredients are most effective in caring for their product.
• Side note: You want to follow the directions because we are Americans….. meaning that we generally think that more is better. Many floor cleaners only require minimal amounts of product to achieve optimal results. Too much of a good thing can actually cause more harm than good.
• Some warranties can be voided if the proper cleaner is not used.  It would be a shame to ruin your floors over a bottle of the wrong cleaner. It happens, believe us!
• Using multiple cleaners on the same product (particularly hard surfaces) can leave a film that can permanently damage the floors.

How to tackle each type of flooring product: Click on the category below for more information:

Carpet

Hardwood

Tile

Vinyl

Laminate

Stone

Area Rugs

If you have specific stain concerns, please leave us a comment and we will publish the proper way to remove the stain and share with others in case they have the same concern!