Which Marble is Best?
There is a wide range of materials used for marble related construction. Selecting the one that is right for every application doesn’t have to be such a daunting task. Here are a few tips to help you select the right marble for your project.
Floor Treatments in Entrance Areas
Marble floors are very beautiful and give a regal look to any room in which they are installed, and it is important to match the type of surface with how an area will be used. A formal entrance area is often a favored location for a smooth high gloss marble floor that makes quite an impression on visitors.
Marble in Bathrooms
Marble is a popular choice in bathroom floors, walls, shower enclosures, vanity tops, and on Jacuzzi tub surrounds. The marble can be highly polished or honed for a calmer and more subtle finish. Because of the wide variety of color choices in marble, it blends well with just about any decor.
Accent Marble Pieces
Marble is often a choice for windowsills, mantels, and fireplace surrounds. Some of the marble fireplace surround choices are quite impressive, including ornate hand carvings in antique gold calcium or two-toned contrasting colors.
Many people have concerns over installing a product as luxurious as marble in a fireplace area because it subjects it to soot, smoke, chips, and scratches. Fortunately, periodic cleaning, sanding, inspection, repair, and polishing of a marble fireplace surround return it to its original beauty.
Marble in the Kitchen
Kitchen countertops are a traditional use for marble and make quite an impression in the room overall. Kitchen islands are another location you might want to consider installing marble.
Marble is more porous than granite and it is subject to stains, but if properly maintained it will last forever and many still prefer its value and appearance over granite countertop surfaces.
Exterior Uses of Marble
In centuries past, marble was cut into large stones that were structural and used to build many types of commercial structures. To add a distinctive and classical appeal to the exterior of residential and commercial buildings, marble panels are often introduced as highlighted areas or entire exterior walls.
Most applications on exteriors today are large tiles set in special mastic to secure them to a masonry or stucco wall.
Choosing Marble
There are some who lean toward the pure classic elegance of white marble and there are those who like the sleekness of black. But those are not the only choices; colored marbles are very impressive and the choice depends primarily on the look you are trying to achieve.
Other choices to consider regarding marble concern the finish. Polished marble has a high shine and is more formal in appearance. Honed marble gives a softer look than polished marble and is more casual in appearance.
Another consideration when choosing marble is that being a natural stone, no two pieces are alike. This makes every marble installation unique which is another reason why it is valued so highly in so many different applications. Marble has been around for centuries, and it will never go out of style.
