Most people choose marble for their homes because it is an astonishing tile and flooring option that provides a peak of sophistication for your home.
However, marbles are expensive, and tiles that look similar to marbles are much more affordable and can be found in diverse hardware and specialty stores. They have diverse colors and patterns that you can select from.
For years now, marble has been rated among the most popular and most heavily desired materials used for building purposes.
However, when faced with the expensive side of marbles, most people are confused about what to do next.
To have the sophisticated look of marbles, there are alternative materials such as ceramics and porcelain that imitate marble.
Types Of Marble Alternatives
Some of the materials you can purchase in the market that imitate marbles are:
Vinyl Floor Plank
It is surprising to note that vinyl has come a very long way since the start of the century.
Thanks to the current printing and even photographic innovations, vinyl has the ideal makeup to imitate and feel like stone or wood.
Back in the day, vinyl was majorly used for the bathrooms, kitchen, and areas in the home that had water and moisture.
Currently, vinyl is used in every part of the home not just for its water and dirt resistance but for its durability and resilience.
Pros Of Vinyl
- It is durable
- It is easy to not only clean but to maintain as well
- Its surface is softer than tile and wood floors
- Highly affordable
Cons Of Vinyl
Its disadvantages include:
- It can be discolored as a result of continuous exposure to sunlight
- It is not biodegradable
There are rubber materials that can cause the vinyl floor to get discolored, and even though it is not biodegradable, it can be a hundred percent recycled.
Porcelain Tile
The market for porcelain is a big one as they look exactly alike to Carrara marble. With this, the Carrara-look porcelain tile is the most popular alternative based on how it perfectly resembles the real Carrara marble.
It is also the most highly sought-after and recommended porcelain marble-look tile by lots of expert interior designers as well as decorators. This is because this porcelain simply encapsulates some features of the Carrara marble like:
- Durability
- Natural veining
- Smoothness
Relying solely on the location of the marble and the sort of effect you really desire to have; you will surely discover diverse styles and colors that will match the look you want for your home.
Some of the popular Carrara marble-look porcelain tiles include:
- Olympia tile
- Julian tile
- Ames Rocciaseries Bianca Carrara
- Tierra Sol
While it depends on the price range you want, porcelain Carrara tile is actually very affordable. Note that some of these tiles are $10 per square foot, but the prices differ.
Pros Of Porcelain Tile
Some of its advantages include:
- The porcelain tile has a water absorption rate that is very low
- They are great even in cold weather conditions
- The porcelain times are really dense and capable of withstanding any form of heavy usage
- The tiles are durable for a long-time frame, and this makes them the perfect choice for value over time
Cons Of Porcelain Tile
Some of its disadvantages include:
- They are much more expensive than even ceramic tile
- The tiles are hard to cut and frequently demands the aid of an expert
- The porcelain finishes can easily chip away and reveal the sturdy clay color that is underneath
It is quite clear that porcelain tiles are actually the choice of most people when placed side by side with ceramics.
As a highly rated product in the building industry, its standards are set high. It’s durable quality also makes it a desirable material for the majority of its consumers.
Ceramic Marble Tile
One thing to note is that the ceramic Marble Tile is rated as another healthy and popular option to the real marble. It is also rated as an alternative to porcelain, which is actually the most regular material used in making faux marble tiles and flooring.
Nonetheless, porcelain and ceramic Marble tiles have their cons and pros based on whatever you are seeking in your home. Some people try to debate that porcelain and ceramic are simply the same.
They claim that you will get the exact same values and looks from both of them no matter what you are paying for. However, while some argue in favor of porcelain over ceramic Marble tiles, they are both viable alternatives that are worthy of purchasing.
Pros Of Ceramic Tile
There are diverse advantages of ceramic marble tiles, and they include:
- They work for hotter temperatures, and this makes them an ideal choice for desert homes
- Ceramic marble tiles are much more lightweight than porcelain tiles
- They are cheaper than porcelain tiles
- The ceramic marble tile is simple to cut for those who may want to make do-it-yourself tiles for their own homes
Cons Of Ceramic Tiles
Some of its disadvantages include:
- The ceramic is porous and much more water-absorbent than porcelain tile
- It cannot withstand heavy usage
- It is not recommended for installation outside the home
While ceramic tiles are not as sought-after like porcelain tiles, they are both available on the market for alternatives to marble tiles. You should have it in mind that ceramic and porcelain times are grouped under ceramic materials.
They are both created with fire and clay in the same ways. It does not matter whether you chose to use porcelain or ceramic; you will find a vast variety of faux alternatives that may meet your financial and aesthetic preferences.
