FAQs

Natural stone is any stone that mined from the earth via quarrying, meaning the material is unaltered from when it comes out the earth, to reaching our customers (other than being cut into the desired size of course.)

Universe offer a broad selection of natural stones, a finely curated catalogue containing Slate Tiles, Travertine Tiles, Sandstone Tiles, Limestone Tiles, and Marble Tiles

The beauty of Natural Stone is that two pieces will never look 100% identical, this allows natural stone tiles to bring a unique feeling to every location they are utilised within, and create an environment that can never be truly replicated.

SHADE VARIATION - Shade variation is extremely common in the majority of natural stones, however, shade variation is one of the things that allows natural stone flooring to really bring a room to life!

VEINING - Veining is most common in marble tiles and is quite literally what it sounds like, a vein of alternate colour present in a tile, veins can sometimes appear to have a different texture to the rest of the tile, however this depends on the desired finish, for example, if a tile has a polished finish, the entire tile (including the veining) will be polished.

FOSSILS - At Universe, we never cease to be amazed by the fossilised beings, assumably millions of years old, that display their silhouettes within a variety of our natural stone selection. Fossilisation is most commonly found in Travertine Tiles, however can also appear in things such as sandstone and limestone.

Porcelain tiles are manufactured, they are made using finely ground sand, a material called ‘feldspar’ (a silicone based mineral, found in igneous rocks, that forms around 50% of the earths crust), and a type of clay called ‘Kaolin Clay’.

These materials are then mixed, and fired at heats typically between 1300, and 1350 degrees celsius to create a very dense material, that has a very low water absorption rate (around 0.5%).

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PORCELAIN AND CERAMIC

- A common misconception is that porcelain tiles and ceramic are the same thing. although process somewhat similar as they both involve clay mixtures being fired at high temperatures not same.

- The primary difference between PORCELAIN TILES and CERAMIC TILES is the difference in the density of the two materials.

- Ceramic tiles have considerably lower density than porcelain tiles. This makes them much lighter in weight, which is one of the reasons ceramic tiles are a favourite for indoor wall tiles. This difference in density also means that ceramic tiles are generally not suitable for outdoor use, whereas the vast majority of porcelain tiles are.

- Ceramic tiles are fired from a base mixture of red clay, whereas porcelain tiles are fired from a neutral white clay mixture, meaning that if damaged porcelain tiles do not reveal damage as easily as ceramic .

Limestone is a sedimentary rock primarily composed of the compound CaCO3, which is commonly known as ‘Calcium Carbonate’. This term ‘sedimentary’ is derived from the word ‘sediment’ which by definition is ‘matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid’. This is why it is common for Limestones to contain fossilisation marks, as the sediment that creates Limestone, is the result of both pre-existing rock, and once-living organism’s falling to the bottom to eventually become sedimentary rock. This process is what gives many limestones its signature layered look, as the rock is formed by many layers of sediment being compressed and compacted together over time.

Marble begins its lifecycle as a limestone, meaning it is primarily composed from Calcium Carbonate compounds. It then undergoes a metamorphic transition, meaning it is impacted by large amounts of heat and pressure. This causes the limestone to begin to crystallise, and form the material that we recognise as ‘marble’. Marble is such a desirable material for multiple reasons, as from a structural perspective it is very strong, yet it can be polished into finishes somewhat reminiscent of gemstones, and other precious materials. Marble is the complete package when it comes to stone flooring, and possesses some of the most beautiful naturally occurring colourations in any material used by mankind, marble is traditionally recognised as white marble, however marble can vary in colour immensely, depending on the location in which it was mined.

Slate is a metamorphic rock that is formed in low-pressure environments, it is primarily composed of quartz, sericite, and various ‘Chlorite’ minerals. Slate is commonly described as a ‘hard and brittle’ stone, this is due to it being categorised as what is known as a ‘shale’ rock, which is commonly described as any stone that has a tendency to split itself into layers less than 1cm in thickness. Slate is an incredibly versatile material and can range drastically in both appearance and texture, making it a perfect choice for a plethora of different environments.

A sample pack contains 3 ‘swatches’, which means a small, easy to transport cut of the tile(s) you have selected (approx 250mm x 100mm in size each).

The sample pack costs £5 for 3 samples, and will be despatched immediately to the desired location. This price is fixed regardless of what tile samples are requested. The cost of the sample pack (£5) will be deducted upon completed purchase of any full size tiles

Providing the selected product(s) are in stock, the order will likely be packed and despatched within 24 hours of the order being received and confirmed.

Once despatched, 90% of orders can be delivered to the desired location within 3 to 5 working days..

The logistics agencies that we use offer express shipping services (depending on location), however, express shipping will incur a higher delivery cost.

We encourage any customers who encounter this issue to document the damage immediately, preferably with photographic evidence. This allows us to make our case to the logistics agency and arrange for them to collect a replacement order.

If the unfortunate scenario occurs in which a customer is unhappy with the products they have received, we have a 24 hour window after a customer receives delivery in which they are able to request a return and receive a refund.

However, our returns policy states clearly that upon purchasing from Universe Tile and Stone, customer’s are agreeing to cover any incurred shipping cost of returning products.

The logistics agencies that we work with use midsize lorries to deliver orders, the order will arrive in a crate, or on a pallet (depending on the order), that is wrapped in polythene shrink wrap. The operator(s) of the lorry will proceed to use a ‘pump truck’, which is essentially a hand-operated hydraulic forklift, and manoeuvre the pallet/crate to the rear end of the lorry. Where it will be positioned on the tail-lift, and carefully lowered to the ground.

The crate/pallet can then be moved anywhere within the capabilities of the pump truck, which can also depend on the strength of the delivery operator.

When ordering from Universe, we ask you a brief selection of questions regarding the terrain of the requested delivery address, it is essential that these questions are answered honestly and accurately, to ensure that your order can be delivered safely and efficiently.

Our delivery price is a standard £55 per pallet charge

The number of pallets is calculated based on both weight and size, the maximum weight that can be shipped on a single pallet is 750kg when it is being delivered by tail-lift lorry.

Delivery time is 3 to 5 working days on average.

Our Delivery Self Assessment is comprised of a few questions that allow us to more easily understand if the delivery of your order will result in any additional complexity, or irregularities in how we need to deliver your order, to ensure we are able to maximise both safety, and efficiency of the delivery