Marble floor tiles are generally the choice for homeowners who want an elegant, glossy add-on to their home flooring requirements. Marble floor tiles are certainly not a cheap option for homeowners, and they do have a long way to go before they become as common as wood parquet or vinyl floor tiles.
However, one good reason for utilizing marble in exterior or interior home use is that marble has the best all round value for money, design, durability and enduring style, according to interior designers, engineers and home decorators. This type of stone has been a staple for good quality construction and design, and used on opulent homes, front porches and court yards for centuries.
Marble tiles are not just being used on the floors though. Some have installed beautiful cast-iron fireplaces which have a classic style marble mantle, The contrast between the rustic design and nature of a house and the old-world allure of marble floor tiles gives a distinctively elegant feel to it, and adds up to relaxing, formal feel to any home.
Marble floor tiles are not only considered appealing to the senses, but they also have general health benefits. The dense surface of the marble tile does not have pores that allow allergy-inducing irritants to gain a foothold, in contrast with some types of wood, rugs and carpets.
Marble floor tiles are considered easy to clean, they can be quickly washed with a single sweep of a mop. Because of this, marble floors make for a perfect quality flooring both indoor or outdoor and requires basically little maintenance, and still does not fail to show off a constant, natural sheen.
Marble tile surfaces could also be easily treated with disinfectants that work best on hard surfaces. Interior design consultants find it better having sanitary marble floor tiles as opposed to wood flooring in kitchens and bathroom areas. Marble tiles are also advisable fort use in entry ways, since this areas are often filled with dirt and germs as people come and go.
It is unwise to think that marble tiles could just be used indoors. These types could be considered ideal patio coverings and for use in front-porch stoops. One can permanently match the marble tile to precast concrete walking pads to create wonderfully crafted garden stepping stones. However, should one decide to use marbles floor tiles outdoors, it is advisable for one to check if these tiles meet standard slip-resistance requirements, since exterior tiles have surface textures that allow them to be slip- resistant.
Reputable tile providers often produce special outdoor tiles that have a slightly gritty, semi-coarse surfaces, even though the tile is glazed. The invisible grit surface provides excellent traction when the tile becomes wet. In order to be used outdoors,the marble tile must be frost-proof and unglazed for floor use, and the moisture absorption rate should be around 0.5% or less.
It is advisable that slip-resistant tiles be used outside in areas exposed to the elements such as heat, moist and rain, or around swimming pools. Exterior tiles are generally rated to indicate their particular slip-resistance modes. It would be prudent to keep in mind that there would always be a trade-off between slip resistance and maintenance and cleaning, since slip-resistant tiles will accumulate more dirt and will generally need more caring and constant upkeep.
