Is Marble Flooring Right for My House?

Time and time again, we’ve seen how marble is beautifully used in some homes…and let’s be honest, we all love it.

Its ageless beauty and iconic style statement make it one of the most sought after material for flooring and countertops in the housing market. And it’s not without good reason either. Marble has some pretty solid selling points, and it’s widely coveted for those. However, because of its glamor, some homeowners don’t study it’s demerits well enough to know what they are signing up for.

All we are saying is that just like how everything else has benefits and disadvantages, marble too is cut from the same cloth. In no way are we saying that you should not choose marble. On the contrary, we are only here to help you make an informed decision after weighing the pros against the cons. After all, who wants the buyer’s remorse, right?

Whether you’re still loyal to marble or not after weighing in on this list — it’s not a problem so long as you don’t make any decisions without fully understanding everything.

But before we get to the details that,  let’s talk about some of the most popular marble flooring options available in the market.

 

1. Carrara Marble

A very widely used marble, Carrara is of grayish-white color and has subtle gray veining. It is not the most royal marble out there, but it has a lot of flooring applications due to its affordability.

 

2. Calacatta Marble

Being a rare marble, this is a very lavish and expensive marble indeed. Appearance-wise, it differs from the Carrara marble, with its dark and thick veining patterns over a white background. It’s widely fancied in high-end homes for its luxe factor.

3. Statuary Marble

With a translucent white background and dramatic veining, this marble is another exciting option. Also considered luxe, thanks to its perfect balance of white and dark hues, it’s perfect for flooring patterns.

 

4. Emperador Marble

This marble comes in various shades of brown, accompanied by irregular veining. It offers a fresh deviation from the usual light shades that marble comes in.

5. Crema Marfil Marble

While it has numerous color variations, the conventional design of this marble is in hues of beige and yellow with veining of varying intensity. It gives an almost Mediterranean vibe to every space.

 

6. Talathello Marble

This marble is of a light grey background with speckles of silver or beige in irregular vein forms. While it almost blends into outdoors because of its colors, it can also lend a dramatic statement to the indoor space.

 

7. Levadia Black Marble

A striking black marble with light gray veining that makes a style statement when used for flooring.

 

The Benefits of Using Marble Flooring for Your House

 

1.  It’s Aesthetic

Undoubtedly, marble flooring gives off a really high-end and exclusive vibe due to its unique designs and variety. The special thing about marble is that each slab is truly one of a kind, and the exact veining patterns are never found in any two slabs. Marble is a natural stone; thus, every slab has a distinct crystallization pattern; hence making it a unique selling point.

Therefore, you can be sure that your design will not be available anywhere else, thanks to its distinctiveness. So if you’re the kind of person that doesn’t like to own what everyone else owns, marble is your best bet.

 

2. It’s Durable

Marble is highly durable and can withstand a high volume of foot traffic. Due to its durability, it also has a long shelf-life — making it an absolutely worthy investment.

Great monuments of yesteryears used marble, and they’re visited by thousands even today. And if marbles can last graciously in those monuments, a house in comparison is a very small feat for marble flooring.

 

3. It Adapts to Different Temperatures

Next, marbles can withstand high temperatures and frequent temperature changes without expanding or cracking, unlike hardwood or some laminate flooring.

Let’s say, if you were to install radiated heating in your flooring, the marble will do its job, and make your flooring wonderfully comfortable to walk on during cold weather too. In that way, it affords you the flexibility that many other options don’t. At the same time, it tends to be exceptionally cooling during hot weather, and this adaptability is a great feature to invest in.

 

4. It is Relatively Easy to Clean

Marble has a really smooth surface and that makes cleaning it hassle-free. All it takes for your marble flooring to shine is a wee bit of mopping, and voila.

Supposedly, if you were to spill anything on your marble, you don’t have to worry. Get a clean wet cloth, some cleaning solution and wipe it off…and the damage is prevented. Marble doesn’t stain easily, and with the right TLC, it will always look as good as the day you installed it.

 

5. It Adds to Your House’s Resale Value

By now, you already get that marble can be a fantastic addition to your house, but you should know that it’s even more fantastic to your resale value.

You will never go wrong with marble flooring in your house because of its look, feel, and durability. And all these features abet new homeowners to buy your home easily too. I’m sure, you also understand why. After all, all new homeowners want a home that requires minimal to no remodeling; and thanks to marble’s popularity and aesthetic value, that situation is easily averted.

Long story short, everyone knows that marble is timeless, and as a result, your resale value is safe and sound.

