Marble vs. Engineered Stone - Is it really possible to find an alternative?

Have you begun your renovation journey and are dreaming of having Marble in your home?

Marble is one of nature’s natural beauties and has been used for interior and exterior surfaces for thousands of years, but does it stand up to the demands of today’s modern living and how does it compare to engineered stone?

Marble, Granite, or Stone – what’s the difference?

Natural marble is a high-end product with a beautiful one-of-a-kind finish, specific slabs offer a variety of colour and veining options. Depending on the finish, marble can be very expensive and also rare. It is a high-maintenance product that is more porous and softer than engineered stone and can therefore stain easily. Care must be taken to clean up spills immediately and it is recommended that marble is sealed every 6 months. Because Marble is fragile there is a lot more care that needs to be taken by a stonemason when cutting and transporting, which in turn costs more for the fabricating and installation than Engineered Stone.

Granite on the other hand is a far more durable and resilient material. Marble, granite, and stone are generally supplied in 20mm thick slabs and can be built up at the edges to give a thicker bench-top appearance. Suppliers can provide the material with a polished, honed, flamed, or brushed finish depending on the look you are trying to achieve.

Engineered solid surfaces – what is the Talostone advantage?

Available in 12mm, 20mm & 30mm thick slabs, the range of engineered solid surfaces is vast and impressive. Made using a mix of ground stone/quartz and resin. Solid surfaces can look very realistic whilst having the added advantage of being a lot easier to maintain. Engineered stones offer a non-porous surface material that is stain, scratch, chemical, and heat resistant.

A more uniform and perfect finish can be achieved at a cost that is typically more affordable than natural marble. Advances in technology have allowed for the development of engineered stone benchtops and surfaces that have veins and colouring that is very similar to natural marble, with often a more competitive price point. Due to the nature of the product, sinks and basins can be moulded out of the engineered stone product for a seamless look.

With our lives continuing to get busier and leaving us with less time to be precious about things, it's great we have options to select from to make our lives easier. Engineered stone has been specifically designed for ease of maintenance, so if you have spilt some red wine and forgotten to wipe your bench down, no need to panic, it will simply wipe off.

Talostone’s Jumbo slabs 3200 x 1600mm were an immediate success as the design and building a community quickly realised they could reduce material costs and maximise slab usage as well as be more creative with their designs. Talostone thick vein colour slabs are available in pairs, this allows designers to create pieces with the extra wow factor and to have the ability to connect the veins to make it look like one piece of marble flowing from one end to the other or continuing down a waterfall end.

Talostone 12mm slabs are perfect for splashbacks, drawer fronts, and feature walls in your bathroom, imagine no more grout to clean! This thickness also offers the possibility of backlighting for creative impact.

An Engineered alternative to marble that is just as beautiful, more affordable, and easier to maintain really is possible!

How lucky we are to live in a time where nature can continue to inspire our luxurious designs, and support leading trends, and timeless style all without impacting our modern lifestyles and our budgets.

For more information on your natural choice and our range of premium engineered stone products, please visit the Colours tab on our website, visit our Talostone® City Experience Centre in Waterloo, or a local kitchen showroom near you.

For extra stubborn stains Talostone recommends their clean and care kit.

Talostone were the pioneers of Marble replication in engineered stone with all their colours being extensively researched before production commences. Each new style takes approximately one and a half years from concept to completion. The research and development team stays abreast of international design trends to ensure all stone slab styles and colours are the cutting edge of tomorrow’s fashion.