Marble in the bathroom – good or bad idea?
Marble is elegant and luxurious stone, used to embellish palaces for centuries. Once symbol of power and wealth, today marble is becoming an increasingly popular choice for floor and counter installation in every day homes, especially in the bathroom.
The question here is, should it?
Let’s list the pros and cons about marble being used in a room that gets wet every day.
• Marble floors come in a lot of styles and varieties, suiting almost every need, so the floor appearance is stately and fancy.
• Marble is soft, easy to handle stone that can be tumbled, machined and milled, which means it can be used for diverse purposes.
But…
• Marble is used mostly in bathrooms and kitchens, but the excessive water causes newly formed limestone to fasten to the surface.
• Marble is somewhat absorbent, being a soft stone, so it could be stained if you’re not careful. For instance, if you decide to dye your hair and rinse it in the shower, the dye that runs down the marble floor almost definitely would stain it.
• Marble contains a certain amount of iron oxides, so there is always the possibility that iron could turn to rust, being constantly damp. Your gorgeous installation could be damaged if the iron contained deep in in the marble tiles discolors from moisture and humidity.
• Marble is partly limestone and being exposed to overmuch moisture brings about some stains and spots and it’s possible to break down the hardness of the tiles.
• Marble is easily etched by acidic solutions, such as lemon and most cleaning detergents.
What else?
If you have any doubts that the tiles could be too porous, you better perform a soak test before the installation. You can buy one tile of the desired pattern and put it into a basin or a bucket for a couple of days and then let it dry. Observe carefully if there are any changes. If changes have shown, the tiles are not suitable for your bathroom. Better safe than sorry, so always invest in top-notch materials. Marble tiles should be sealed and waterproofed with a quality sealer on a regular basis. Find a marble stone expert to regularly seal your premises.
