Vitrified tiles vs Marble flooring for your home

Flooring

Nov 23, 2021

Hallway with white vitrified floor tiles - Beautiful Homes

Flooring is one of the basic elements of any interior design and two of the most popular choices are marble flooring and vitrified tiles. Let’s compare both to see which one would be best for your floors

What is Vitrified Tile and Marble Flooring?

Flooring is one of the basic elements of an interior design and is an important factor as it covers such a large part of the house. Earlier, flooring was only considered as a functional element in home design and very little importance was given to it apart from durability and cost. Nowadays, it is given the importance it deserves as a complete décor element in itself. Used effectively, flooring can make all the difference in the look of a room.

Flooring is a time-consuming part of construction and is quite an expensive piece of an interior design. There are a wide variety of flooring options available these days, in a variety of textures and finishes. Therefore, it is important to choose the right option for your home. Various types of flooring designs to choose from including marble flooring, vitrified tiles, porcelain tiles, ceramic tiles, and stone tiles, to name a few. Two very popular options for flooring are vitrified tiles or marble flooring.

Vitrified tiles are manufactured tiles and come in a variety of colours and patterns and are an excellent flooring option. Marble, especially Indian marbles, is an old favourite and a traditional choice for flooring in Indian homes. It is one of the most aesthetically appealing materials and is worth the investment if you want to create a luxurious look in your home.

Know the differences between vitrified & marble flooring - Beautiful Homes

Vitrified Tiles vs Marble

	Marble Flooring	Vitrified Tiles
Composition of marble and vitrified tiles	Marble is made when limestone recrystallizes and results in the conversion of calcium carbonate into calcite crystals. Marble has a crystalline structure. This property is what causes the high shine in marble. Marble is a beautiful stone and is available in many colours and shades.	Vitrified tiles are made from pressing together clay, quartz, feldspar and silica at high temperatures. Vitrified tiles are available in different colours and patterns.
Properties of Vitrified tile flooring vs marble flooring	Marble flooring is scratch proof and doesn’t chip but may develop a yellowish tinge after some years of usage. This is because marble is porous which causes it to stain easily. Marble tiles easily last up to 20-25 years.	Vitrified tiles don’t fade, are stain resistant and are scratch resistant. They do chip and can break with age. If they chip, the entire tile has to be replaced. Tiles have relatively low porosity and are therefore stain proof. Vitrified tiles last for a span of 10-15 years.
Variance between marble and vitrified tile	Since marble is a natural stone, there can be wide variances in batches of the same lot. There can also be difference between Indian marbles and imported marbles.	In vitrified tiles, during production, the process is highly controlled and so the finished tiles come with very little variations between batches.
Durability of marble vs vitrified tiles	Marbles are stronger than any other kinds of flooring and are one of the most durable flooring options. They can take any amount of beating and foot traffic.	Vitrified tiles are also extremely durable as they go through a process of detailed vitrification during manufacturing. They are made to endure heavy traffic and rough usage.
Installation of vitrified vs marble	Marble flooring installation is quite an arduous and time-consuming process. It not only takes time to lay the marble flooring, but polishing and finishing adds to the overall installation time.	Tiles can be installed in a couple of days. They require less time to set and can be used almost immediately.
Availability of vitrified tile flooring vs marble flooring	Marble is difficult to source for immediate use. It cannot be picked up off a shelf. Since marble needs to be cut, you have to place an order, wait for it to be cut, ground and shipped for use.	Vitrified tiles are available in a ready-to-ship condition. They are pre-cut and pre-polished so there is no waiting period.
Versatility of marble flooring and vitrified tiles	Marble can be slippery and hence cannot be used in wet areas, like kitchens and bathrooms. Since they stain easily, in areas where there is spillage, marble flooring should be avoided. It is not feasible for outdoor spaces as the natural elements can erode the look and feel of a marble surface.	Vitrified tiles are more versatile and since they can be bought in slip-resistant finishes, they are great choices for kitchens and bathrooms and even outside spaces.
Upkeep of vitrified floor tiles vs marble flooring	Marble is highly porous and needs to be wiped down in case of spillage since it stains easily.	Vitrified tiles are easier to maintain as they are scratch resistant and stain resistant.
Aesthetics of marble vs vitrified flooring	There is a certain elegance that comes with a marble floor. Marble has long been a symbol of tradition and luxury and is aesthetically pleasing and can make a plain room look stunning.	Vitrified tile come in wide range of colours, finishes, textures and exquisite designs that gives an artistic impact. They are even designed to mimic natural materials, such as wood, bamboo and even marble.
Difference in marble price and vitrified tile price	Marble has to be mined and extracted using costly procedures and there is considerable wastage and so marble flooring cost is more expensive. The price varies according to the grade, and rarity of the veining and colour. Indian marbles are less expensive than Italian marble.	Vitrified floor tiles are man-made and wastage is low making vitrified tiles price more affordable than marble. The cost depends on the veining, overall design and the brand you choose.

Choose the right flooring for your bathroom & your house - Beautiful Homes

Tips for Choosing the Right Flooring

You can paint your walls, change the upholstery and décor in your home once every few years. But flooring is not something that one changes often. It is something that has to last for a long time. And it is actually one of the first design elements that a visitor sees as they enter your home.

If you have whittled down your choice of flooring to tiles and marbles, you need to weigh all the pros and cons of each material. Some other factors to consider when deciding on flooring material include:

1. Space Available

One of the first considerations is the size of the room that needs to be floored. As with walls colours, light floors will help a room look bigger by reflecting light and may be a good option for small rooms. Large rooms can use darker coloured flooring to make it cosier.

2. Style of Room

Whether to choose vitrified tiles or marble flooring should be decided depending on the style of interior you are looking at. If it is traditional, opulent rooms with ornate décor, a marble floor will look exquisite. In a contemporary interior, patterned vitrified tile floors will make a stunning statement.

3. Usage

The choice between tiles and marbles also depends on the purpose of the room. While marble will work for a living room or drawing room, it may not be the best choice for a kitchen or bathroom as it is slippery when wet, and it can stain easily. Vitrified flooring is better for areas that have a tendency to get wet, like bathrooms, kitchens and courtyards.

4. Foot Traffic

If the area that you are choosing flooring for experiences a large amount of foot traffic, marble is more durable. Vitrified tiles can take a lot of rough usage but can get chipped or broken over time.

5. Maintenance

Marble flooring needs much more maintenance than vitrified flooring. If your family is small and spills and stains are not an issue, marble is a fine choice, but if you have a large family, small children and pets, vitrified tiles would be a better option.

6. Budget

Marble flooring can make any interior look amazing but they are expensive and you will have to decide whether your budget covers marble flooring cost. Vitrified tiles are more economical and look good too.

Marble flooring for your house for more durability when foot traffic is high - Beautiful Homes

Choose the right flooring for your home with design experts - Beautiful Homes

How can Beautiful Homes help you with choosing the right flooring?

At Beautiful Homes, we listen to your ideas, priorities, functional needs and style preferences and create uniquely beautiful spaces. From choosing wall colours to the right kind of flooring, we use our experience and expertise to help you create a space that feeds your soul, reflects who you are, and works for how you live.

Our design process emphasizes more than function as we embark on a journey with our clients with a passion that allows for more than merely creating spaces. Our end-to-end service ensures that we source the best materials for your flooring and ensure that it is installed with the minimum of fuss to give you a space that is functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Discover your design style

Discover your design style

Discover your design style

Vitrified tiles vs Marble flooring for your home

What is Vitrified Tile and Marble Flooring?

Vitrified Tiles vs Marble