phMany consumers and some tile installers mistakenly believe that dimensional (natural) stone tiles are basically the same as ceramic and porcelain tiles. However, there are distinct differences which must be considered.
According to the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook, ceramic and porcelain tile installations require that the maximum deflection (the up and down movement) of framed floor systems shall not exceed L/360, where “L” is the clear span length of the supporting joist per the applicable building code. For natural stone tile installations, the maximum allowable deflection shall not exceed L/720. This means the floor structure for stone tile installations must be twice as rigid as those for ceramic and porcelain tiles.