We have a whole sack full of great offers for you to take advantage of. Hit www.stonedeals.co.uk/offer and see what little treasures you can find.

Here’s some great offers to get you started:
Classic Travertine Mixed Tiles - Honed & Filled was £16.99 is NOW £14.99 (305 x 457 x 12)

Create an edgier look with these Mixed Honed and Filled travertine tiles. Their beige to dark-beige background colour is complimented by various coloured areas will create a unique look. Designed for use in mainly residential areas, however they can also be used in light commercial projects.

Ivory Travertine Tiles - Honed & Filled
Was £21.00 is NOW £26.00 (203 x 203 x 12)

Beautiful creamy, white and light beige travertine tiles that are honed then filled. It’s the process of honing and filling that gives travertine its unique look. As with all natural stone tiles you will have to ensure they are sealed correctly before use. Suitable for a range of applications, these tiles won’t disappoint.

Visit www.stonedeals.co.uk/offer for more details.

Even though we are having one of the warmest winters in history, we still understand that one of the main concerns people have when choosing stone, wood or porcelain floors is that fact that they feel it may be cold. This is mainly a concern if you have young children crawling around, or elderly people who are concerned about keeping their homes warm. The good thing is you don’t have to worry. Stone Deals provide a range of Underfloor Heating that will suit your needs. Meaning you can enjoy the beauty of natural flooring with comfort and warmth. And best of all, all our systems are designed for ease of installation, under any floor covering. Our electrical underfloor heating systems can even replace radiators, providing extra living space giving warmth enhancement to any floor surface.

A wide range to choose from
At Stone Deals we offer the largest choice of electrical underfloor heating mats available. Our systems set the standard in underfloor heating. Under natural cold surfaces like stone, marble and wood underfloor heating is essential. We believe that it helps to enhance your living environment and helps you get the most out of your flooring. That’s why all our systems are designed to be easy to install, under any floor covering. We have a system that suits any type of room under any type of flooring. But before you begin to look through our range- here’s some information that will help you make the right decision.

A starting point
So, what do you need? Begin with a heating mat, a control device, an R.C.D and the adhesives to stick the mat down to the subfloor.

Get measuring
It is important to make sure that the correct sizes heating mat is ordered. Please remember that underfloor heating is not installed under permanent furniture. The bathroom pictured is 1800mm long but 2500mm wide, this equals 4.5m2 of floor area, but the actual amount of underfloor heating required is only 1.5m2. To calculate how much heating is required, add the lengths of all the runs i.e. 0.6 + 1.0 + 1.4 = 3.0linear metres. Then to calculate the m2, multiply the overall length by the width (in this case a UFHD Standard mat at 0.5m2 wide), 3.0m x 0.5m = 1.5m2. If the measurement is not equal to a mat size you should always select a system that is smaller, never larger than required. When calculating a floor area check the width of the mat in the technical information section.

How do I control it?
For most areas we recommend having a timer/thermostat combined control; unit. This control can be used to monitor the temperature at floor level. If the system is to be used for floor warming, you should have a floor thermostat and for sole source heating an air and floor thermostat. We also have individual thermostats available.

R.C.D- What’s that?
R.C.D stands for residual current device. This is a safety device that cuts off power within milliseconds in the unlikely events of someone penetrating the floor. In many houses there will already be an RCD on the main board, an electrician can check this for you.

Is it expensive?
At Stone Deals, we pride ourselves on always giving our customers great value for money and that includes our Underfloor Heating Systems. After all, it would be unfair to sell you flooring at a great price, then to expect you to pay a fortune for the heating. That’s why we sell a range of underfloor heating to suit everyone’s budget.

See our website for more details and speak to our sales team to see how we can warm up you this winter!

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s often a place where all the family congregate at least once a day. Most of us start our day there and it’s used for all sorts of activities. Eating, reading, arguing, children’s activities at the table, entertaining and much more. That’s why it’s so important that it serves you (and your family) well. Whether you’re having your whole kitchen re-done or just re-organising here’s our guide to helping you make sure your kitchen is an organised, safe and flexible environment to be in.

