MARBLE - NATURAL MATERIALS
Marble is a very attractive, elegant and popular option for flooring as it gives a sophisticated look to a room. For this reason, it has been used throughout history in the finest buildings.
Here, I have described the Characteristics of Marble floor along with my rating. The overall rating will help you compare Marble with other flooring options.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MARBLE:
Composition: Chemically it is a limestone.
Physical Characteristics: Marble is hard, smooth, heavy, durable and can take very high polish. * 10
Occurence: Marble is a natural stone product obtained from quarries. * 10
Stains: Since Marble is a base, if any acidic substance (fruit product and juice, soda, vinegar) falls on an untreated marble floor it will cause a permanent discoloration/stain on the marble. Such spills should be wiped up immediately with a damp cloth. And, regular sealing of the marble tiles will help to protect them to some extent. * 6
Seamless flooring: Paper thin joints gives the appearance of a seamless flooring. * 8
Porosity: Marble is quite porous and so, is not water resistant unless it is sealed. * 7
Scratches: Marble has a low abrasion resistance and so, takes scratches. * 7
Choices: Marble is available in a wide choice of colours, textures and shapes. * 9
Maintenance: Mopping using water and a mild detergent is sufficient to retain its shine. But periodic polishing may be required. * 8
Cost: Marble is expensive. * 6
Green rating: Marble is completely bio-degradable and eco-friendly. * 10
OVERALL RATING FOR MARBLE: * 8.1
ADVANTAGES OF MARBLE FLOORING:
Beautiful: Marble flooring is beautiful, timeless and will always look as elegant as the day it was installed.
Natural Grains: Marble being a naturally occurring material, has unique grains and veins in the stones that gives it a life of its own. This flow and blending of colours is the most compelling reason to use Marble as flooring unlike man made material like terrazzo, ceramic/vitrified tiles.
Durable: Marble flooring is durable and long lasting. It can be polished any number of times without it fading.
Easy to maintain: Marble flooring is very easy to maintain because of it's highly polished surface.
Cool: Marble has an inherent ability to reflect heat and so Marble flooring is always cool underfoot.
Seamless flooring: Marble is available in big slabs of sizes 4'x2' to 9'x4' and can be laid with paper thin joints which gives the appearance of a seamless floor and the paper thin joints prevent dust accumulation and fungal formations.
Wide range: An exquisite range and choice of Marble is available to suit any purpose and taste.
Inlay: Flexibility in design and inlay work with other coloured Marble strips is a unique advantage of Marble flooring.
DISADVANTAGES OF MARBLE FLOORING:
Expensive: Marble flooring is very expensive.
Scratches: Marble has a relatively lower abrasion resistance and takes scratches.
Discoloration: Marble may yellow over time if it is of inferior quality and can get discoloured by acidic substances like juices, soda, vinegar.
Quality: Since it is naturally occurring, one cannot guarantee the quality and good quality is just a matter of chance.
Cracks: Marble can develop cracks easily.
Time consuming: Marble laying is very cumbersome and time consuming.
Very cold: Marble flooring can become very cold under feet in the winter.
Care in cleaning: For Cleaning Marble flooring only neutral stone cleaners or mild detergents can be used.
SUITABILITY:
Marble flooring can be used in all rooms of the house as it looks nice everywhere, is timeless and hygienic. However, since Marble develops cracks easily, scratches, chips and stains easily, it should not be used in rooms which are subjected to spills, dropped objects and water such as bathrooms, kitchens or children’s rooms. But Marble is expensive. Kota floor is a cheaper option.
