All About Marble
Marble, as we all know, has been in use for a very long time. Taj Mahal, Pantheon, Leaning Tower of Pisa are some great examples of the amalgamation of marble with architecture. Marble is undisputedly one of the most popular types of natural stone, and we can find it almost everywhere.
So before getting to know where and how we can use marble, it’s important to understand the material and its characteristics to be able to put it to better use.
Formation
Marble is a metamorphic rock. It starts life as limestone, a soft stone that, over time, is transformed physically and chemically due to immense heat and pressure. It primarily consists of calcite. Other than calcite, it often contains other minerals such as clay, micas, quartz, iron oxides, and graphite, which result in different colors in Marble.
Characteristics
Now let’s go through the characteristics of Marble -
- Marble is a dense material, making it hypoallergenic. So, it is ideal for families with smaller kids or people with allergies.
- Marble is resistant to heat, keeping its surface cooler than the surroundings. Hence it’s suitable for warm climatic zones.
- The purest form of marble is stark white. However, due to different mineral and clay deposits, the stone can come in various color ranges with spots or vein patterns in it.
- Marble is a metamorphic rock that will always react to its surroundings, especially if in contact with acidic substances. Different acidic agents have different reactions with marble affecting its durability. And to treat such affected marble, it is essential to find out the acidic agent.
- Marble is naturally porous, which makes it a soft stone. Hence it’s easy to carve even for small details and is an excellent material for sculpture. However, it also makes marble more susceptible to damage.
- Due to its structure, marble can be polished to improve its shine and is thus a common and attractive stone for building applications.
Types of Marble
As already said, due to the presence of different minerals and clay, marble can be found in different colors. Let’s look at few different types of marble -
White marble
White marble is the purest form of marble. It provides a clean, natural-looking finish to any application. It’s also great at hiding any scratch marks on it. Makrana marble, Morwad white marble, Indian Statuario marble, opal white marble, white Sangemarmar marble, Banswara purple marble are few varieties of white marble. A good quality white marble’s cost can start from ₹120/square foot in India. Venatino white marble, Perlato Sicilia Italian marble, Michaelangelo marble, Italian Statuario Marble, Botticino Marble, Golden Calacatta marble are few among the italian marble ranges available whose prices can start from ₹210/square foot.
Black Marble
Black marble offers an eye-catching design with white or gold veins running throughout its surface. As a dark color, it is recommended to use in well-lit rooms and wide spaces. It can be available in raw, brushed, bush-hammered, or polished finish. The available varieties of black marble include Indian black Marquina marble, Nadi black marble, and Indian black marble. The cost of black marble starts from ₹60 per square foot. And some of the available Italian marbles are Black portoro waves marble, Golden portoro marble, Imported black Marquina marble, and Italian carrara marble whose price may start from ₹400/square foot.
Brown Marble
Brown marble is a great option to achieve an ethnic look. It’s commonly used in living areas. Again due to its dark color, it is recommended to use it in well-lit areas. The available varieties of brown marble are rainforest brown marble, Ambaji brown marble, Torrento marble, fantasy brown marble, and Aggariya brown Lehariya marble. Brown marble’s cost can start from ₹40 / square foot in India. Other Italian marble ranges are Armani Brown marble, Dark emperador marble, Italian Dyna marble, Italian perlato marble, Perlato royal marble, Travertine marble, Crema marfil italian marble. Starting price of Italian marble can be ₹220 / square foot.
Green Marble
Green Marble is present in different shades and can provide freshness to the setting. It is widely used in the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms. Udaipur green marble, Spider green marble, rainforest green marble, emerald dark green marble, and Kesariaji green marble are few popular varieties of green marble. Green marble’s cost can start from ₹45 / square foot in India.
Yellow marble
Yellow marble can help add a rich and traditional look to the interiors. It can be used both indoors and outdoors for flooring, wall cladding, and countertops. Ita gold marble, antique rainforest marble, Jaisalmer yellow marble, rainforest gold, and Goldio marble are some of its available varieties. Its starting price is ₹70 / square foot.
Beige Marble
Beige marble can be used as flooring or wall tiles. One can find two of its variety, Katni Beige and Perlato beige marble. Its starting price is about ₹60 / square foot. Bianco beige Marble is among the Italian range marble with starting price ₹230 / square foot.