Before we start here’s a few pics of my favourite kitchens:

Recreate this look with Ivory Travertine Unfilled and Brushed.  It’s great for larger open plan kitchens.

Recreate this look with Ivory Travertine Honed and Filled. Works well for smaller, more compact areas - and Tommy certainly liked our prices!

Let’s begin…

It is true what they say - 3 is the magic number - especially when it comes to planning your kitchen. Following 3 easy stages could help you get the kitchen you dream of.

1. First and foremost you need to carefully measure your room so you know what size you’re working with.  I suggest you draw a plan on some graph paper. Include all wall plans as well as a floor plan. it helps to note where you’re lights, electrical sockets and water pipes are if you’re just re-planning a kitchen. All kitchen units are made in metric sizes so measure in mm, it will save your lots of hassle later on. Measure everything. From the floor to the ceiling for wall elevations, size of windows, doors, radiators, boilers etc. The more detail you put in the more accurate your kitchen will fit.

2. Think about where you want all your appliance to go- in accordance with your electrical/ water supplies. Are you having internal fridge/ freezers or do you have to plan for them separately? Try and imagine working in your kitchen and plan it around your day - for example it makes sense to have the dishwasher next to the sink so you can just pop plates in it once you have rinsed them. Draw it all on your plan making sure you add there exact measurements to scale.  Things you need to think about are - where you store your food, where you prepare your food, where you cook your food, where you eat your food and where you wash it all up. Break it down into those key areas and you’ll soon have your plan ready. Think about lighting as well- is there sufficient light from the window or do you need to make it bigger? Do you want spotlights underneath top cupboards so they light up your work top?

3. Find your perfect kitchen. There’s lots of on-line retailers who sell kitchens at cost price, but I do suggest you visit a showroom first. Local DIY stores are great as well and you can see the kitchens in situe. Many offer the full package of installation and planning. Or if you feel like tackling the job yourself, just ask them lots of questions to make your life a little easier. You may find it cheaper to hunt around and source your appliances and cupboards yourself - if you have the time. If you intend on using your own appliances make sure you have measured them exactly and incorporated them into your plan.

Other top tips…

• Don’t plan for a door to be opposite the cooking area- accidents do happen. Cooking with hot pans and banging doors don’t work well together. Have space on either side of the cooker to put down hot pans. In fact, make sure all doors that go into the kitchen are hinged to open outwards. Check that they don’t have to be safety doors as well.
• Obviously don’t position cooker near a fridge or window. Make sure they have a vent and extractor fitted as well.
• If you’re keeping existing appliances make sure they fit under your new worktop- you would have measure dit all already so I’m sure you won’t have that problem.
• Fridges and freezers don’t really do corners as you won’t be able to open the doors properly. There’s nothing worse than trying to clean your fridge properly and not being able to get the trays out as you can’t open the door enough (based on bad experiences!)
• Position tall units on the end of a run of units.
• Don’t forget to leave room for your light switches.
• Think about if you want a sink with a drainer to the left or right- it will effect your layout.
• Don’t forget all the little extras- waste disposal systems are all the rage and are a great way to reduce waste.

And don’t forget, if you want fantastic tiles for walls or floors then visit our website.

Stone Deals flooring guide to not getting ripped off…

We all hate being taken for a mug. That niggling feeling you get when you’re trying to fall asleep and you realise that you didn’t actually get the deal you wanted. Instead you paid more than you really wanted to. You start to blame it on everything but yourself -the fumy smell of new carpet in the shop overwhelmed you and made you act irrationally. your partner kept nagging and the only way you could stop them was to make a purchase, you felt sorry for the ‘apprentice wannabe’ sales person and thought you’d give them a break. There are many reasons we can give ourselves for overspending, but the reality is, can you really afford to make that mistake when it comes to a big purchase, like your next flooring?

Choosing flooring can be fun, but it can also be very boring. Here’s our guide to make sure you get what you really really want, at a price that won’t give you nightmares.