 

6. It Brightens Up the Room

The moment the sun hits your marble flooring, it instantly transforms the surroundings to be dreamy. The transparency works in your favor as the reflection naturally brightens up the surroundings; thus not needing much help from your lighting.

Besides, this does wonders for your space too — making it appear more spacious than it actually is. Furthermore, this feature helps your resale value too, especially when new homeowners walk in on the perfect moment to witness this in action. It’s hard not to be sold by a well-lit room, after all.

 

So, now that we’ve covered the benefits of marble flooring, let’s take a reality check. There are definitely some downsides too. Mind you, they are not terrible. But it’s only practical to cover your bases and know what you’re getting into before committing to something that you can’t change very easily for the next few years.

 

The Disadvantages of Using Marble Flooring For Your House

 

1. It’s Difficult to Replace

Because marble designs are unique and one of a kind, and thus, getting replacements is genuinely a challenge. Say, you damage a portion accidentally. Getting a replacement that matches the veining pattern of the rest of the space is not going to be easy.

And we have to be practical when we consider this. Damages can’t be ruled out to any material, no matter how sturdy it is. There can be accidental damage, or just time doing its job. Now, chances are that you may want to replace the entire flooring, and well, that’s not going to be that pocket-friendly. And like we already mentioned, partial replacement isn’t an option either because finding a tile that matches your original design is basically like finding a needle in a haystack.

So the best solution is to buy extra pieces of your current marble tiles as a backup. You’ll save yourself from the hassle of hunting down design that’s close to yours.

 

2. It’s Porous

Marble is a soft material, which also means it’s porous.

As a result, liquids of any kind tend to be easily absorbed. In the long term, this could damage and discolor your marble flooring.  To prevent this from happening, you need to ensure that your marble flooring is regularly sealed. It prevents it from absorbing the stain off of any liquid.

 

3. It Can Be Easily Damaged

Besides being porous, marble can get scratched easily too. And with the smooth surface of marble, the scratches are very obvious to the naked eye, and that mars its beauty.

Furthermore, marble is exceptionally vulnerable to acids. So should anything acidic get in contact with your marble, chances are your flooring would stain and discolor easily. You can avoid this if you clean it up immediately. Or else, the long term effect would be a very faded marble, and the only way to save it would be to polish it or replace it.

 

4. It Might Be Slippery

The smoothness of marble surfaces is one that we definitely appreciate, but not so much when it’s wet. A freshly polished marble floor is smoother than usual, which may require you to walk with caution. A wet one, however, would more than likely cause you to fall.

So to avoid danger, don’t walk on a wet marble floor. Or if you’re willing to try something new, the honed marble is a good alternative. The texture has more grip and decreases slipping hazards.

 

5. It Can Be Relatively Expensive

It’s common knowledge that marble is expensive. However, depending on the type of marble and the cost per square feet, prices may vary. And when you factor in installation and fabrication, bills may rack up. Add in the fact that replacing your marble is a difficult task, and you may wonder if the expenses are worth it.

On the flip side, you have to also consider its excellent on your resale value. Eventually, the decision is based on both the considerations: the resale value and the expenses. Any which way you are inclined, be sure that it’s your needs and comfort that you consider first.

 

6. It’s Not Easy to DIY Marble Installation

If you think you can cut costs by installing your marble flooring on your own, you’re absolutely wrong. Although marble can be easily installed, only an expert knows how to do the tiling flawlessly. Also, in certain areas where the marble needs to be cut, especially in corners and nooks, the measurements need to be to the point. Chances are, only a professional will have the experience and tools to handle that.

It may be an extra expenditure, but it’s truly worth it when the end product looks great. So, if you don’t think you can spare the additional cost for installation, then it’s best to find a suitable alternative.

 

7. It Can Be High Maintenance

Maintenance is the key to the long shelf life of anything and everything. And marble being such beauty requires consistent maintenance, which can be costly.

First, to combat the porousness, regular sealing needs to be done. Then you need to also be picky about the cleaning materials that you use. While some will make your marble shine, the wrong ones will instantly destroy its beauty. You may also need to invest in regular polishing to ensure it doesn’t lose its shine. It is even more important if your marble has become discolored after years of use.

No matter how much you avoid spilling anything on your marble flooring, you still need to give its required TLC to look its absolute best.

 

Should You Get Marble Flooring For Your House?

Marble can be a worthy investment or an expensive mistake, depending on your lifestyle. As mentioned, everything has its pros and cons, and marble has some pretty solid ones at both ends of the spectrum.

So the best way forward is to consider all options and to look at the big picture. You should decide on what’s best for you in terms of your needs, comfort, and budget, and then make a decision.