In the South Florida area, more developers are appreciating the qualities of installing coral stone in their construction builds. Aside from the beauty of coral stone tile, there are essentially two main reasons why it’s preferred:
- Great for hot weather.
- Great for wet areas.
Coral Stone is the Ideal Tile to Use for Hot Climates
Coral stone has the ability to resist an immense amount of heat keeping the surface of the tile nice and cool—something all South Floridians can appreciate. Even in the winter months, the temperatures in South Florida range from 75oF to 89oF.
Florida is known for having tropical weather, but in reality, it’s not that close to the equator to be considered officially tropic. Although some South Florida residents may argue with that in regards to how they feel!
Miami is approximately 40o off the tropics, making it more tropical than New York. That, complete with the humidity index being so close to the sea ca
n account for the balmy days and nights.
Hot is Hot!
When you’re building structures that must be strong enough to withstand the strong forces of hurricane weather, something as durable as cement and stone must be the main building material. The issue with using natural stone is that while it is incredibly durable, it can also absorb heat, which is why many of the structures you see in the South Florida area are brightly painted—to deflect the heat.
‘White hot’ is a term that can be loosely associated with the Miami area. Just go downtown or to Miami Beach and you can’t help but to notice a recurring theme: white stone.
Some Things to Consider When Building in the South Florida Area
As a building developer who has been contracted to build in the South Florida area, it makes sense to first look at what has already been built so that you can complement the community. Sure, you may not want to build a cookie-cutter type of dwelling if you want your structure to stand out. On the other hand, you’ll also want to respect the neighborhood and keep some type of uniformity, structurally speaking in case you’re building in a historical neighborhood. This is something that you can take up with the city before building.
At any rate, however you decided to build your structure, consider adding Coral stone tile to your inventory.
Why Consider Coral Stone?
Coral stone tile has a low heat absorbency—the perfect tile for blazing hot climates like South Florida. They can deflect heat, reducing the air conditioning build. They’re also the preferred choice for building contractors when it comes to landscape and designing structure with curb appeal. This is the type of natural stone that you want to use for porches and sidewalks as it will stay cool and won’t heat up like asphalt or concrete would. With coral stone, the surface won’t ever get heated up to the point where you’d be able to ‘fry an egg’ on it—not that you’d want to!
Coral Stone is the Perfect Tiles for Wet Areas
Speaking of surfaces, coral stone is also the perfect choice for wet areas like the pool or spa. Coral stone is a porous stone, giving this kind of tile two advantages:
- It absorbs water.
The porosity of coral stone allows water to seep through back into the dirt. This provides for a water-free surface that will not allow for puddles to pool up.
- It allows for a textured surface.
Because of Coral stone’s porosity, this also provides a textured surface that creates enough divots in the surface where it offers enough traction for a slip-free tile otherwise known as a saw-cut finish. This alone is a great benefit for South Florida developers as a lot builds in the area come equipped with a pool or near the ocean. If you’re contracted to build in South Beach, then most likely you’ll end up building an outdoor pool area. If this is you, then Coral stone is definitely the way to go—especially for commercial builds.
Coral Stone is the Best Option for Commercial Use
For commercial property with outdoor pools, the fact that Coral stone has a textured surface for traction and can absorb water is a great feature that owners want to hear. Anything that reduces the liability of an owner is sure to sell. So it’s more than likely that you’ll get your money back on the expense of Coral stone.
Coral Stone’s Color
Coral stone comes in one color in tones of cream, ivory, and yellow. The yellow isn’t very bold, just enough to tone done the cream and ivory making the entire surface far more neutral than Champagne White Limra Limestone or Bianco Dolomiti.
How Much Does Coral Stone Cost?
Coral stone isn’t as expensive as one might think. It all really depends on how you plan to incorporate it into your build. This will ultimately determine the size tile you want to stock in your warehouse. If you plan on using it as flooring then, the 24″ x 24″ x 3/4″ is what you might want to stock starting at $5.25/sf. If you’re looking to install an accent wall or perhaps use coral stone as a back splash for your kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room, then the smaller sized tiles might be what you’re looking for at:
- 12″ x 12″ x 3/4″ starting at $3.75/sf.
- 16″x 16″ x 3/4″ starting at $3.75/sf.
- 18″ x 18″ x 3/4″ starting at $4.25/sf.
Coral stone isn’t just for South Florida dwellings. This tile also has a resistance to an intense amount of cold at up to -40o F. Order a free sample from Nalboor Tiles and see for yourself how beautiful Coral stone tile is. Call 305-501-4548 to place an order or contact us online with any questions you might have. For 24/7 access, email us today!