IMMENSE BEAUTY OF INDIAN AND ITALIAN MARBLE
When it comes to marble, have two options that are immensely popular in Indian homes. Both Indian marble and Italian marble are amazing choices for your flooring or surface top needs. But how do you pick the right marble that’s perfect for your home and budget?
While there’s a lot of info and it’s easy to get overwhelmed, here are the basic differences you need to know between Indian and Italian marble.
Let’s discuss the options
Indian marble is quarried extensively in North India. This makes it a cost-effective choice with a wide variety of colors and textures.
On the other hand, Italian marble is quarried in Italy and is now easily available in India as well. It is widely appreciated for its high luster and imparting visual appeal to the area where it’s used.
Popular Types of Indian and Italian Marbles
Indian marble: It comes in an astonishing array of colors such as white, pink, yellow, green, red and black. Some of the popular varieties include
Lustrous white Makrana marble (famously used in the Taj Mahal)
High-quality white Ambaji marble from Gujarat
The widely exported Indian green marble
Onyx marble which gets its name from the thick bands of alternating color
Italian marble: Like its Indian counterpart, this comes in a variety of color and textures. Though there are a few varieties which are instantly recognizable, such as:
The much valued Statuario marble which is characterized by its white color shot with grey or gold veins
Golden hued Bottochino marble which seems to be lit from within
Light grey Carrara marble which features dispersed, fine, feathery veining
PRICING
Indian marble: While the cost of marble varies from city to city and vendor to vendor, Indian marble starts from as low as ₹30 per sq ft for some varieties of Indian green marble. It goes up to ₹150 per sq ft for other varieties.
Italian marble: Since this is available in a wide variety, prices could range from ₹150 to ₹5,00 per sq ft, and sometimes more.
Laying Cost
The cost of laying both Indian and Italian marble are almost the double in Italian marble which is between ₹25 Indian marble and 50 for Italian marble- per sq ft. Laying marble involves creating a base of cement and river sand before placing the marble slabs and therefore is labour-intensive.
Maintenance Tips
Sweep regularly to keep away dust and grit
Clean surfaces and floors with a mild detergent solution or a specially formulated marble-cleaning liquid
Rub or mop the floors gently; never scrub
Apply a marble sealer to create a protective barrier
Things to watch out for
Ensure the marble slabs you buy are of the same thickness, ideally 16 mm and not less, else it may crack
Look at the marble slabs along with the sample pieces to get a rough estimate and avoid wastage
Take into consideration wastage due to breakage during transit
Indian and Italian marble have their pros and cons, as listed above, but it’s best to choose what suits your needs. While building or renovating your home, you may have a particular finish in mind and a budget to follow. By keeping these points in mind, you can easily select the right type of marble for your house.
Liked our marble basics? Check out this as well: Wood Vs Tile Flooring: Which is Better?
You might also want to take a look at our Materials 101series. This will tell you everything you need to know about building materials used in Indian homes.
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BHANDARI MARBLE GROUP
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