Marble or tiles? The struggle is real! Both flooring materials are worthy in their own ways. However, when it comes down to choosing one objectively, you have a clear winner. At the same time, it all depends on your likes, requirements, and other tangible factors that make for a decision. Before we get into the detailed comparison, let’s first understand what both of them have to offer.
Marble is a natural stone flooring that’s been around for years. They give a natural-looking and elegant vibe to the space and come in several patterns. Vitrified tiles, on the other hand, are man-made tiles manufactured using the vitrification process. Simply put, this process strengthens the tiles to sustain more weight. These tiles also have a glazed surface that gives them a glossy finish.
Vitrified Tiles or Marble Flooring?
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Properties
As marble stone flooring is made with natural stone, they have some element of nature in themselves that remains unchangeable. If you want an earthy aesthetic going in your house, then your best bet would be the marble flooring. They have fascinating swirls and veined patterns that make them stand out from the rest of them.
Vitrified tiles, on the other hand, are better suited for a more contemporary and modern look due to their manifold designs and patterns. These tiles have a lower water absorption rate and are significantly more durable than their traditional ceramic counterparts.
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Variety and Finishes
Marble flooring is available in tiles, slabs, and blocks. They are also found in various shades. Interestingly, different shades of marbles have different water absorption rates. Most popular colours include white, beige, black, grey, and other pastel tones. If you like glossy surfaces, you can go for polished marble, while sand marble is your go-to if you love edgy and matte surfaces.
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Durability
When it comes to durability or the strength of the flooring, vitrified tiles win the debate hands down. Thanks to the vitrification process, they have added advantage of withstanding more foot traffic, making it an investment for a long time.
While marble flooring is also pretty long-lasting, the chances of chipping are pretty high as they are not good with heavy weights. Once chipped, the entire slab or tile will have to be replaced, leading to significant expenses.
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Maintenance
As marble is a naturally occurring material, it can easily react to weather conditions like moisture, humidity, and other substances like acids that eventually cause stains. To prevent any permanent spotting or damage, you should immediately clean the stained area once the marks are registered in your notice. Marble flooring will also require resealing periodically, which is another factor to consider.
Vitrified tile flooring is easier to maintain compared to marble flooring. Due to their low porous body, they can sustain water-based cleaning or any drops and spills. As tiles are readily available in various sizes, replacing a damaged tile is simpler than replacing marble flooring.
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Health Benefits
When it comes to health benefits, vitrified tiles can remain cold for a long time, causing certain issues to some people. This can cause unnecessary joint pain, with doctors generally tending to prescribe against them. Marble, being a natural stone, can be optimal as per the temperature. Moreover, if maintained well, it can be micro bacteria- free as well.
To sum up, both the materials are equally good and give an excellent return on investment in one form or the other. While settling for one, it all comes down to one factor – which material meets most of your requirements. Sit down with your interior designer or a tile expert and understand the nuances and intricacies of flooring to decide which one suits best and ticks the most boxes off!
Author Bio: Isha Tandon has worked within the architecture and interior design industry as a flooring consultant expert – specializing in tiles, stones, and terrazzo. She has worked with Orientbell Limited, a leading tile manufacturer in India, as a product development manager in the design team and has recently joined the marketing team as their digital content expert. Her experience comes in handy in understanding the audience as she creates value-driven functional & informational content for the readers. She creates lifestyle pieces that focus on interior design products, trends, and processes. She loves to travel to historic places with rich architecture.
