how to: choose the right clé grand place limestone tile for you
by clé tile | published: Apr 20, 2022
clé’s extensive collection of elevated limestone tile—called grand place—comes in 14 shades in 4 sizes (field tile, planks, and 2 sizes of squares) from which to choose. here are some ways to help zero-in on the right limestone for you.
narrowing down your choices
as with any tile, start with how and where you want to use it. while all limestone is durable (afterall, it’s been used as a building material for centuries) some stones are more appropriate for some uses than others.
use this chart to check the suitability of specific clé limestones for your particular usage:
for more specific installation requirements, please review our material guidelines for grand place limestone.
getting shady: color choices
now comes the harder (but arguably more fun) part: choosing the stone for you based on its color and character.
grand place limestone tile is of impeccable quality and versatility. but that’s just the start. given our reverence for stone, we’ve also curated the collection based on the way it brings to life limestone’s natural history and expresses its character with all its variation, veining, and fossilization that entails.
clé grand place limestone in brae.
this means that even within the same tonal range, there will be differences based on character and markings—the extensiveness and type of veining you’ll see, the amount of fossilization, and texture (while all of our limestone is honed for a modern look, more porous limestones will have a different texture from their less porous siblings.)
here’s a way to understand the differences between our different limestone offerings.
sample, sample, sample
you’ll note that some grand place limestones—(renard and brae in particular) exhibit greater variation between tiles than others. if you’re interested in these limestone tile shades, we recommend that you order several samples to make sure you’re comfortable with the variation involved—or choose a somewhat similar stone instead that has less variation (e.g. tanner or hermitage instead of brae, or arbor and moulin instead of renard.)
and, if you’re unsure of what stone you would want, we recommend sampling a variety of stones that are in the same area of the chart: what you end up choosing may not be what you think you wanted to begin with.
lay out and patterns
while we frequently see limestone used in larger slabs, our limestone tile comes in four sizes that can be arranged in a variety of ways, which gives you more options—at a more affordable price. (if you want to replicate a more slab-like feel, just choose one of our larger limestone field tiles.)
in particular, our limestone planks are particularly versatile in their layout options. read our handy guide to patterns here.
but you can also arrange our limestone squares in a checkerboard pattern using tones that are adjacent to each other, or at opposite ends of the spectrum of shades.
grand place limestone in marfil and cartwright.
pointers on installation and maintenance
grand place limestone is a clé heritage tile. as always, we recommend professional installation by installers with experience in working with limestone.
in addition, be sure that your installer reviews these material guidelines. note that clé offers general information about our tiles and their unique qualities and usages.
due to the natural material makeup and production process of limestone tiles, there will always be degrees of variation in color, shade and size in your order. so it’s important to blend the tiles from all boxes once they arrive and place them in their installation area to ensure you have the layout you want before installing.
while limestone is known for its hardiness and durability, it is a softer, porous stone. sealing is essential to keep it functioning well. sealants maintain the natural quality of your stone, and protect it from stains and scrapes.
cleaning your limestone, especially when it’s been sealed, is simple and doesn’t have to be done that frequently. cleaning can be done with soap and water and avoid using harsh brushes or chemical cleaners.
limestone, like many natural stones, is naturally resistant to bacteria and mold, especially when sealed. this means a deep clean with water and soap is only necessary every once in a while.
grand place limestone in brae.
with the right choice, installation, and maintenance, your clé grand place limestone installation will serve you—and the generations that follow—for years (and even centuries)—to come.