Are you planning on installing marble tiles in your home? It’s important to consider several cost factors since significant customization and enhancements can add to the material’s overall price tag. But with its durable structure and elegant features, it’s more than worth the price.
Much like any project, the total cost will range depending on several variables, such as the size of the area you plan on covering, the grade of marble you choose, and the tile installation cost for any hired contractors.
Marble is a material that radiates luxury, elegance, and beauty. It’s a popular flooring option for numerous reasons and can be used in various rooms of your home. If you’re interested in marble flooring and want to know more, here’s a comprehensive guide to help you through the decision.
Providing an elegant and sophisticated appearance, marble flooring is extremely durable. It’s usually made in square tiles, typically ranging in size from 12-24 inches. Because of its relatively high cost, marble is often used in smaller areas, such as a bathroom, foyer, hallway or kitchen. According to the World Floor Covering Association, marble was used as luxury flooring in ancient times because it was soft enough to be worked with tools but hard enough to last for ages.
Everyone interested in marble stone as their flooring choice should know more about this natural stone’s pros and cons. Below you can read the advantages and disadvantages of marble and see if it will bring value to your home.
What Is Marble?
Marble is a natural metamorphic stone that delivers some of the most beautiful flooring options on the market. Each slab of marble is unique, as are the tiles derived from this stone.
If you choose marble tiles for your floors, you must know that the grain size determines the pattern. A heavy grain will deliver a more uneven colour palate, while the fine grain is responsible for a more even colour palette.
Typical Costs
Professional marble flooring installation starts around $9-$20 a square foot (materials and labour), or $900-$2,000 for installing a marble tile floor in a 100-square-foot foyer. High-end marble floor tiles (in sought-after light shades or marble squares that are engraved, hand-painted or have special finishes) can run $10-$40 a square foot just for the flooring materials, and custom craftwork installation can add another $10-$50 or more a square foot, for a total high-end custom-floor cost of $2,000-$9,000 or more for a 10×10 foyer.
Because marble is heavy and difficult to work with, do-it-yourself installation is not generally recommended but is possible, particularly for a small area. The cost for marble flooring starts around $5-$10 a square xfoot or $600-$1,200 for enough tiles and other supplies for a 10x-10-foot foyer.
The cost of your new floor depends on a wide variety of factors. Many types of flooring, including marble floor costs, rely heavily on square footage.
For professional installation, the price is typical $10 to $20 per square foot. If you want custom designs or top-notch marble, the price will be higher. Basic marble will cost $8 per square foot on the lower end, while specialty marble will cost nearly $50 per square foot.
Most homeowners pay about $10 to $20 per square foot for professionally installed marble flooring. However, several factors affect the total cost. For example, choosing a specialty or engraved marble or requesting a custom design will be higher per square foot.
The average 250-square-foot room costs $2,500 to $5,000 to install marble flooring. Installing marble floors in a smaller room, like a bathroom, foyer, or hallway, will cost less. An entire 2,500-square-foot home runs $25,000 to $50,000.
Marble floors are beautiful, versatile, and come in numerous colours and styles. There are many marbles to choose from. Some are common and less expensive, while others are rare at a higher cost. Marble ranges from a polished white stone to matte brightly coloured stones, varying in colour and tone.
Because of these different marble types, there is a wide range of flooring costs. The national average to install marble flooring is between $3,000 and $5,000, with the average homeowner installing a 200 sq. ft. foyer of Crema Marfil marble for $3,600. You can install a small 40 sq. ft. bathroom floor of Bianco Carrara for $600 or cover a 400 sq. ft. living room in Calacatta marble diagonally installed for $11,520.
FAQs About Marble Flooring
Is marble cheaper than tile?
Marble is more expensive than tiles. This is because tiles are manufactured, while marble is a natural stone that must be mined and extracted using costly procedures. Moreover, only high-quality marble looks good in appearance, which comes at an exorbitant price.
Which country marble is best?
While marble is quarried in many countries worldwide, including Greece, the USA, India, Spain, Romania, China, Sweden, and even Germany, one country is generally considered the home of Italy’s most high-grade and luxurious marble.
Does marble last long?
The amazing longevity of granite and marble countertops, which can be twice as long as other countertop materials – over 100 years – as reported by the National Association of Home Builders, is what makes granite countertops and marble countertops among the most sought-after kitchen elements.