Rule Number One - Don’t look at flooring

Before you even start looking at flooring we recommend you make a list of what you really want from your flooring, ask yourself:

• What’s the foot traffic like in the room? is it a busy room, that has people passing through it all day, or is it a room that’s used very little.
• If you need a hard waring floor, as in it’s a busy room make a list of your favourite floor options, and vice versa if it’s for occasional use.
• Check what’s underneath your current flooring - so you know what you can install on it. Make a note so you can ask a sales Person later on.
• Check your runners and skirting boards- will they be effected by your choice of new flooring?
• Where does the light fall in your room - draw it on your plan later on. The sun will naturally make floorboards fade and can effect all forms of flooring. Make a note of if you have blinds or curtains and where the sun rises/sets.
• What equipment do you have in the room. For example if it’s for the kitchen, mark up where your fridge/ white goods go - will they need to eb supported by the floor or are they built it? Or if it’s for the living room where’s the TV, is it free-standing or a plasma that’s hung on the wall. Do your sofas have felt protective pads underneath?
• Do you have pets? Consider the effect that the new floor will have on them. Do they have long nails that could scratch o wooden floor?
• Do you have young children in the house that like to sit on the floor? How will you feel if they are sitting on cold floor all day -or are you considering underfloor heating?
• Are you going to just change the flooring, or are you redecorating the whole room? if you are bear in mind what colour scheme will work with your flooring.
• Do you see the floor as a long term investment or are you planning to move soon. Do you want it just to look nice until you sell it, or do you really want to add value to your home?

Rule Number Two - It’s the details that count

• Know the exact measurements of the size of the room that you need the flooring for. That means getting your tape measure out and drawing a floor plan. Even if you can’t work out the square meterage just make sure you know the actual sizes (lengths and widths). A good sales person will be able to help you work out the correct size of materials you need to buy.
• Detail the floor-plan. Draw in entrances, wardrobes, alcoves, anything that needs to be covered with the flooring.
• Mark on the plan, what rooms are next to the room you’re working on and what flooring they currently have in them. It may seem silly but it’s important.
• If you have swatches of your wallpaper, curtains or any other inspirations for the room take them with you so you make sure you find your perfect flooring.

Rule Number Three - Show me the money

• Floors cost money. They are a big part of your home that is worth spending money on. Depending on the floor you choose, there will be added costs that you meed to think about, underlay, installation, grouting, adhesive, runners, shaving down doors, all extra bits that cost money that you should bare in mind.
• Always ask what the price includes - does it cover the sub-floor preparation or the removal of an existing floor?
• Ask for the quote in writing so you can compare 2 or 3.
• Make sure your get the most for your money- ask for any special deals they have on, ask if you can have a discount - don’t be shy, if you don’t ask you don’t get.
• Try and get a product warranty or guarantee with your product.

Rule Number Four - Now you’ve got the floor what do you do with it?

• Finding people to install your floor can be hard, especially if it’s a speciality product like natural stone. Look up recommend and registered installers and make sure they are fully certified.
• Again, we recommend you get 2-3 quotes as prices can vary greatly when it comes to installation.
• If you’ve ordered from the interent make sure you check the prodcuts before you sign for them and check their returns policy as well.
• Is it a project you could do yourself? You could ask for installation guidelines and try and tackle it yourself.
• Don’t pay for the installation until you’re entirely happy with it.

Holiday Homes are a great chance to let your imagination run wild. In hot countries stone is the first choice for all flooring. It helps keep the house cool and is easy to clean. Floorell can also arrange for natural stone tiles to be sent abroad, so just give our Sales Team a call if you’re interested. In this first picture, there is a mix of travertine tiles on the balcony, white tiles on the main floor which is teamed up with black marble as a trim. The entire house is top to toe white marble, which looks stunning. The black marble adds a nice touch as it is only on the stairs and used to define certain spaces. It’s also veyr easy to clean, just grab a mop and some warm soapy water.

It’s not unusal to see different stones placed next to each other abroad. We tend to shy away from it in the UK, but abroad it’s commonplace. Here we have honed and filled travertine sitting nect to black marbel steps and white marble tiles. All the coloumns are white with marble edges. It looks great.

All the tiles, travertine and white marble are cut into long oblong shapes. This works really well on this long balcony. The archways also helps the balcony look longer. Only the black tiles are small, which help frame the tiles. The same saize tiles are used throughout the house.

