Glass or marble mosaic tiles, a seemingly unanswerable question
Today’s interior design industry is so vast and colorful that it has become truly difficult to quickly and properly choose the option that will fit your mosaic décor requirements. From porcelain to donuts (yes, you read that correctly), from a variety of metals to dried petals, there is undoubtedly a huge array of mosaic materials to choose from.
However, from those shy beginnings before medieval art through the explosion of the Renaissance, all the way to this ever so weird (mildly put) period of modern art we’re in, two mosaic art materials remained on top of their game — marble and glass mosaic tiles. are still the most popular option.
For those of you who are about to embark on a journey of picking just the mosaic artwork to fit your space, as well as those who were just wondering which option is better, we will try to analyze all of the pros and cons of both marble and glass mosaic tiles. If you are an avid reader of this blog, you know we rarely ever leave things vague, so you can expect a conclusion at the end. *wink wink
AESTHETICS
When it comes to their appearance both marble and glass mosaic tiles are popular for a good reason, as both have a sort of an extraordinary, almost ethereal look to them. But, of course, there’s a catch… See, marble is a natural stone that is often already patterned, so it tends to look stylish on its own. However, once you create artwork with marble tiles, it will always look chic, but also sturdy and unyielding, so if that’s the look you’re aiming for then go for it. Glass, on the other hand, will allow you to play more because it will dance with the light. Your mosaic can even appear different as the day progresses and light changes.
DURABILITY
One of the main misconceptions when it comes to marble vs glass mosaic tile is that most people think that marble is better because it is suitable for both indoors and outdoors, while glass is only fit to be indoors. This especially annoys me because people tend to serve it as a fact when it is actually a silly myth that was busted a long time ago. Scientific results show that glass tiles have a lower density and water absorption compared to both marble and granite, which makes them more durable and weather resistant.
SCRATCH RESISTANCE
The beauty and the overall appeal of your mosaic artwork are highly dependent on the scratch resistance of the mosaic tiles used. Here we come to another misconception. People also often think that tiles are not scratch resistant and that one scratch can create a full-blown crack. This one was also dismantled by science, because it is proven that glass is in fact stronger in both flexural and compressive tests, making it tougher to damage than marble.
STAIN RESISTANCE
Stain resistance is as important as scratch resistance. If there is even a tiniest permanent stain on your mosaic artwork then it devalues and diminishes it can drastically diminish its beauty and appeal. In this particular aspect, both marble and glass mosaic tiles are the same. Both are fully stain-resistant and easy to maintain.
AFFORDABILITY
Glass mosaic tiles come in a variety of prices, so there is something for every budget. Marble on the other hand is simply expensive. With the economy today and everything else that happened in these past three years, you will be doing your wallet a favor by opting for glass mosaic tile.
Now that our brief competitive study is done, you’ve probably realized that glass mosaic tiles take the cake (and eat it too). What’s the point of beating around the bush, trying to appeal to everyone’s taste? Glass tiles are better in a variety of aspects, but if you like marble more — who are we to judge you? It is your space and you will decide what you’ll use to embellish and decorate it with… but glass mosaic tiles are still better. *wink wink.
This article was originally published on Mosaics Lab’s website.
