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Marble Fireplace: How Can I Choose the Best One?
Marble is one of the most popular natural stone materials used in interior design. It is both beautiful and durable, making it an ideal fit for any home. While you will need to keep up on maintenance, having marble in the home can be well worth it. The stone can easily become the focal point of any room it is installed in.

One of marble’s positive qualities is the stone’s heat resistance. Because of these properties, marble is the perfect choice for stone fireplaces. Whether it is a marble fireplace mantel or an entire marble fireplace surround, the natural stone will look incredible and be able to withstand the heat.

What are the Pros and Cons of Using a Marble Bathtub?
Pros of owning a marble bathtub include the option to choose between natural marble or cultured marble. Additionally, marble comes in a range of distinctive styles and colors that allow for customization. On the other hand, marble bathtubs require consistent maintenance, have unique cleaning requirements, and can be among the more costly of bathtub materials. Marble bathtubs include cultured marble or natural marble. Natural marble bathtubs usually emphasis artisanship and are often created by master artisans who carve the tub from a solid block of stone. A cultured marble tub, however, is a manufactured product created by pouring a mold of polyester resin and limestone to give the appearance of marble. Either option can provide bathtubs customized in grander sizes, making them more comfortable for enjoying extended soaks and fitting larger individuals.Due to the beauty of the stone, marble can be a beautiful addition to any bathroom, often capable of giving the bathroom an elegant or luxurious feel. These marble bathtubs have few limits in shape, and customization is possible. This means that tubs do not have to feature the same standard styles found in acrylic tubs and that it is possible to custom order an oval, circular, or other marble bathtub that will best fit the style and space of an individual bathroom. Available marble bathtubs can also include the use of freestanding tubs such as clawfoot, which have a more lavish design. Romantic, rustic, or contemporary bathroom styles can all be achieved when using a marble bathtub as the bathrooms focal point.Marble is known for its glossy polished finish. One of the pros of deciding on a marble bathtub is the range of rich color choices that can suit the decor in any different bathroom style. A sleek black marble bathtub, for instance, is a neutral color that may require less maintenance than light-colored marble bathtubs.With any style of marble bathtub, however, owners will have to devote more time to maintenance. Natural marble, for instance, is porous and soft and can easily develop scratches. Users will have to carefully work to keep the surface clean and dry to avoid this complication. These bathtubs can also respond to thermal shock, meaning that if the marble becomes too hot from the temperature of the water, cracks may occur.

Discoloration is also a concern with marble, especially with white marble tubs, as they can develop yellow stains over time. Cleaners that contain acids such as lemon can cause permanent damage to the marble surface, as can abrasive cleaners and products containing bleach. To avoid these issues and maintain the look of the marble, owners may have to purchase separate cleaning products for the bathtub specifically designed for cleaning the marble, such as stone soap.

The final decision to choose a marble bathtub may be complicated by the cost. In general, marble bathtubs cost more than porcelain, steel, or acrylic tubs. Due to the heaviness of marble and cultured marble tubs, installing a marble bathtub or removing the bathtub may end up being more expensive than when dealing with tubs made from other materials. For a marble tub that is fading in color or cracking, refinishing the tub can repair the damage but may still be a significant expense.

Which Types of Marble Are Best for Marble Fireplaces?
There are so many types of marble that you can find for your home. From light to dark, slight veining to strong veins, there is an ideal type of marble fireplace for you. The following is an analysis of your best options for marble fireplace surrounds, mantels and more.

Marble Fountains vs. Granite Fountains
While you could make a cast concrete fountain look like a natural stone fountain, it will never match the durability of a granite (or other natural stone) fountain. Fountains made of cast concrete, especially those in cold weather, will eventually crack and crumble. Don?t take the risk of your marble fountain investment deteriorating quickly, choose a natural stone fountain from Carved Stone Creations.

Now you know you should purchase a true natural stone fountain for the best result, but which stone type is for you: marble or granite? Keep reading this article for some facts on marble vs. granite fountains.

Marble Fountains
Many famous fountains around the world are carved from marble. That is one of the most elegant and luxurious stones around, is a common material used in sculptures and building materials. Marble is a softer stone, so it is easier to carve extravagant fountains form this material. The detail that can be achieved with carved marble fountain is breathtaking.

Marble fountains are a little less durable than granite water fountains, so they are best suited for warmer climates or for interior purposes.

Granite Fountains
These natural rock fountains are perfect if you live in a northern climate or even an area with a freeze/thaw cycle. With a granite fountain you don?t need to worry about covering it or disassembling it and storing it in the winter. Granite is a durable material that can withstand repeated freeze and thaw cycles.

Granite fountains can remain outdoors all year round so you can appreciate the beauty of your stone investment all year.

A granite fountain will last for generations, with very little maintenance.

Top Types of Marble Flooring
Most marble tiles are made from raw stone imported from China, India, Iran, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Egypt, Portugal, and Greece, then manufactured into floor tiles, countertop slabs, and other products by domestic stonework companies, which are then distributed to retailers. More important than the commercial brand of the company is the type of marble you are buying. Here are some of the better-known types of marble used in residential settings:

Carrara marble: This is the most common type of marble, quarried in the Carrara region of Italy. In color, it is grayish-white with soft, feathery gray veining. It is by far the most common type used in flooring applications since it is fairly economical.

Calacatta marble: This marble falls at the other end of the spectrum, as the most luxurious and expensive, thanks to its rarity. Although it is similar in appearance to Carrara marble, it has much darker, thick veining patterns over a bright white background. There is also a variation with very beautiful gold hues in the veining. Calacatta marble comes from specific quarries in the Carrara region of Italy.

Statuary (statuario) marble: This is also similar in appearance to Carrara, but it has a more translucent white background and more dramatic veining, which gives it a more luxurious feeling. This marble comes from the Carrara region of Italy, but north of the region where Carrara and Calacatta marbles are quarried.

Emperador marble: This type is quarried in Spain, and comes in various shades of brown, with irregular veining.

Crema marfil marble: Also from Spain, crema marfil comes in many color variations, with the most common being beige or yellowish with veining that varies in intensity.

Talathello marble: Sometimes called silver beige marble, this variety quarried in Turkey has a light grey background with irregular vein speckles of silver or beige.

Levadia black marble: This is a very striking black marble from Greece, with smoke-like light gray veining. It is not often used for floors but makes a very striking statement when it is.

Comfort and Convenience
When polished, marble can be a dangerously slick and slippery surface. In kitchens and bathrooms where water is likely, this can be a problem, since these floors are unforgiving on bones and joints in the event of a fall. Use non-slip rugs in these areas if you are using highly polished marble, or opt for less polished forms of marble tile.

All stone and ceramic tile, including marble, is notoriously cold underfoot. But like other hard flooring materials, marble also makes a very good base for radiant floor heating systems, in which hydronic tubing or electrical wiring is networked through the underlayment. This can turn a normally cold flooring material into one that is wonderfully comfortable.

Whenever marble is installed, purchase at least one extra box of tiles and keep them in storage. Every lot of marble tiles will have slightly different coloring and veining, and having replacement tiles from the same batch ensures that they come from the same quarry, making it much easier to match tiles if one breaks, cracks, or becomes stained.

Is Marble Flooring Right for You?
No flooring material conveys elegance better marble, but marble is a temperamental stone that requires considerable care when installing it and when caring for it afterward. Be aware of its limitations before you spend the money on marble flooring.
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