Another shot of the stone tiles from the opposite end of the balcony.

A closer look at the marble tiles. Marbles a great choice for stairs as it’s so hard wearing. Black marble hides the dirt really well.

Here you can see natural outdoor stone tiles sitting comfortably next to black marble staircase and white marble floor.

Spring cleaning is a funny thing.

Some people look forward to a chance to dust out the cobwebs and de-clutter their lives, whereas others look at as a dreaded curse that has been embedded in them from years of guilt tripping from the Mothers. The good news is, it can be fun. No seriously, following the top tips below you’ll soon begin to the see why so many people love it. De-cluttering and having a good old clear out can really make you feel better. But don’t take our word for it, try it for yourself!

The day before. Mentally prepare.

1. Take 5 minutes to sit down and think of just how beautiful your home will be. Make a list of things you’d really like to achieve. Focus on all the broken toys being thrown away, old clothes being given to charity, old catalogues finally making room for new ones. Think of all the nice compliments you’ll get from people admiring just how clean your home is. Then get a good nights rest because the next day’s going to be a combination of hard work and elbow grease.

2. Arrange in advance for the kids/ dog/spouse to either commit to helping or to get out of the house for the day. If you’ve got a couple of friends who don’t mind helping out - give them a call.

3. Stock up on cleaning products, clothes, air fresheners, loads of black bin liners, Charity bags, recycling bags, buckets, mops, vacuum cleaner and duster. An apron is optional. But I do recommend you wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty- just think you can throw them our later anyway.

4. Download your favourite tunes into your IPOD, or get a radio out ready for the next day. Music helps the day go past quicker and can distract you from what your doing. It will motivate you to keep going.

The day has come.

1. Start with a huge breakfast to give you the energy you will need.

2. Start at the top of the house and work your way down.

3. If you have kids helping, assign them to their rooms. That’s their area of expertise. Give them bags to fill for charity- old toys, clothes etc. And a black bag for the bin. Sorting out the bulk comes first, the cleaning comes second.

4. Throw away anything you haven’t used/ worn/ looked at in the past year.

5. Align books, change sheets, organise paperwork, shred old bills, clear masses of space. Move couches to clean underneath them, wipe down windows, wash curtains, wipe down walls - everything in every room should have been cleaned by the time you finish in the room.

6. Once you’ve de-cluttered it will be easier to see if you should re-arrnage the furniture. You may even feel the need to re-arrnage kitchen cupboards- if your needs have changed from when you first did them. Re- organizing things makes you move them around, so you’re more likely to clean the space underneath.

7. if you find you don’t have enough storage, take a look at places like IKEA or Argos, they offer great storage solutions. Once you’ve got a place to put everything, it will be much easier to organise.

8. Let the kids jazz up storage boxes with stickers or pictures to help them remember what goes in which box.

9. Once every-thing’s put away, you can begin cleaning. Dust first as it will save you going over things twice.

10. When vacuum shake some nice smelling fragrance on to carpet to give it a fresh smell.

11. Install some air fresheners around your home, to help it smelling clean and fresh.

The day after.

1. Treat your self to some new accessories such as cushions or a new bed cover just to reward your efforts and to keep you motivated to keep it clean.

Cleaning is like marmite - you either love it or hate it. As an obsessive cleaner I love to hear about new ways to make cleaning easier and quicker. So I thought I’d share some of my top tips with you. There’s no particular order, just a list of random points:

1. Did you know only 40% of people actually clean their bed mattresses? As we spend almost half of our lives in bed it makes sense to make sure it’s clean. Getting bitten by the bed bugs

(Literally) can’t be much fun. The best way to clean a mattress is with a vacuum. Flip it over and make sure you do both sides. Sprinkle baking soda over the top of the mattress and leave for a few hours. The powder will absorb any smells and can help prevent that musty smell that can happen. Then vacuum up the baking powder and you’re left with a clean mattress.

2. Regularly vacuuming your floors can actually make them last longer. So I recommend that you vacuum daily. But people often forget to empty the vacuum cylinder. Dust Mite larvae can actually breed in the vacuum cylinder, that’s why you should empty it after every clean. Taking care of your vacuum cleaner is just as important as taking care of your carpets.

