Marble has been used as a building material since the dawn of civilization. It’s a beautiful and durable stone that can be used throughout your home. With the growing global economy, it’s also becoming more affordable for the average homeowner to choose marble counters, floors and walls for different areas around their homes. However, how much do you really know about this attractive stone? Here are a few interesting facts about marble flooring that you may not have been aware of.
1. It’s Originally Limestone or Dolomite
Marble is referred to as a metamorphic stone. Just as caterpillars go through a metamorphosis to change into beautiful butterflies, marble starts out as a softer stone. Over time, intense heat and pressure cause the original stones to soften and then recrystallize into marble. The colors found in marble are the result of impurities in the stone when it’s formed including sand, silt, iron oxide and clay. This is why you can find marble in an incredible range of colors including pink, grey, brown, black, and even deep red. However, the primary color is white, and this is the shade people are most familiar with.
2. Famous Structures Feature Marble
The Taj Mahal is built entirely out of marble, but it’s not the only impressive structure that features this durable natural stone. The Green Temple of Apollo, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Parthenon and other famous buildings are also constructed with marble. Even after concrete was invented and became one of the top building materials, people continued to use marble as cladding to make their buildings look more impressive. The Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial are just two famous buildings that relied heavily on marble.
3. Easy Care and Fast Cleaning
One of the great features of marble is that it’s easy to care for and quick to clean. In general, you only need a broom and damp sponge to clear the dirt and mud from a marble floor. This is one of the reasons it’s commonly used in public buildings and high traffic areas. Resistant to scratches and stains, it’s ideal for a busy household or a hospitality project where it will see regular foot traffic. Choose a polished marble for greater protection against stains. If you’re building custom homes, your use of marble is sure to make a positive impression on potential homebuyers.
4. Appropriate for Outdoor Use
The fact that some very famous buildings are constructed entirely of marble is evidence of this stone’s durability and suitability for exterior applications. If you love the look of marble flooring, you’ll be thrilled to know that you can even install it outside. One of the concerns with marble tiles in an outdoor living space is that people might slip, but this is easily corrected by choosing the right finish. While a highly polished stone seals all pores and smooths out the surface, a tumbled stone allows that rough finish to remain in the forefront. This creates better traction in damp areas and makes marble an appropriate choice for patios, pool decks, outdoor kitchens, and front entrances. Even though the pores may be more open, you can still avoid stains by sealing the marble regularly with a specially formulated sealer.
5. Cooler Looks and Cooler Home
Another surprising fact about marble is that it can keep your home cooler when the temperature rises. It’s resistant to heat, so it doesn’t change temperature the way other materials can. It’s commonly used in warm environments for its ability to help a home feel cooler when it’s hot outside. It’s considered a natural air conditioner for homes, but it also helps properties feel warmer in the wintertime. This more uniform temperature means that marble is a great choice for interior flooring regardless of where you live.
6. Versatile and Beautiful
Marble goes with practically everything. It looks amazing in any setting and you can change the décor without worrying about replacing the floors. This is not only beneficial for the current owners of a property, but it also boosts the appeal when a house is put on the market. The stones are very durable, so they’re not prone to breaking, cracking or chipping. This means that once your marble floors are in place, you can plan on enjoying them for many years to come.
7. Hypoallergenic for Better Indoor Air Quality
Carpet is known for holding allergens deep in the fibers, but this isn’t a concern with luxurious marble. This elegant flooring features a non-porous finish that keeps allergens and dirt on the surface where they’re easily cleaned away. People with asthma or allergy problems are often told to eliminate carpeting and go with hard flooring surfaces for this reason, and that makes marble a great choice for many families. In addition to making it easier to breathe, your house will also smell better when you use materials like marble that don’t hold stains, odors, and allergens.
8. Never Just a Tile by the Price
When you’re looking at flooring options, it’s easy to make a snap decision based on the price. However, marble is very cost-effective. It may cost a little more than wall-to-wall carpet, but it’s a far more durable material. While carpet needs to be replaced about every seven years, marble can withstand the test of time. With its versatility, it will always suit your décor and fit the current styles. This means that the marble floor you install today can easily become the only floor you’ll ever need. Even if you’re planning on selling the home in the next few years, remember that marble has a better return on investment than most other flooring options. Not only will you make your home more appealing to buyers, but you can also increase the price slightly when you’ve invested in marble floors.
9. Opening Up the Space
The light shade of marble reflects light and that makes any space feel brighter. In addition to making it more welcoming, it also opens up the space visually to make a small area seem larger. At the same time, the marble does allow some light to penetrate the surface, and that can give it an almost translucent look in the right conditions. People who have selected marble for their floors report that the play of light across the surface adds dimension and visual appeal to this already beautiful stone.
10. Marble and the Environment
Critics will say that marble takes too long to develop and is not an eco-friendly choice, but there’s more to consider. Marble is quarried and manufactured without the use of any chemicals, so there’s no offgassing to worry about. It’s biodegradable and can be fully recycled at the end of its life. Additionally, the fact that you won’t ever have to replace marble should also be taken into account. While it may take longer to form, it also has a much longer functional life. Many people consider this to be an eco-friendly option for these reasons.
If you’re ready to make the investment in marble floors, start by visiting Nalboor to view our inventory. We have wholesale pricing on high-quality stones, and we believe in providing our customers with excellent service. You’ll love how marble floors improve your home or take a project to the next level, and you’ll appreciate our low prices and fast delivery.