Which kind of stone for walls and which for floors?

Stone is a widely popular material in modern interiors as it suits various styles - from minimalist, through contemporary, to eclectic. It adds elegance and timeless chic, increases the value of the property, is durable and quite easy to maintain in great shape over many decades. But which stone for floors, and which for walls should you choose? Is there even any difference?

When choosing the best stone for floors, you have a lot of options, and selecting a version that matches the style of your interiors shouldn’t be a problem. Among the most commonly used flooring stones, there are types such as granite, slate, marble, limestone, travertine, flagstone, and sandstone. Let’s look at them all. 

1. Limestone will be a perfect choice for high-traffic areas like hallways or kitchens, as it's known for its durability. It comes in a collection of natural shades, so it should be easy to incorporate into any design, especially rustic or eclectic ones. It offers a wide range of textures, from even-grained to smooth ones.
2. Slate is simple yet beautiful and available in a wide variety of finishes that can give a unique feel to your home. This affordable option will work well in kitchens and wet areas like bathrooms.
3. Marble is one of the most luxurious options and therefore comes with the highest price tag, so it’s best to use it in the areas where you want to achieve a wow factor, like a living room or bedroom. It’s much more porous than other types of stone, so either seal it well or don’t use it in places where it’s exposed to frequent staining. It comes in an impressive range of shades and can be honed to matt or polished to a glass-like finish.
4. Granite is among the best stones for floors thanks to its durability and resistance to spills, stains, and scratches. It’s a perfect material for kitchens, hallways, and boot rooms. 
5. Travertine is not only elegant but durable and slip resistant as well. For this reason, it’s a popular choice for bathrooms, showers, outdoor areas and pavements around swimming pools.

If you’re wondering which stone for walls you should choose, the good news is that you can use practically any variety that we mentioned in the flooring section! Granite, marble, limestone, travertine, slate, flagstone, and sandstone will work well when used on the walls of your home - just make sure that you select stone cladding made for that purpose. For example, limestone is available in different densities – the higher the density, the more durable and stain resistant the stone. For walls, you may choose the version with a lower density as they’re not exposed to foot traffic, spillages and frequent cleaning. To sum up, any stone that is durable enough for the floors can be installed on the walls as well. That gives you an opportunity to create a cohesive design with the same style of stone cladding on both the floors and walls.