Stone Flooring Installation in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful natural stone floors bring timeless elegance and lasting durability. Our company specializes in stone flooring installation featuring limestone flooring, travertine installation, sandstone floors, and flagstone flooring that showcase nature's unique patterns and colors. Los Angeles Hardwood Flooring Company works with stone tile installation in various finishes including honed stone surfaces providing soft textures and polished stone floors delivering glossy sophistication.
Throughout greater Los Angeles County, we've installed natural stone in Mediterranean-style estates, modern commercial lobbies, luxury spa environments, and historic properties requiring authentic materials. Our skilled craftspeople hand-select premium stone tiles checking for consistent thickness, color matching, and surface quality before installation begins. We understand each stone type's characteristics—travertine's natural pitting, limestone's soft composition, sandstone's layered texture—and adjust installation techniques accordingly using flexible mortars and crack isolation membranes for earthquake-prone areas.
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Our Stone Flooring Installation Process
Site Preparation
We begin by assessing the structural integrity of your existing floor. Our team inspects joists, beams, and columns to ensure they can support the weight of stone flooring. Stone is heavier than many other flooring materials, requiring adequate structural support.
Next, we remove existing flooring materials and clean the subfloor thoroughly. Any damaged areas are repaired to create a solid foundation. Proper underlayment is critical for stone installation success.
We install a cement board underlayment that provides a stable, moisture-resistant base for the stone. This layer helps distribute weight evenly across joists and prevents cracking. We ensure all underlayment is level and secure by fastening it according to local codes and regulations.
Laying Down the Stone Veneer
Our installation team arranges the stone pieces according to the approved design pattern. We carefully plan the layout to minimize cuts and showcase the stone's natural beauty.
We mix high-quality thinset mortar to the perfect consistency for optimal adhesion. This specialty mortar is designed specifically for stone applications, providing superior bonding strength.
Each stone piece is back-buttered before placement to ensure complete coverage and eliminate air pockets. We use spacers to maintain consistent grout lines and proper alignment throughout the installation.
Finishing
After the mortar has properly cured (typically 24-48 hours), we remove the spacers and prepare for grouting. We select grout colors that complement or contrast with your stone, depending on your design preference.
We apply grout carefully to fill all joints completely without damaging the stone surface. Excess grout is removed promptly to prevent staining or haze formation on the porous stone.
Once the grout has set, we thoroughly clean the entire floor to remove any residue. This step is crucial for the sealer to penetrate properly and provide protection.
Types of Stone Floors We Install
At Los Angeles Hardwood Flooring Company, we specialize in a wide variety of premium stone flooring installations. Our experienced team follows guidelines from the Marble Institute of America to ensure beautiful, durable results for your home or business.
Natural Stone Options
- Marble - Known for its elegant veining and luxurious appearance, marble floors bring timeless beauty to any space. We offer multiple finishes including polished, honed, and brushed to suit your design preferences.
- Granite - Exceptionally durable and resistant to scratches, granite flooring is perfect for high-traffic areas. Available in hundreds of colors and patterns, granite provides both beauty and practicality with minimal maintenance.
- Limestone - This sedimentary rock offers a natural, earthy aesthetic with subtle color variations. Limestone creates a warm, inviting atmosphere and works beautifully in both traditional and contemporary settings.
Specialty Stone Selections
- Travertine - Formed near mineral springs, travertine has distinctive natural pits and a warm color palette ranging from ivory to walnut. It's highly valued for its textural interest and rustic charm.
- Slate - With its natural cleft texture and rich color variations, slate provides excellent slip resistance. This versatile stone is ideal for both indoor and outdoor applications, including entryways and patios.
- Onyx - Translucent and dramatically patterned, onyx is perfect for statement floors in luxury spaces. When backlit, it creates a stunning visual effect that transforms ordinary rooms into extraordinary showcases.
Our installation process adheres to construction industry standards of 3-5 PPI (points per inch) for proper adhesion. We handle everything from substrate preparation to final sealing for a flawless finish.
FAQs on Stone Flooring Installation
Professional stone flooring installation in Los Angeles typically costs between $15-$40 per square foot for labor and materials combined. Limestone and slate start around $15-$25 per square foot installed, while marble and high-end granite can range from $25-$40+ per square foot. Additional costs include subfloor preparation ($2-$5/sq ft), removal of existing flooring ($3-$7/sq ft), specialized patterns or designs (adds 15-30%), and sealing (included in some packages, $2-$4/sq ft separately). Larger projects (500+ sq ft) may qualify for volume discounts of 10-15%.
Stone flooring installation typically takes 4-7 days for an average room (250-300 sq ft). The timeline includes: subfloor preparation (1-2 days), stone layout and dry fitting (1 day), mortar application and stone setting (1-2 days), grouting (1 day), and sealing/finishing (1 day). Factors affecting timeline include stone type (marble requires more precision), pattern complexity (mosaics or custom designs take longer), subfloor condition, and cure times between stages. Full-home installations typically require 2-3 weeks for completion.
Stone flooring works exceptionally well in:
- Entryways/foyers (creates dramatic first impressions)
- Kitchens (durable against spills, temperature-resistant)
- Bathrooms (water-resistant, elegant appearance)
- Living rooms/great rooms (statement piece, thermal mass properties)
- Sunrooms (absorbs heat during day, releases at night)
- Outdoor living spaces (withstands elements, natural aesthetic)
Stone is less suitable for bedrooms (cold underfoot) and playrooms (harder surface for falls), unless combined with area rugs or radiant heating.
Stone flooring is exceptionally durable in high-traffic areas, with proper selection and maintenance. Granite and quartzite rank highest on the Mohs hardness scale (6-7) and can last 100+ years with minimal wear. Slate and basalt offer excellent durability with natural slip resistance. Marble and limestone are somewhat softer but still outperform many flooring options, lasting 50+ years when properly sealed and maintained. All stone flooring requires periodic resealing (every 1-5 years depending on traffic). With appropriate stone selection and professional installation, stone floors easily withstand decades of heavy use in busy households and commercial spaces.
Yes, stone floors pair exceptionally well with radiant heating systems, creating an ideal combination of luxury and efficiency. Stone's natural thermal conductivity makes it one of the best materials for radiant heat transfer, warming quickly and retaining heat longer than most flooring options. The installation process includes laying heating elements (electric mats or hydronic tubes) beneath the stone on a properly prepared subfloor. Certain stones perform better—slate, granite, and limestone offer excellent heat conduction. The system adds approximately $8-$15 per square foot to installation costs but can reduce heating bills by 15-20% while eliminating the natural coolness of stone underfoot.