What the marble...?

Natural stone and marble effect porcelain tiles have been massive in the porcelain market for years now. Most clients always question why go for replication of the look when you can go for the real thing? 

Let's clear one thing first - nothing can replace the real beauty of natural stone. However, natural stone can be pricey, especially if you are going for a quality product. Many polished porcelain tiles are available in 300x600, 600x600, 800x800, 1200x1200, 1200x2400 that replicate various natural stone looks with the added bonus of less maintenance and most also have a matching matt equivalent for floor applications.

Secondly, some natural stone tiles need ongoing care and maintenance to preserve it's natural beauty. Treatments can be quite expensive and time consuming to carry out. Porcelain floor and wall tiles are great when it comes to maintenance. We normally advise against using strong chemical cleaners (as the tiles are normally sealed at the time of manufacture), so simple detergents like washing up liquid paired with steam mops are great to keep your tiles looking brand new.

Normally, the above is sufficient to opt for porcelain marble tiles. The only additional point (and probably the most important) to consider in making a decision is if you are using it for walls - can your wall take the weight of the tile? Natural stone tiles can be much heavier than porcelain tiles and the last thing you want is to wake up to a collapsed wall one day! (Definitely an exaggeration - but it's possible especially if going for one of those cowboy builders!)

Our knowledgeable team is here to help if you have any queries regarding tiles, it's application or even general queries related to tiling.