Marble-effect porcelain stoneware or solid marble, how to decide
Marble is one of the most desired materials in interior architecture, and also one of the most technical to install. Over the past ten years, large-format porcelain stoneware has reached a level of photographic rendering that lets it dialogue with solid marble on almost every terrain. But the two are not interchangeable, they answer different logics.
At Atelier Matière, we distribute both (Petra Stones and Marmi for solid marble, Lea Ceramiche, Florim, Cotto d'Este and Inalco for porcelain stoneware). We help to arbitrate according to the project.
Resistance
Solid marble is soft (Mohs hardness 3 to 4), sensitive to acids, scratches and impacts. Porcelain stoneware is harder (Mohs 7), non-combustible, insensitive to common acids and virtually scratch-proof in everyday use. For a heavily used kitchen, for a splashback behind a cooktop, for a very busy floor, porcelain stoneware is technically superior.
Authenticity and drawing
Marble remains marble, veining running through the mass (visible through the thickness, at the edge, at the cut), density, weight, full material. Porcelain stoneware is a surface-glazed ceramic, the drawing stops at the surface (except full-body ranges that recreate the veining through the volume). For a signature piece (solid island, monolithic washbasin counter, fireplace), marble remains unbeatable.
Daily maintenance
Marble has to be sealed with a water-repellent, cleaned with a neutral soap and protected from acids. A ring left by a glass of lemon water can mark it permanently. Porcelain stoneware is cleaned with water and ordinary household products, with no constraints at all. For maintenance-free use, stoneware clearly wins.
Price and installation
Solid marble in a 2 cm thickness generally costs two to four times the equivalent porcelain stoneware, on top of the specific stone installation and sealing. Large-format porcelain stoneware is more accessible, quicker to install and less sensitive to site hazards. For a complete project (floor and walls of a large bathroom), the budgetary difference is significant.
Related selection
Let’s compose your project
Every material needs to be touched, compared and confronted with the light of the project. We welcome you by appointment in one of our two Paris showrooms to refine your selection.