Today, in any home improvement store, you may find a wide variety of manufactured artificial stone-style pavers, tiles and flooring in virtually any color, style, texture and size. This is not about manufactured imitation Stone surfaces - if you were looking for information on the these, read no more. "Get thee to a home improvement store, and that right quickly."

Natural Stone flooring is a tradition as old as history itself. Surviving structures of antiquity show us that stone flooring is an element of excellence and that has always been the first choice of architects and designers of fine homes, buildings, temples and palaces. From Pompeii to the Parthenon, stone structures and flooring have withstood the ravages of time and nature.

Whether your tastes lie in the sedimentary class limestones, the igneous granites and marble or metamorphic slates, natural stone flooring is a classic in looks and longevity. Gently scarred and weathered surfaces combined with warm, natural colors with centuries of use in locations of antiquity create an unique and non-reproducible custom and luxurious floor for any room.

Antique stone should always be properly sealed to to prevent unwanted staining. Stone flooring is heavy and adds appreciable weight, around 25lb/sq ft. to a floor, so this must be kept in mind with regards to load bearing capacity of multi-floor structures.

Where does vintage antique stone come from? Most is reclaimed from manor homes, ancient church floors of Belgium, sidewalks in Israel and other locations including France where antiquity and time have taken their toll on the structures, but the virtually timeless stones remain. Antique stones are usually cut to a specific thickness to fit in modern subfloors when installed.

Antique stones are often named for their sources and colors with names like Dalle De Bourgogne, Belgium Bluestone, Jerusalem limestone, Barr Gris and more.