Marble Flooring Cost per Square Foot
There are many different types of marble flooring. They come in several colours, types, sizes, and finishes and have a wide range of costs. Marble costs between $3 and $50 a square foot for the material, depending on the colour and type. Each stone has cost variations due to grade, size, and finish, so it can be difficult to determine your final cost until you select the exact marble you want.
What Factors Influence Marble Floor Costs?
Aside from square footage, multiple factors affect the cost of marble, including its grades of quality and finishes. In addition, marble is available in tiles or slabs, and the size of each can impact the final cost.
Marble flooring tiles often have a higher price than the price of other types of flooring. The total cost to install marble flooring can range from $8 per square foot for basic options to $47 per square foot for specialty marble flooring. On average, expect to pay between $10 to $20 per square foot when professionally installed.
Marble Tiles vs. Marble Slabs
Marble tiles typically cost $5 to $10 per square foot, while marble slabs for flooring can cost $10 to $20 per square foot. Marble slabs are typically thicker and heavier than tiles, making them more expensive. Marble slabs are more commonly used for counters or walls, while tiles are better suited for flooring. Tile costs can vary by several factors, too, from the type of marble to the size of the tile.
Grades of Marble
The quality of marble can help determine the cost. Grade A marble has fewer flaws, subtle veining, and a stronger structure, but it will be the most expensive option because of the long manufacturing process. Grades B and C will contain a few more imperfections and might even need filling and repairing. Grade D marble will have a softer structure and thick veining, and it might require more repairs.
Marble Finishes
Installing polished marble in your bathroom could be a recipe for disaster because this finish can be slippery, especially when wet. Instead, it would help if you considered marble with a tumbled finish, which offers more slip-resistance and is ideal for high moisture rooms. Tumbled finishes cost more but are worth it for rooms with higher slip risks. Other textured finishes, such as chiselled or flamed marble, can also cost more.
Installation
In addition to purchasing the marble, you may have to pay a contractor to install it if you don’t have previous home repair experience. While installing marble is not necessarily the most difficult project to complete, hiring a professional to do the job offers you peace of mind in knowing that someone with experience will most likely do a good job.
Be sure to vet any contractor you hire and, if possible, verify the quality of their previous work. It’s always a good idea to hire a licensed, bonded and insured contractor to guarantee the job is done correctly. In addition, the proper installation extends marble’s longevity, so hiring a professional can save you money in the long run.
Contractors generally lump all the costs together in one price per square foot that will include the cost of the tiles, the labour, the materials and supplies, as well as an additional allowance for special equipment. While prices will vary by region, a professionally installed marble floor can cost you around $9-$20 per square foot, while more specialized jobs can run you $50 per square foot or more. As a general rule, the more customized your design, the more you should expect to pay per square foot.
Tools
Hiring a local floor installation professional can save you money, as the pros already have all the required tools on hand. Unfortunately, installing marble floors involves a pretty lengthy list of necessary tools and materials, including a trowel, drill, tile spacers, wet saw, drywall knife, grout, grout float, mortar, grout sealer, and cement board, to name a few.
You might need additional tools to remove the old flooring, too. Renting a medium-sized tile saw will cost around $55 daily, then you’ll need to factor in the cost of grout, tile spacers, mortar, and cement boards depending on the size of the room. If you decide to go the DIY route, you’ll spend less money and time on tiling a small bathroom. Larger rooms, like a kitchen or a grand foyer, are best left to professionals.
Labour Cost
The cost of labour for cutting and laying the marble slabs is around ₹80 per square foot. Therefore, you need to multiply the labour cost by the total square feet of marble flooring to determine the total labour cost.
You could save a small amount of money by installing the flooring yourself. Still, professionals have the skills to handle and install this fragile material without breaking it and incurring extra charges for replacement tiles. Experts also know how to appropriately prepare the subfloor for marble, which requires a strong, sturdy subfloor to handle the weight of this flooring material.
Without the proper know-how for prepping the subfloors, you could be looking at expensive repairs and replacements down the road. Expect to spend a long weekend, up to three days, installing marble floors in an average-sized room. Comparatively, professionals can install marble tiles in about 10 hours or one to two workdays.
Size
Most marble tiles are 12 by 12 inches or 12 by 18 inches. Custom sizes add to the price, and larger tiles cost more.
Thickness
Thicker tiles are more durable but often come with a bigger price tag. Marble tile thickness ranges from one-quarter to three-quarter inches.
Grade
Manufacturer’s grade marble A, B, C or D. Grade A offers the least inconsistencies and the strongest structure but comes at a higher price. Grade D features more inclusions, stronger veining, and a softer surface.
