The Pros And Cons Of Marble Flooring In Bathrooms
Another name for a bathroom is a restroom: a room in your house that offers respite before or after a busy day. So if your bathroom no longer brings you rest and instead weighs on your mind, it’s time for an update!
One of the main decisions you’ll have to make is which flooring material you want to use. Why not consider marble? Marble is an excellent tile flooring option in Toronto or the GTA as it’s widely available, comes in a variety of colour choices, and is visually striking.
Here are some compelling reasons for and against using marble in your bathroom renovation. Read on to find out if it’s the right flooring for your restroom renovation.
Pros Of Marble Flooring
Why should you use marble for your bathroom renovation? There are several key reasons to choose marble flooring for your restroom.
Visual Appealing
Marble offers pure elegance and opulence, with its visually striking signature veining. It’s ideal for homeowners who want to elevate their restroom beyond the ordinary. If your goal is to create a beautiful, relaxing space, marble is a great fit.
Timeless
A key aesthetic benefit is that marble is a natural material, and like hardwood, it’s timeless. That means you won’t need to update it because marble is always in style! Hence, homeowners will always find marble appealing, so it’s not something you’ll have to change, and it can also increase your home’s value!
Increased Home Value
Marble is a timeless natural stone that appeals to most homeowners, which increases your property value. Thus, choosing marble tile flooring in Toronto and across the GTA is not only opulent, but also practical, as it adds value to your property. This is especially relevant if you plan to move.
Choice
Marble isn’t just the standard white with greyish veining. Marble comes in many other colour choices, or “colour families,” like white, grey, cream, brown, red, yellow, green, and black. These unique colours come from minerals like graphite within marble.
Marble tile also comes in three primary finishes: tumbled, honed, or polished. All of this to say that marble can match just about any design scheme. Some homeowners may choose marble for its traditional luxury, while more contemporary homeowners could use light marble to elevate a white Scandinavian bathroom.
Longevity
Lastly, one of the most important practical benefits of marble is that it is long-lasting and durable. The key characteristics that make marble such a great flooring choice for your bathroom are:
- Marble is strong because it is a metamorphic rock, meaning it formed under pressure and extreme temperatures. As a result, marble can withstand heavy loads.
- Marble is moisture resistant when sealed properly. This means that, so long as it’s well maintained, marble is an excellent choice for moisture-rich areas.
- Marble is long-lasting if properly maintained with regular inspection, sealing, and repair (if needed).
Cons Of Marble Flooring
Here are some situations where homeowners may choose not to use marble tile flooring in Toronto or the GTA.
Stains
Marble is porous, meaning it can soak up moisture, cleaners, and soaps in a bathroom. This can lead to stains and, ultimately, undermine the material’s integrity, making it less long-lasting. The workaround is to maintain the marble regularly.
Cost
Perhaps the biggest complaint about using marble tiles is the material and labour costs. Firstly, marble itself is more expensive than, say, a ceramic human-made material. And lastly, we don’t recommend installing marble yourself unless you have extensive experience, because it’s expensive if you make a mistake. It may also void the manufacturer’s warranty.
So, if you’re seriously considering marble tile flooring for your Toronto or GTA home, make sure it fits your budget. And do shop around for a reputable flooring installer.
Maintainance
To make marble long-lasting requires a commitment from homeowners. They must be willing to routinely inspect, seal, and repair tiles to maximize their lifespan. If you don’t want this kind of commitment, then you’d be better off with a low-maintenance tile like ceramic.
Potentially Dangerous
Lastly, the only con we raise with homeowners considering marble tile for their restroom is that smooth tiles are a trip-and-fall hazard. So, if you’re using marble as bathroom flooring, choose a textured or anti-slip variety to help prevent slips.
Final Thoughts On Using Marble Tiles In The Bathroom
While there is no right choice as to whether you should use marble in your bathroom renovation, we encourage homeowners to consider what’s best for their project using these questions:
- How much can you comfortably spend on this project? The goal is to figure out how much you can afford to spend, and once you have your bottom line, double-check whether marble fits your budget.
- What’s your design scheme? Another big question is what is your ultimate design goal? Are you looking for something traditional and timeless that marble would complement? Or does your design not mesh well with marble?
- How committed are you to maintaining marble? Lastly, can you guarantee that you are willing to maintain marble? It isn’t like ceramic tiles that require less maintenance; marble requires regular sealing and inspection.
Once you answer these questions, you will likely have a better sense as to whether marble suits your bathroom. If you’re still stuck on anything we’ve mentioned, or have other questions about marble, don’t hesitate to call us the Brother’s Flooring for a free consultation. With over 20 years of experience in the business, we’d be happy to help answer any questions you have!
