While there is no industry standard for quality when it comes to marble tile, there are some ways you can gauge the quality of the materials you are buying. Learning what makes a marble stronger, what makes it weaker and when these factors matter can help you choose the right quality material for your tile design.

I. Ask for the name and grade of the marble

Oftentimes the simplest way of determining the quality of marble. An honest vendor will tell you the names and grades of the marble they are selling and why they are selling it at the predetermined price. Some vendors would even go as far as highlighting the strengths, and most importantly the weaknesses of the marbles they are selling. That being said, it is also a good idea to do your own research beforehand (whether online or offline) about the marble you want to buy and the market price it is going on at.

II. Look out for cracks and fissure

The presence or absence of cracks and fissures is one of the most common element in determining a marble’s quality. Cracks will oftentimes make the slab of marble more fragile and prone to breaking. Examine the marble for veins on its surface and then flip the tile over to see if there is a crack, or fissure in the same place on the back of the stone.

III. Check out the slab’s thickness

A good quality marble slab should be straight and uniform in thickness. Non-uniform thickness results in uneven floor and table surfaces, and may cause accidents at home. Non-uniform thickness also poses risk when the marble is cut or transported, as there may be areas which are more prone to breaking due to uneven thickness.

IV. Check for dull patches on polished marbles

Polished marbles should have a uniform gleam. Examine the surface of the polished marble under a light, holding it at a 45-degree angle. If there are small, dull patches on an otherwise polished surface, the marble may have “fill” in small holes or fissures in its surface.

And there you have it! Here at Itamar, we are dedicated to always provide our customers with only the best quality marbles. Check out our stocks today!

What are the difference between natural stones, and how would each type best suit your need? Let’s begin with the three major types of natural stones: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks.

Igneous rocks are formed by the cooling of magma (molten rock) inside the Earth or on the surface. The extreme temperature of the magma resulted in a resilient and unyielding type of rock. Granite is the most famous example of igneous rock

Sedimentary rocks are formed at the earth’s surface by the accumulation and cementation of fragments of earlier rocks, minerals, and organisms or as chemical precipitates and organic growths in water. This results in slabs of rocks that are not as durable as igneous rocks. However, the ease of formation of these types of rocks make sedimentary rocks one of the most abundant natural stones available. Examples of sedimentary rocks are travertine and quartz.

The last of the three rock types, metamorphic rocks are formed by subjecting any rock type— sedimentary and igneous rocks or another older metamorphic rock—to different temperature and conditions than those in which the original rock was formed. This results in a so-called fusion reaction that changes the property of the original rock drastically. Generally speaking, metamorphic rocks are not as strong as igneous rocks but stronger than sedimentary rocks. Marble is by far and away the most widely recognized type of metamorphic rock.

So how do you choose between these three types of natural stones for your buildings? The answer is that it depends: if you want a strong stone that is mostly uniform in colour, go for granite. If you are looking for reasonable prices and earthen colours, go for travertine and quartz.

But if you are looking for class and elegance, marble is the surefire choice.

Get your best Italian marble only at Itamar today!