Serpentine, Onyx, and Marble

Best for floors, hearths, baths, and lobbies The majority of the world’s mountainous regions are home to the metamorphic rock known as marble. The majority of the marble used worldwide, in terms of volume, is quarried in India, China, Italy, and Spain. Marble is a popular material for worktops, floors, and other surfaces because of its beauty and elegance.

With its natural warmth, Marble gives the space in which it is installed a sophisticated touch. It is a premium option for flooring, wall claddings, table tops, wainscot, floors, and vanity tops due to its naturally random look, engineering properties, and ease of upkeep. Since many marbles are suitable for use in wet areas, tub decks and showers are now included in the range of applications for this material.

The fundamental component of actual marbles is the calcite crystal. Mild acids, like those frequently found in kitchen and bar environments, can damage the calcite crystal. When choosing marble for these uses, the user should be aware of and receptive to the maintenance requirements and patina that go along with it. With a few exceptions, only white marbles are often used for exterior applications because acid rain and other weathering factors can also impact outdoor marble installations.

 Serpentine, which is based on magnesium-silicate rather than calcite, is frequently mistaken for marble. Serpentine has different mineralogy and total rock chemistry than real marble, which gives it superior acid resistance and abrasion resistance. These characteristics make serpentine a popular choice for both external and kitchen counter applications.

Onyx is frequently mistaken for marbles. However, it is a very different kind of rock. Sedimentary in nature, onyx forms as stalactites and stalagmites inside caves. The rock’s fabric is cryptocrystalline due to this formation process, and the size and homogeneity of these crystals contribute to the traditional translucent quality of the majority of onyx variations.

 Onyx is susceptible to abrasive and chemical assault, but its decorative appeal is unmatched by perhaps any other substance.