When it comes to outstanding building materials used in offices and homes, marble is taking precedence due to its quality.
“If you happen to be an ancient history buff, you’ll likely recall that the Greeks and Romans loved marble for their building and for the showy accents inside and outside. They had good taste and many of those buildings are still standing today; a testament to fine architecture and the smart choice of marble,” commented Dean Dupre who runs Champion Tile, a Clearwater Flooring, Tampa Flooring, and tile installation company.
The Greeks and Romans, and now many American homeowners, gravitate to marble simply because it is resilient, beautiful and timeless and has personality. “While the tiles may vary in color, this is simply a part of their innate attractiveness and why they are unique; it’s a choice you can’t beat when it comes to making your home your castle,” said Dupre.
Marble can’t help but be different. It’s formed under intense heat and pressure and since it’s primarily comprised of limestone, it creates different anomalies within the rock itself: textures, veins and coloring. Put another way, when marble is created it is re-crystallized, which means fossil materials and other elements, including minerals, are pressurized while being subjected to intense heat during its creation.
“Do you want real marble or fake marble? That’s always a good question, because real marble tiles do need to be taken care of rather meticulously. They hate acidic things being spilled on them and need regular cleaning with hot water and a soft cloth. Any spills need to be dealt with immediately. Some people don’t care for that kind of labor intensive tiling,” explained Dupre, who runs Champion Tile, a Clearwater Flooring, Tampa Flooring, and tile installation company.
For those that don’t want to seemingly be cleaning all the time, fake marble tiles might be an alternative choice. They don’t need the same amount of care, but do contain a small percentage of marble in their makeup. In fact, fake marble is usually mixed with polyester resin, which increases its durability. Stains are not as big a problem with the fake tiles either, but they too need to be cleaned.
“Largely, what you want in tiles is often dictated by how you feel about constant tile care and what your breakpoint is for pricing. Real marble is a bit pricier than fake marble – or at least it should be, but I have seen people sell both at the same price. In the final analysis, it all boils down to what works for your lifestyle. Just make sure to ask your flooring contractor the pros and cons, and from there you can make an informed decision,” advised Dupre.
To learn more, visit http://www.champtile.com.
