Confused between Vitrified Tiles and Marble Flooring?

When you walk into any room, your advancing steps are welcomed by the expanse of the floor in front of you. Floors are one of the first things that make an impact on you as you enter a room. If you don’t like anything in your room – from décor to the wall colour to the furniture – it’s quite easy to get it changed, but the same doesn’t apply to flooring. Changing your floor treatment is a challenging & time-taking process, hence choosing your flooring needs significant consideration and care. You might get confused about whether to go for a tiled floor or a marble floor and so we are here to ease your dilemma!

1. Properties

Tiles and marble are quite different in nature and bear characteristics that are unique to each other. Made from porcelain, clay or ceramic; tiles are man-made and manufactured with qualities that are fit for flooring. Vitrified tiles, being non-porous, do not absorb water or other liquids. This helps in making them stain resistant as well. Marble, on the other hand, is a natural stone that flaunts porous properties, hence being prone to absorption of water or other substances that might lead to stains. Marbles are also affected by acids or alkali, while tiles are resistant to these substances. But if regularly polished and maintained well, marble can lend an opulent look to your rooms. Marbles can make your floors look good life-long.

2. Durability

The strength of marbles is legendary. Hence it is a good choice if you want flooring with a long life span. If polished from time to time and cleaned regularly, marbles can last really long, even though they might turn yellowish with age. Tiles go through a process of rigorous vitrification during manufacturing and hence are endowed with the strength to sustain for a long time. But vitrified tiles have to be handled carefully to avoid breakage. Tiles might serve you well for the durability of their short life, but once broken or damaged, they have to be completely changed. Marble is a much more tolerant substance and if polished well at regular intervals, it can be your flooring for life. Don’t believe us? Go and see the Taj Mahal.

3. If Looks Could Kill

In today’s designer world, it’s all about the aesthetics – be it the décor, be it the wall or be it the floor. How your floors look to determine what impression they make on your guests. So, the style and design of your flooring need to be chosen carefully to complement your rooms and the rest of the décor. Marbles have always been the choice of the elite because of their opulent look and royal feel. The grain lines in the stones create a natural effect and the shine of a well-polished marble flooring represents luxury like nothing else. Tiles, nowadays, are being made with superior finishes – both glossy and matt – and exquisite designs that make an arty impact. But the grouting lines while laying tiles, if not installed well, can mar the high quality looks. If you are planning to give your house a regal look, then marble should be your flooring of choice. Doing up a contemporary, arty home? Go for vitrified tiles in eye-catching patterns and colours to complement the décor of each of your rooms.

4. Cost

Vitrified tiles are man-made and are manufactured to suit different cost-levels and budgets. You can find tiles of various styles that in all kinds of price ranges and installation of this kind of flooring is also cost-effective. Tiles can be bought ready-made and installed instantly, thus being low on both cost and installation time. Marbles are more expensive than tiles, as they are naturally occurring stones and sometimes are imported from various other countries. Marbles need to be cut to specific sizes and grinded before installation. Laying of marble slabs are time-consuming and a costly process, which entails polishing and finishing after installation.

5. Care & Maintenance

Floors are one of the most abused parts of your house – you walk on them, run on them, dump stuff on them, push around furniture, and drop things, hence caring for your flooring is very necessary to give them a long life. Your floors need regular cleaning and maintaining, without which they will get damaged easily. Tiles are resistant to water and abrasive substances, hence they can be easily wiped clean with water and a soft cloth. Tiles are not stained easily, so they don’t need much thought if swept regularly. Marble, being a porous stone, is prone to absorbing water or abrasion by acids or alkali, and hence needs to be maintained with utmost care. Clean your marble flooring regularly with lukewarm water and a mild detergent to remove stains, if any. Marble also needs to be polished from time to time to maintain its shine and lustre. You can polish it yourself or call in skilled experts to do so.

Let’s do one quick comparison between the marble and vitrified tiles –

Give your floors the treatment that complements the rest of your house. Both marbles and tiles can be used to get impressive floors, you just need to choose wisely and maintain them with love & care, so that your guests get wowed as they walk into your rooms.