3. Vinegar and newspapers aren’t just good for fish and chips- they’re a great combination for cleaning windows. (Yes, really). Simply mix up about 2 tablespoons of vinegar with 3 cups of water and put in an empty squirty bottle. Spray onto windows then wipes clean with newspaper- you’ll be amazed at the results.

4. Hairbrushes looking a bit dodgy? Stick them into a sink full of warm water and a cap full of shampoo. Leave them for about an hour, and then use them as a brush to clean each one. Gather all the hair and throw it away.

5. Is your iron a bit sticky? Make sure the iron is cool with no water in it. Then use a cloth soaked in white vinegar to wipe over the surface. Add some extra elbow grease on stubborn areas.

6. Keep a box full of cleaning products upstairs as well as downstairs. It will encourage you to give the sink a quick wipe before the build-up has a chance to get too bad. Cleaning wipes are a good way to quickly mop up odd spills and sticky toothpaste.

7. Use the brush from a dustpan and brush set to clean the tops of your doors. It will help get rid of dust mites and help to make sure your doors close properly.

8. The nice smelling clothes you can add to your dryer (like Bounce) can be used in many ways. Wipe your bin out with them to keep them smelling fresh. They also buff up taps really well. If you’ve got high ceilings, stick one on top of a helium balloon and it will pull all the cobwebs down.

9. If you’ve got stubborn stains in your toilet bowl (like lime scale build up) then empty a can of coca cola into the bowl and leave it over night. The next morning, flush and you’ll be left with a sparkling bowl.

10. Been painting and want to keep your brushes soft? After you rinse off the paint, wrap them in tights to keep them clean and soft.

These top tips were bought to you by Stone Deals.

Don’t forget to speak to our sales staff about our range of cleaning produicts available specifically for our products.

As you can see from the pictures my en-suite was in desperate need of an update.  With property prices dropping and the credit crunch still rife, I didn’t have a huge budget, but I really, really wanted to make a change.  So I contacted Stone Deals (the UK’s leading natural stone distributor to the trade) and asked for some advice.

Where the shower used to be

Hole for the new fan to help with ventilation.

After scouring their website and falling in love with their range of natural stone and porcelain tiles I decided on the Ampuria Porcelain tiles 9491mmx491mmx 9mm) with a Myra Noce marble boarder (75×285x10).  Their sales team were exceptional - they guided me through the whole process and advised me on what I would need to help me achieve the look I wanted.  With the sealant, grout, adhesive and delivery sorted (such a relief not to have to work out how much I would need all by myself), I waited for my next day delivery to turn up.  Which it did, on time and before I had to head off on the school run.  The delivery guy even helped me decide the best place to keep them safe in my garage.

The leak in the shower caused stains on the kitchen ceiling.

I have been wanting to update my en suite for ages.  It was mainly painted and due to a lack of ventilation (the fan broke two years ago), mould had started to appear in the corners, despite my attempt at bleaching it away.  Only the shower cubicle was tiled with large blueish tiles, but as the shower hadn’t been fitted correctly in the first place we had had a leak last year, which resulted in the kitchen ceiling being left with water damage.  Insurance luckily covered my kitchen ceiling, but not the shower, so my en-suite was left unused and pretty much the vain of my life for sometime.  I had always admired the natural stone bathroom-effect but was worried about cleaning them.  Again the website provided me with some useful information on how to clean the tiles, but I decided to go for the porcelain tiles as they look exactly like natural stone, but you don’t have to be as careful with the cleaning products you use.  As I have a cleaning obsession, we decided the porcelain was for us and would suit our budget well.  After dragging my husband around various DIY shops, tile showrooms and bathroom shops we found the best prices and quality on the Stone Deals website.

I took photos along the way and thought I’d share them all with you.  We were able to stick to the budget as one a family friend fixed the shower, which involved re plastering the whole wall and fixing the leak, he removed al our original units including the sink and under storage cupboard and fitted the tiles all at a great price.  It’s a competitive market out their at the moment so it’s worthwhile shopping around for the right fitter.

The walls were painted before, now it's top to toe in tiles.

