Marble is widely used by people in interior decoration and art objects. Thanks to its pure and unique beauty, this material is highly appreciated for both its aesthetics and durability. So what is marble? What is the difference between marble and granite? Applications of marble in modern interior decoration? All will be in the article below.
What is natural marble?
What is marble is a question of many people interested in this product. Marble, also known as marble, is a type of rock formed from the metamorphism of limestone. Marble is mainly composed of calcite minerals (CaCo3 carbonate), micas, clay, dolomite, iron oxide, pyrite and graphite. They are formed from the process of combining the original carbonate crystal grains with other minerals under strong heat and pressure when buried deep in the ground. And over time, this mixture forms a block of interlocking calcite called marble.
At first glance, we can easily recognize marble thanks to its outstanding feature of swirling cloud patterns that do not follow any pattern. These stone patterns are formed by minerals and other impurities mixed into the mixture when forming the stone such as clay, silt, sand, iron oxide. The stone slabs often have gray-black, green veins, often caused by serpentine from limestone or by magnesium-rich dolomite mixed with silica impurities.
The most valuable point on marble stones is not their durability, nor their color, but their naturally beautiful sparkling cloud surface. That is why marble is exploited and used by humans in many interior decoration materials. Because it is a limited natural material, the stone is very expensive and is often used in luxurious, classy places such as: royal palaces, villas, churches, shopping centers, hotels.
Nowadays, people have introduced modern technology to increase the efficiency of marble materials. Therefore, they are cheaper and widely used in many more popular projects, suitable for many modern interior spaces.
Distinguishing between marble and granite
The concept of marble has been clarified. However, there are many types of natural stones that have similarities in color and pattern with marble. Specifically granite. So what are the similarities and differences between marble and granite?
1. About the origin
Both types of stones are of natural origin, but they are formed by different components and processes. As mentioned above, marble skin originates from the melting process of limestone. They are softer and more porous due to the calcium carbonate component.
Granite is derived from the melting and solidification of Magma over a long period of time deep underground. Granite contains Feldspar and Quartz. Through the process of heating and slow cooling, granite becomes extremely hard and solid. Therefore, they are often used for flooring or places that require high resistance.
2. Shape and color
With a similar appearance between marble and granite, they are quite difficult to distinguish and often cause confusion for many people. However, in reality, there are many differences between these two types of stone that help you easily recognize them.
Specifically, the typical pattern of granite is sparkling spots all over the surface of the stone. In contrast, the typical pattern of marble is the wavy cloud lines that do not follow a certain pattern, are sparkling and have fresh colors.
3. Durability
Originating from nature, these two types of stone have a certain durability and are not much different from each other. To be exact, Granite has a hardness of 6 - 7 on the Mohs scale. The stone is highly scratch-resistant, heat-resistant, does not fade or yellow, and is considered an ideal material for wall cladding, floors, and kitchen counters.
Marble tiles are not as hard as granite, specifically they have a hardness of 3 - 5 on the Mohs scale. Therefore, they are easily damaged when exposed to high temperatures. However, a variation of this stone, Danby Marble, mined in Vermont, has a higher hardness. Therefore, they are widely used in kitchen tiling.
4. Resistance to stains and yellowing
With the porosity of marble, their ability to absorb water and liquids can occur when exposed for too long and cause stains. Therefore, they should be used in dry places and should limit repeated scrubbing with highly corrosive chemicals.
Granite has an extremely low pore structure, thanks to which they can resist most liquids and chemicals. So you can use them for kitchen floors, bathrooms and outdoor projects without worry. However, to ensure durability and efficiency, you should apply an additional layer of waterproofing for them.
5. Waterproofing, stone adhesive and grout
To ensure the quality and aesthetics of the project, the use of waterproofing, adhesive and thorough grouting for both granite and marble is extremely necessary. So what is marble waterproofing? It is the use of specialized putty or glue to prevent water from seeping into the underside of the stone for a long time, causing damage to the stone.
Waterproof and grout thoroughly to avoid water and dirt from seeping into the grout, making the tiles brittle, fragile, and causing discoloration, losing the sparkling beauty of marble.
6. How to clean the surface of stone tiles?
The stone surface needs to be kept clean to ensure aesthetics and avoid damage to the stone. Particularly for marble, due to its more porous structure, we need to clean carefully and quickly when water is spilled on the surface to avoid damaging the stone. Moreover, you should not use cleaning products with too high a pH to avoid fading the stone.
Some beautiful natural and artificial marbles
There are many different types of marble in nature. They are distinguished mainly by color. And this difference in color is due to the different proportions of ingredients in the process of forming marble.
1. Natural white marble with gray/yellow clouds
It is a type of marble from Italy, another name for them is Calacatta. Their color is very special, on the surface of the stone there are very fine yellow and gray clouds, quite sparse and often broken. This is a type of stone symbolizing luxury used from the Roman period to the Renaissance and Baroque in high-class castles.
2. Natural white Carrara marble
Natural white marble, also known as Carrara, originates from Tosco - Emilian Apennines. The characteristic of this type of stone is the dark gray clouds intertwined on a white background. They are used in making furniture and works of art. The elegant color scheme creates class for your interior space.
3. Spanish Macael White
Macael White is a famous white marble in Spain. Since ancient times, they have been used for great architectural works, historical and artistic symbols of national significance in Spain.
Now, this material is widely used all over the world. Their characteristic is a uniform surface interwoven with large, faint white and gray veins. They have a long life and their aesthetics do not fade over time.
4. Black marble
There are also many types of black marble with different pattern characteristics. Specifically, there are black marbles such as: Negro Marquina (white marble / white veins), black and golden marble (golden veins) - Portoro, black marble with cloud veins, black lightning marble, black brown marble, black marble (marble) with ice flowers. Each type has its own characteristics, bringing a distinct shade to your interior space.
5. Yellow marble
In addition to white and black marble, yellow marble is also very popular today. Yellow marble has a distinct beauty thanks to its uniqueness and oriental meaning. Therefore, it is most popular in oriental architectural style.
Applications of Marble in Production Life
There is no doubt about the features and aesthetics of Marble. We can affirm one thing for sure that this type of stone is very popular in life and production today. Specifically, practical applications make marble more familiar to people.
1. Making sofa table tops, stone dining tables
Sofa table tops, stone dining tables can be said to be the most common application of marble material. With diverse colors, outstanding aesthetics and extremely sophisticated, marble table tops have conquered most of us. Both beautiful and durable, ensuring all the necessary requirements of tables.
2. Flooring
Thanks to its relatively high hardness, unique and novel patterns, marble is often chosen to pave the floor for space. Marble flooring brings abundant vitality to the space, helping people get closer to nature, and also creating an extremely classy space.
3. Bathroom wall cladding
Wall cladding is also one of the practical applications of marble cladding. They are often used for bathroom wall cladding because of their high resistance to baking, abrasion and scratches. In addition, another advantage of this material is that it is easy to clean and maintain.
4. Kitchen wall cladding
Kitchen wall cladding materials are always a topic of interest to many people. The kitchen is a space that contains a lot of moisture and grease, so kitchen wall cladding materials must be highly water-resistant. And marble can do that. Choosing marble for the kitchen is a smart choice.
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