Before deciding to select whether you should go for marble slabs or marble tiles, there are some pertinent points that need to be considered. These include a judicious analysis of their properties like durability, maintenance, porosity, hardness, reaction to chemicals, stains, predictable quality and the available varieties. Here are some of the factors based on which you can make your decision.
Uniformity in Look:
One of the main differences between marble slabs and marble tiles is the process of making. Natural marble slabs are obtained from quarries in their natural form and are cut into the required sizes, but marble tiles are man-made and go through specific steps before they are cut to their final shapes. The quality of real marble slabs can vary significantly depending upon the quarries from where they are extracted. Even if a bunch of slabs are extracted from the same mine, the texture may differ from piece to piece. On the other hand, marble tiles are uniform in quality and texture as they undergo a pre-fixed production process.
This makes them ideal for use in spaces like your living room and bedroom to give a soft clean and uniform look.
Durability:
Marble tiles are very long-lasting and they maintain their glossy surface even after being used for several years. They also absorb less water, which adds to their durability. With advancement in technology, Marble tiles are durable to last for years if maintained properly. Marble slabs, on the other hand, are more porous which makes them prone to damage and less durable than marble tiles. The quality of the natural stone may not always be the best, which is not the case with marble tiles. Marble tiles are perfect for places with tropical climates like in India. Moreover, installing marble tiles is a simple and efficient process.
Maintenance:
Marbles are not stain resistant, so any spillage could leave permanent marks and spots. Marble being a natural stone reacts to chemicals and gets corroded easily. These can be cleaned only through polishing. In any case, marble slabs require to be polished from time to time if you want to maintain their look, which makes marble slabs a very high maintenance product. Marbles tiles can last long without any maintenance. They do not get stained or scratched and can be easily wiped clean. They look shiny and bright even after regular use for a long time. This makes them ideal for kitchens, dining rooms and children’s rooms where the risk of spillage and staining are higher.
Price:
Marble slabs are available only in certain pockets of India like Makrana in Rajasthan, Udaipur in Rajasthan, pink marble in Jaipur and a few more places having small quarries. Their transportation cost is quite high and the possibility of breakage is also added to the price. Moreover, quarrying is a labour intensive process. The cost of cutting and polishing just adds up to the overall price. On the other hand, tiles are much cheaper as they are made in bulk in factories. Moreover, tiles do not need to be polished regularly after installation, which reduces the maintenance cost of marble tiles.
Quality:
It is difficult for a buyer to differentiate between the quality of various marble slabs. Buyers have to depend on what the seller says. They normally end up selecting them based on the color and veins. However, the quality is assured in case of branded tiles. Also, they are normally sold through authorized dealers which means you don’t have to depend on individual sellers. Orientbell tiles has 2,500-plus outlets pan India and nine flagship stores known as Orientbell Tile Boutiques. You can view your nearest dealer of Orientbell Tile Boutique from our store locator.
Design:
Marble Slabs are available in many designs and patterns however not all are available in India hence making the imported ones either have limited availability or are extremely expensive. Marble tiles infact come in patterns and designs inspired from across the globe. The technology is so sophisticated that most international marble patterns can now be bought in and installed and they look absolutely amazing or even better than the actual marble slab. You can also explore the inspire series that has a range of marble from Bottochino to Traventine to ever so popular Statuario white tiles.
Within tiles, there could be differences in price depending on the material (ceramic, vitrified etc.), size of the tiles, designs, textures and other factors. You can easily choose the tiles using Orientbell’s Tile Visualizers; TriaLook and SameLook visualizer. Trial Look lets you try the tile of your choice in the area where you are planning to use it before you actually buy it. You can upload the picture of your living room or any other space you are looking to design, and then try different tiles in that picture to get an idea how they will look. SameLook can help you find the tile of your choice. Simply click a picture of your favorite tile and upload it & let Orientbell find the closest match for you.
While marble slabs come in various shades and of different quality, they are not always easy to maintain and require care. Marble tiles, on the other hand, are uniform in look, texture and size. Moreover, they are available at much competitive prices and are easy to maintain. Choose marble tiles for your home as they are more practical options and will also help you beautify your space.
