Home renovations can be difficult. You may feel like you know what you are doing when you are just starting the process, only to be met with complications later. Making home design choices and decisions based on trends or what other people tell you can leave you confused. If you have decided to go with marble, an excellent choice, you should know a few things.
Marble is indeed one of the best choices to give your home a brand-new look. However, its installment does not come without risks and complications. Handling marble and working with it is not for the faint-hearted. Therefore, before you begin, consult with an expert at comptoir quartz Granite au Sommet to know what you are getting into.
Risks associated with the installment of marble
- Porosity.
Marble is a natural stone, and natural stones are porous. This means that your marble countertops will easily absorb any liquid you spill on them. The tiny gaps on the surface make it difficult to get rid of materials that have already seeped inside. This is why marble countertops should be sealed to make it more stain-resistant. Since moisture can easily seep inside, it also invites the growth of bacteria, which becomes dangerous for your household.
- Expensive.
Marble is among the most expensive natural stones, both in terms of materials and labor cost. A good amount of quality labor goes into the installment process of marble, from cutting the slabs to finishing the work. Even the least expensive type of marble won’t be less than $5 per square foot, with the expensive ones reaching a cost of up to $40 per square foot. Also, the bigger the tile is, the more expensive the per-square-foot price.
- Fragility.
One of the reasons marble invites high labor costs is due to its fragile nature. If handled without care and expertise, marble can easily break into pieces you do not want in your house. The installation of marble tiles is to be done with extreme care and precision so as to avoid chipping and cracking of the slab. There should be no gaps between the tile and the floor after the installation. Marble is so fragile that it could break even under normal pressure.
- Maintenance costs.
Marble is not simply expensive to install but has maintenance costs as well. Adding a seal to your marble countertops will protect your investment from scratches. However, this seal does not last for a lifetime. You must re-seal regularly to keep your countertops in the best shape. If you opt out of sealing, you may have to pay to fix the chips and cracks later.
