If you are redesigning your house, including indoor and outdoor floorings, walls, tabletops, or even pool decks, you should know the difference between marble and stone which here refers to travertine. Both types can be good for some special purposes and based on specific budgets. However, to choose the best one that matches what you desire, being informed about the difference between marble and stone is very important.
What do we mean by stone?
There are different kinds of stones all over the world. Some of them are used for architectural and building purposes while some of them are not used in the building industry. Interestingly enough, the marble itself is a kind of stone; so, it is actually wrong to ask about the difference between marble and stone. However, this question is heard a lot. The reason, as was mentioned, is that in these kinds of questions usually stone refers to travertine which is another type of stone used in the building industry. So, here, when the difference between marble and stone is mentioned, it means the difference between marble and travertine.
To know the differences between marble and stone, the first step is to know each of them individually in order to have a clear understanding of similarities and differences.
What is marble?
Marble has been one of the most famous building materials since the beginning of time. It is found all over the world in different colors and shades, and even the ones that are found in the same area have different patterns and shades. As a result, it is almost impossible to find marble stones with similar patterns; and this uniqueness is the most important thing that makes marble elegant and stylish.
What is travertine?
Just like marble, travertine has been used in construction for many years. There are many well-known buildings including the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris, the Getty Center in and The ABC Entertainment Center in Los Angeles, California, and Shell-Haus in Berlin that are made of travertine. The most common applications of travertine are indoor home or business flooring, outdoor patio flooring, spa walls, and ceilings, façades, and wall cladding. Although travertine is especially used in modern architecture, it can be used for classical designs. It is much chicer than concrete but less tasteful than marble and granite.
Difference between marble and stone
There are many differences between marble and travertine. The most important ones are listed here:
Appearance
As both travertine and marble are natural stones, both come in random patterns and shades. However, the colors are different. Marble comes in almost any color, from white to black, cream, beige, and even yellow, red, or white. On the other hand, travertine only comes in warmer colors ranging from the lightest white or cream to beige, gold, brown, and rarely red.
Application
In general, both marble and travertine are resistant and both of them can be used indoors and outdoors. Marble is usually used for bathrooms walls, indoor floors, patios, and countertops as it looks clean, hard, practical, and elegant. Travertine, because of its anti-slip characteristic is preferred for pool pavers, pool copings, walkways, walls, ceilings, and other outdoor applications as well as indoor floorings.
Durability
Marble and travertine are both durable stones. They are hard, resistant, durable, and can withstand harsh conditions. That being said, travertine is considered more durable than marble. However, it is not a general rule and highly depends on maintenance conditions.
Maintenance
Travertine, unlike marble, needs sealing frequently. Even after sealing the travertine, debris, and dust can damage it, so cleaning regularly is necessary. Cleaning should be done with a dry mop and any acidic cleaner should be avoided. Travertine pavers should be resealed at least twice a year. On the other hand, as marble is less porous it does not need sealing as often as travertine. But it is vulnerable to acidic material and gets stained easily. So, acidic substances should be cleaned immediately or stains or color change is inevitable.
Price
There are different factors affecting the cost of stones including processing, polishing, transporting, and installing. One of the effective factors is whether the stone is natural or cultured. Cultured stones that are made by men are cheaper than natural ones. In the case of marble and travertine, natural marble is the most expensive one by far. It is twice as expensive as natural travertine. However, cultured marble and travertine are less expensive.
All in all, it is safe to say that marble and travertine are similar in looks, maintenance, and even durability. In addition, both are elegant and present a charming look to the building.
If cost is the most important concern for you, go for travertine and if you are looking for an elegant and luxurious look, marble is definitely the best choice. Both marble and travertine are available in Aby Stone. You can contact us via email or WhatsApp for more information. Or if possible, you can visit our 2000 meter square in the area of Seeb near the city of Musqat with 120 different models of Travertine, Marble, and Onyx with a thickness of 5 up to 100 mm.
We are looking forward to seeing you.
