Inlaid Marble Decorative Tiles
At its very foundation inlaying is the process of taking carefully carved pieces of material (in this case marble) and setting them into a slightly depressed surface of another material. Once the marble is inlaid the finished result is a completely new design consisting of intricate layering. In some cases, metals such as brass, and even semi-precious stones (tourmaline, amethyst, etc.) are included in the inlay design.
Inlaid marble tile is slowly becoming a lost art form. The idea behind the inlaid tile is to develop a new design using a contrast by setting final cut tiles into another tiled surface like flooring, patios, bathroom walls, or backsplashes. Very few installers possess the skill and precision to complete inlaid tile designs therefore many home and business owners will need to find specialty craftsmen.
Porcelain Backed Marble Tiles
Porcelain backed marble tile is exactly what it sounds like. Also referred to as Marmocer, porcelain-backed tile is a compound of marble and porcelain, where marble acts as the surface and porcelain serves as the base. Thanks to modern-day technology the compatibility of porcelain and marble has been joined into an enduring material.
Inlaid Marble Pattern Colors
This easy-to-install flooring comes in a variety of eye-pleasing colors. The most popular shades of inlaid tile are beiges, browns, creams, whites, and grays. When an inlaid marble design calls for intricacy the color options range tremendously. Tile patterns can incorporate every shade imaginable to create the desired imagery in a finished product that is multicolored.
Most Common Sizes In Inlaid Marble Patterns
In most design projects the size for inlaid marble tile is 12”x24”. On projects where this is a larger area to cover it's common to see 24”x24” tiles of inlaid marble.
Inlaid Marble Patterns Advantages
Outside of its increased durability, inlaid marble patterned tile has other advantages. The combination of the two materials serves several beneficial purposes:
- The porcelain backing makes the tile approximately 50% lighter than a traditional tile made purely of marble.
- Porcelain backed tile is more environmentally friendly because it can cut down on quarrying and fuel costs than impact the ecosystem.
- The fusion of marble and porcelain allow for the best attributes of both materials to work in unison to give home and business owners long-lasting marble flooring and marble wall tile.
- The porcelain backing makes the tile easier to transport than pure marble tile.
- The cost of porcelain backed marble tile is more cost-effective than pure marble tile.
- Porcelain backed tiles provide easy installation and eliminates the need for waterproofing. a sturdy material makes it easy to carry around and install.