MARBLE NATURAL STONE TILES
 

Pietra Grey	Royal Bottichino	Chira Mid Emprador	Crema Pacific
Perlato	Carrara	Crema Marfil	Emperdor Dark

Where does Marble come from?

Marble is a metamorphic stone formed from Limestone or Dolomite exposed to heat and pressure over years in the earth's crust. The pressure or force cause the Limestone or Dolomite to change in texture and makeup.

The process is called recrystallization. Fossilized materials along with original carbonate minerals, recrystallize and form large, coarse grains of calcite.

Impurities present during the recrystallization period affect the mineral composition of the marble which is formed. Compared to its parent rock, marble is much harder.

Marble Tiles are made up of various sized crystals and also has many variances in color because of the impurities that are present during the formation. Hence, marble can be white, gray, black, red, green, pink, banded and mottled. The purest calcite marble is white in colour.

Marble Tiles does not split easily into sheets of equal size and must be mined with care. The rock may shatter if explosives are used. Blocks of marble are mined with channeling machines, which cut grooves and holes in the rock.

Miners outline a block of marble with rows of grooves and holes. They then drive wedges into the openings and separate the block from the surrounding rock. The blocks are cut with saws to the desired shape and size.

The resultant stone is a smooth and very hard substance highly suited to polishing.

Where can you use Marble Tiles?

Marble was traditionally used in sculpture and architecture, suitable as a building stone or ornamental stone.

Among the most renowned sources has been the quarries of Carrara in the Apuan Alps of Italy. Marble Tiles was extensively used by the ancient Greeks; the Parthenon and other famous buildings were constructed of white Pentelic marble from Mt. Pentelicus in Attica, and the finest statues, e.g., the Venus de' Medici, from the remarkably lustrous Parian marble from Paros in the Cyclades. These same quarries were later used by the Romans.

Among the famous marbles of Italy are the Carrara and Siena marbles of Tuscany, which were used by the Romans and the Italian sculptors of the Renaissance.

Marble Pavers & Tiles are used as a material in statuary and monuments, as a facing stone, for pillars, colonnades, panelling, floor and wall tiles. Marble is the choice for foyers, flooring and bathrooms in 5 star hotels worldwide.

The durability and attraction of Marble as a natural stone is just unmatchable. Marble Tiles are one of the strongest natural stone tiles available and is a beautiful building material for both flooring and walls in wet and dry areas of your home.

Marble tiles are also a very good decorative option for backsplashes and wall cladding. Marble tiles are very versatile and perfect for kitchen, bathrooms and living room areas.

They look beautiful, sleek and clean and above all the striking diversity in appearance is note worthy. Marble tiles create natural look for any area as generally no two tiles are similar.

Marble Tiles ensure a unique and exciting look for your entire home along with being enduring for several generations.

Certainly, Marble tiles are a perfect choice when you require an affordable, stunningly stylish and long-lasting building product and can be both functional and aesthetically striking.

Whilst perfect for flooring, Marble tiles are also ideal for bathroom walls and any wet area. Idealy indoor Marble floor ties should be less than 20mm thick.

For use on bathroom walls the ideal thickness is 12mm. If used outdoors as a paver 30mm thickness is recommended unless laid on a concrete base where a thinner Marble tile may be used.

Common Sizes for Marble Tiles

Marble tiles come in a variety of sizes and thickness. Most common sizes for indoor flooring, walls and paving are 300mm x 300mm, 400mm x 400mm, 500mm x 500mm, 600mm x 600mm, 600mm x 300mm, 600mm x 400mm.

Larger and smaller tiles are available usually as a special order. Thickness will increase generally from 12mm for wall tiles, upto 20mm for floor tiles and 30mm for pavers.

Common Surface Finishes for Marble Tiles

Polished: The marble is sanded and polished, producing a shiny look

Honed: The surface of the tile is sanded to create a matte finish

Tumbled: Marble is tumbled with gravel and bearings, giving it a rough, aged appearance

Brushed: Using wire brushes to give the surface a worn, textured surface

Choosing the right Marble Tile for your Project

Marble Tiles are available in a variety of colours and banding. Common shades available are white, gray, black, red, green, pink, banded and mottled. The purest calcite marble is white in colour.

After colour variation another point to consider is the availability of distinct finishes. Marble is available in brushed, tumbled, polished or honed finishing. Each finish is very distinct.

The application areas of Marble Tiles at home are wide. The very popular use of this tile is in the bathroom floor and wall. The kitchen is another area of application that enhances the beauty of Marble under spot lights. Using spot light to highlight the exquisiteness of this tile is much admired. The mysterious shine of these tiles are bound to catch eyes. Additional gleam and shimmer add style to the kitchen interior.

Another very popular use of Marble tiles is on floors and entry areas. Marble tiles will last for many decades.

Installation of Natural Marble Tiles

Every Marble tile is unique as they are a product of nature. As such, Rosa Stone recommends the blending of Marble tiles.

The tiles should be set aside to dry prior to tiling to check for unsightly tiles and colour variation. If you have selected a large number of tiles you may want to mix them up to separate any batch variations.

Once you have installed the tiles we can not accept any responsibility for damaged tiles or wrong tiles being fitted.

Quite often the Marble Tiles appear darker than the samples you observed. This is generally because the tiles are wet, and only appear darker. All natural stone tiles are produced in a wet environment using a lot of water.

You will need to dry your tiles out before tiling to make sure they are the same shading to obtain the best blending.

Some natural stone tiles have little chips due to the packaging and movement during transit. This is normal and is accepted as normal in the tile industry. Always inspect and shuffle your tiles prior to tiling to get the best results.

Marble Tiles should be laid by a Floor & Wall Tiling Services Specialist.

Physical Properties of Marble Tiles

Physically, these are recrystallized, Hard, Compact, fine to very fine grained metamorphosed rocks capable of taking shining polish.