Pink Marble
Pink marble is preferred for flooring, wall tiles, and countertop. They are of different varieties like Udaipur pink marble, Banswara pink marble, classic pink marble, maharani pink marble, and Katni pink marble. Its prices start from ₹30 / square foot.
There are many more different types of marble available in the market. Kishangarh in Rajasthan is the largest producer and supplier of marble in India. Hence prices in Rajasthan are much lower than other states. The above mentioned prices are mostly in reference to Rajasthan and will vary in different places depending upon availability.
Usable forms of marble
Marble occurs in huge deposits allowing it to be economically mined on a large scale. It also allows for different sizes and forms of marble.
Marble can be obtained in crushed form to use it as an aggregate in highways, railroad beds, constructing foundations, and for different kinds of constructions.
Dimension stone is also produced by sawing marble into portions of particular dimensions. These pieces are utilized in monuments, buildings, sculptures, paving, and other projects.
Uses
Marble has been used as a building material for centuries and is suitable for many applications. It can be used for both structural and decorative purposes. Let’s see some of its applications -
Bathroom
In spite of its porous characteristics marble can be used in wet areas but with good quality sealant. It can be used in bathtubs, floor tiles, sinks, as a vanity countertop making a nice niece out of it, basically on any surface. However specially for wet areas the sealer needs to be maintained and re-sealed every few years, adding additional cost to maintenance.
Kitchen
In the kitchen too marble has been a popular choice for countertop, flooring tile and kitchen backsplash. In India generally dark colored marbles are preferred to avoid stains from spices.
Living Room
Living rooms can also have marble in the form of flooring, decorative items, fireplace surrounding etc..
Furniture
A lot of modern furniture designs uses marble like in tables, seating, and storage cabinets.
Sculpture
Marble is best preferred for sculpting sculptures due to its elegance and soft nature. It makes marble easy to carve intricate details.
Monuments and Religious places
Marble was considered the stone of emperors and Gods; hence, it found place in many notable monuments, cathedrals, and other historical places. Many Indian temples also use Marble.
Disadvantages
Although marble is an ideal building material in so many ways, it has few constrictions too. Like-
Weathering and Erosion
Marble specially placed outdoors can deteriorate due to wind rain and thermal change. It mainly happens due to harmful pollutants in the atmosphere, which react with carbonate in marble. The surface can also erode due to regular use. So avoid using marble on the facade.
Loss of Polish
With time and weathering, the surface polish of a marble becomes dull, and also loss of crisp-edged details in decorative carved areas takes place. Thus try not using marble in areas with heavy footfall, like commercial zone.
Staining
Discoloration of marble, whether general or localized, is called staining. It can happen due to marble coming in contact with elements like grease/oil, dyes, inks, organic stains, metallic stains and dust, soot, or pollution.
Maintenance
However, these problems can be handled if marble is maintained correctly. With proper care, marble can have a new look for a longer time. Few things that we can take care of are….
Regular cleaning
Regular cleaning will avoid the accumulation of dust and other harmful substances on the surface, keeping it safe from discoloration. Any spill on the surface should be instantly cleaned. For cleaning, soft dry mops should be used.
Avoid Scratches and Rust
No metal objects or rusty metals should be kept on marble for prolonged periods. It may leave scratches or orange/brown stains on the surface.
Avoid moisture
Some marble may contain Iron which will rust in contact with moisture turning the marble yellow.
Avoid vacuum
Vacuuming can easily scratch marble floors.
Choose cleanser carefully
The cleanser should have a neutral PH to avoid etching. The acidic cleanser should be avoided. Better to use a cleaner specifically for marble surfaces.
So this was all about marble. Starting from marble formation, we have discussed its characteristics, types, form, uses, setbacks, and ways to maintain marble for longer. I hope this will help you to make an informed decision from selecting a marble to taking care of it. And at Wishkarma you can checkout amazing good quality marble products.
Related links
https://www.houzz.in/magazine/what-are-the-different-types-of-indian-marble-stsetivw-vs~118383512
https://www.hunker.com/12343816/the-disadvantages-of-marble-flooring
