Marble has long been a symbol of luxury and precious life. But despite its appearance, it is one of the cheapest decorative stones that is used to decorate and beautify buildings.

The wide range of marbles in design and color has caused architects with different tastes to have a wide choice. But before choosing the right marble for your home, workplace or any other space, it is better to get acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of these stones.

Advantages of marble stones

• Natural appearance

Natural stones are found in green, gray, white, beige, pink, etc .; But if we look at the stones in terms of appearance, marbles are the most obvious stones that can be easily identified with smooth surfaces and amazing veins.

The natural and stunning appearance of each of these stones is one of the most important reasons for their popularity. In fact, the natural colors and patterns of the marble surface cause extensive changes in the kitchen space, floors, living room, bathroom, countertop, etc.

Existence of delicate streaks in the color background gives a very beautiful, attractive and modern effect to your home space.

The attractive appearance of marble never gets old. The charm of marble is timeless. Therefore, these stones always make the space more valuable than it is.

• Stylish and elegant

These delicate and shiny stones are the best choice for living spaces. Not only home environments, but also office spaces and conference and meeting rooms can be designed with these stones in the most beautiful way possible; Spaces that are a kind of brand and job identity of people.

At first glance, the beautiful appearance of these stones may seem very luxurious and expensive, but in disbelief we must say that many types of marble can be purchased at a lower price than other decorative stones.

• The price is right

This feature is of great commercial and economic importance. Among the ornamental stones used in construction, marbles are the most reasonably priced (but not all marbles).

The abundance and variety of these stones, the discovery of infinite marble mines in different parts of the earth's crust, easier cutting and turning that reduces their drilling costs, are the most important reasons for the reasonable price of marble compared to other types of stone.

 There are extensive mines of precious marble stones in Iran. This has made the purchase, transportation and payment of marble affordable for interior architects.

• Appropriate strength and quality

Analyzes performed on marbles show that these stones have an acceptable compressive strength for decoration. Marbles are great options for protecting buildings.

 These stones protect the main body of the building from moisture, acid rain and other environmental harmful factors. Marbles can withstand any external pressure. Therefore, they are used for flooring public and busy spaces such as hospitals, hotels and restaurants.

• Easy cutting ‌

Marbles are sedimentary bedrock formed by the recrystallization of calcite or dolomite under special temperature and pressure conditions over millions of years. These stones are basically of low toughness, which means that they do not suffer from deep cracks during cutting and turning. That is why marbles are a good choice for sculpture.

• Easy cleaning capability

The surface of the marbles is smooth and polished. So they are very easy to clean.

Disadvantages of marble stones

In addition to the many benefits mentioned for marble stones and their use for decoration, it is better to be aware of the disadvantages of these stones:

Softer than other natural stones

The softness of marble compared to other ornamental stones is both an advantage and a disadvantage. As mentioned in the previous section, calcareous base stones have a good ability in turning. But these rocks usually have soft surfaces that are vulnerable to acids.

In order to protect marbles from the penetration of bacteria and any other damage, the principles of caring for them must be observed. If the kitchen countertop is made of marble, try not to rub it on the surface with sharp objects and do not use acidic detergents to clean the surface.

• Installation skills

Installing marble for building floors and walls requires high skill. If left unmanaged, they can be left astray and lose the right path. So usually professional contractors can work with these stones.

This may not be a big deal from the viewer's point of view, but matching the veins on the surface of the stones and coordinating the cut pieces of the stone together requires a great deal of skill. If these veins are in harmony with each other, the beauty of marble will be doubled.

• Overweight

Marble is one of the high density stones. Therefore, its installation for the exterior of the building should be done with safety considerations in mind. So make sure that these stones stick to the bottom surface properly.

• Existence of porosity in the structure

The almost porous structure of marble is one of the shortcomings of this stone. In particular, the presence of surface porosity has made this rock susceptible to the absorption of stains and various contaminants.

• Need smoothing tools.

Marble stones have a smooth, shiny and attractive surface that is well polished with a surface finishing step. Unlike some stones, marble requires a stage of polishing that increases its price.

• Need care.

All stone and non-stone coatings and facades need care. Marbles also need maintenance due to the existing sensitivities. A group of marbles like Italian marble is prone to cracking. Therefore, its surface is covered with resin.

And last but not least, the marbles are attractive stones that make a huge difference in the interior of your home or office; but if you are looking for a floor, consider that marble is a better choice for the tropics.