Difference between Vitrified Tiles and Marble Tiles

Key Difference: Vitrified tiles refer to the tiles that are made by the artificial process of vitrification. In this process, high temperatures are used for baking the tiles. They are made from the mixture of silica and clay. These tiles are known for their high strength and less porousness. Marble tiles are made from the natural stone known as ‘Marble’ and thus, tiles are just cut from the marble. These tiles are porous, and thus absorb water easily.

Vitrified tiles and marble tiles- which is a better option? Many people get confuse between the two, if they are asked to make a choice. Both have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Marble tiles are obtained from a natural source and thus, they have an earthy feeling attached with them. On the other hand, the vitrified tiles are man made. Vitrified tiles are vastly popular for their durability. They are also high resistant to stains. This article will bring out some of the basic differences between the two.

 Vitrified tiles belong to the category of artificial products. It is called as artificial or man-made as the tile is made by employing various techniques and processes. A vitrified tile is known as vitrified as it uses the vitrification process in the formation.

These tiles are prepared from the mixture of silica and clay. The mixture is then generally pressed in order to get the structure of tiles. Once the structure is obtained, these tiles are fired at a very high temperature. These high temperatures are responsible for making these tiles non porous. Thus, these tiles are very strong and also durable. The water absorption of fully vitrified tile is upto 0.5 percent of its weight.

A marble tile is made from the natural stone known as ‘Marble,’ which is a non-foliated metamorphic rock. Marble is cut into the shape of a tile in order to make a marble tile. It is generally used in the moderate traffic floors. It requires to be dusted frequently and damp mops are often used to keep it clean. There are broadly two choices in marble tiling.

Traditional marble flooring: - these tiles have a polished look and are generally used to add the glossy style in the design.

Tumbled marble flooring: - It uses the tiles with subtle tones. These are generally beige colored or in some milky toned color. They are preferred for the areas where earthy look is required.

Both vitrified and marble tiles are preferred by many people. A marble tile has the natural feel into it due to the natural imprints on it, whereas a vitrified tile provides an option of choosing a fine non porous custom made tile. The key differences are listed in the table below:-

 

Vitrified Tiles

Marble Tiles

Product

Man-made

Natural

Pricing Range

$15 to $40

$7 to $50

Appearance

Available in various shapes styles, styles and color

Natural veins, spots and variation of color and therefore, no two tiles will ever be exactly alike

Installation

With or without grout joint

With Grout joint

Size

Uniform

May vary

Characteristics

High resistance to stains, low water absorption rate

low resistance to stains, high water absorption rate

Maintenance

Easy maintenance, hard and difficult to scratch, cleaned by using any tile cleaner and method

Comparatively difficult maintenance, mild detergents are used for cleaning.

Image Courtesy: thefuturebuild.com, fmarble.com

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