We treated ourselves to some new accessories such as the towel hooks, toilet roll holder, new fan and a 3 door mirror to go above the sink to provide some extra storage.  We tended to go for a more modern look to complement the tiles. We also had the tiles fitted horizontally rather than vertically which made the room seem much bigger (plus I’d seen them designed that way in a home magazine and I really liked the look it created).

Laying the tiles horizontally makes the room seem bigger.

You can see the results for yourself - a new en suite for less than two grand isn’t bad- especially as people who see it are convinced that the tiles are natural stone.  I believe it has added value to our home which is what all the financial advisers are saying is the best thing to do through a recession - who knows?  All I know is that I am over the moon with my new en suite and I can’t thank Stone Deals enough for making it all possible.

Toilet area before...

Toilet area with one side tiled

Check out the marble Myra Noce boarder

New en suite toilet area - after shot!

New en suite toilet area- after shot!

We added a 3-door mirrored bathroom cabinet above the sink for extra storage.

New fan in the corner and modern towel hook.

In the shower cubicle - big improvement don't you think?

Toilet area in revamped en suite.

Using the right size grout line is important for technical reasons. If you are using a natural stone tile (such as travertine, marble or slate) and you use large grout lines, the tile can sometimes end up looking fake. We actually recommend that your set natural stone tiles with a 1/16″ grout line.  If you’re installing porcelain, or have tiles that are similar then try using smaller grout lines - they’ll look so much better.

Most people leave the size of the grout line up to the fitter, but we feel you should definitely speak to them beforehand, just so you’re not disappointed with the outcome. The general rules are that larger grout lines are used for tiles with less than perfect edges such as natural stone tiles, and smaller ones used for porcelain and uniform tiles. But each installer has their own unique style as well so make sure you discuss your needs with them beforehand.

General guidelines for grouting:

• Natural stone tile (such as Travertine, marble, slate) - 1/16″ or 1/8″
• Tile with a irregular shaped edge 16″ or 1/8″
• Common tile (Porcelain) - 3/16″, 1/4″ (safest bet) up to 3/8″ or 1/2″

Two different types of grout

There are two different types of grout -sanded and unsanded. Sanded grout is used in joints that are 1/8″ or larger and unsanded grout (natural stone tiles) is used in joints that are 1/8″ or larger.

Weber Stoneset Flexible SP Tile Grout £15.00 inc VAT

Stoneset flexible SP grout is a wide-joint, cement-based, polymer-modified tile grout for interior and exterior use in situations where some ovement or vibration is expected. It grouts natural stones and ceramic, porcelain, quarry and terracotta tiles.

Weber Stoneset Fine Wall & Floor Tile Grout £ 10.00 inc VAT

Stoneset fine wall and floor grout is a water-repellent, polymer-modified grout for natural stone, ceramic, porcelain and mosaic tiles where some movement or vibration is expected. Suitable for both interior and exterior use, at joint widths up to 10 mm.

A great example of how white grout can add contrast to dark slate tiles.

An example of how thin grouting lines give a smooth appearnace to these porcelain tiles.

An example of very thin lines of grout with marble tiles - you can hardly see the lines at all, giving an overall classy effect.

Going for a relaxed look?

Then why not try travertine tiles- they are naturally pitted and weathered surfaces gives an attractive, worn in look that’s perfect to create a laid back kitchen or sitting area. Ivory brushed and unfilled travertine tiles were £26.00 NOW ONLY £ 15.00 per sqm inc VAT.

Or why not opt for an easy to clean option? - like dark slate tiles that are great for hiding the dirt - great if you’ve got kids or pets. These Black Imperial slate tiles are available from only £15.99 per m2 inc VAT- TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEW BRASILIAN BLACK SLATE TILES ONLY £15.99 PER M2 INC VAT.

If you’ve got a large room to fill, create warmth with large-scale tiles in rich tones. These Jerusalem Desert Creme limestone tiles are available from only £37.00 per sqm inc VAT.

Add a touch of class with these white marble tiles that never fail to impress -just ask for Caria White Tumbled Marble tiles from only £ 27.00 per m2 inc VAT.

*Prices may vary due to stock availability, please cheack website for more details www.stonedeals.co.uk