Additional costs:
- There can be extra charges for furniture removal and replacement; ripping out and disposing of old flooring material, repairing or replacing a damaged subfloor; and removing and then re-hanging doors. A Connecticut installer[3] charges an extra 20 cents per square foot to remove old carpet, another 20 cents per square foot for moving furniture, $15 per appliance moved and $35 per toilet.
- Sand and grit can cause scratches, so maintaining marble floors requires dust-mopping frequently (daily in high-traffic areas). A well-maintained residential marble floor might start to show some signs of wear in 2-4 years and will need to be professionally honed and polished at the cost of about $2.50-$3 a square foot, with a minimum charge of $400-$500 for a single grind and polish. (Damaged floors may require multiple grindings before polishing, which increases the cost per square foot.)
Marble Flooring Cost by Type
Marble serves as a catch-all term for several types of stone tiles, and there are plenty of options to choose from. However, when shopping for the perfect flooring material, you should consider your home’s overall appearance and your own personal style.
Different types of marble flooring can have very different price points. Therefore, you should carefully consider the cost of your project before you decide on a particular type of tile.
Carrara
Carrara marble flooring costs between $6 and $12 per square foot. If you want a uniform appearance, Carrara marble delivers. Its white surface and subtle veining make it a popular choice for consumers who want a clean, simple floor.
Calacatta
Calacatta marble flooring costs $12 or more per square foot. This marble resembles Carrara’s base but has more veining and a warmer tone. It pairs well with warm colours like red, orange and yellow.
Breccia
Breccia marble flooring costs between $10 and $30 per square foot. This type of marble is a good choice for homeowners who want a darker stone with more of a dramatic impact. It comes in many colours, including browns, greens and reds.
Emperador
Emperador marble flooring costs between $70 and $90 per square foot. It features high levels of variation and grain. Brown Emperador tiles are popular for floors because they can help to hide dust and dirt.
Crema Marfil
Crema Marfil flooring costs between $6 and $12 per square foot. While many marble varieties have a white base colour, Crema Marfil has a beige or cream base colour. In addition, this type of marble has lots of variety and yellow tints.
Pros
Stunning Look
This natural stone will upgrade the appearance of any room in your house. You can choose from the various designs and patterns, and whichever one you opt for, it will be gorgeous without a doubt. Marble does not have a uniform pattern; instead, every single tile is different and unique.
Increased Home Value
Who wouldn’t want marble floors in their house? So naturally, people are obsessed with this flooring and look for homes that already have it installed.
Every single project that you do should make your house more valuable. Look at things in the long-term before you decide which materials to use, especially for flooring.
Aside from delivering a stunning aesthetic, marble will also increase the value of your home. Yes, it’s an expensive initial investment, but you’ll end up getting your investment back when you decide to sell the house.
Unique
As I mentioned before, it’s hard to find two marble tiles that look the same. However, this material is a work of art by nature, so you will get unique results when it’s installed.
The tiles are not the same because factories use enormous marble slabs and then work them into tiles. The ones that you’ll choose will feature a similar appearance, but they will not be precisely the same.
You might not be able to find the same product after a few months or years, which is why it’s wise to order an extra box or two just in case anything happens to your beloved floors. The chances are you won’t find the same marble design when you need to fix the damage.
Natural Stone
Marble is a natural stone that is more environmentally friendly compared to synthetic flooring materials. In addition, the production of marble doesn’t include harmful chemicals, nor does it release toxins and waste.
Translucent
Floors made of marble will have a gorgeous translucent finish. This quality makes marble even more desirable among people when they’re choosing a material for their floors.
How Long Do Marble Floors Last?
Marble floors can last for more than three decades if you maintain them properly and regularly. These floors’ average life is around 25 years, but remember that they require love and care.
Most people are disappointed when they notice that the marble in their hallway lost its shine two or three years after the installation. What they forget is that they should polish them preferably once a year. If polished marble is installed in high-frequency areas, it can look lifeless and lose its shine.
Polishing is a regular part of the maintenance, so you will extend your stunning floors’ lifespan if you do it regularly.
While installing marble tiles might cost more than other materials, the results speak for themselves. Marble exudes a luxurious appeal. From Ancient Greece and Rome to modern skyscrapers, builders and architects have used marble to beautify foyers, hallways and bathrooms for thousands of years. When installing marble, you can place yourself in this long tradition of the esteemed company. As attested by its ubiquity from antiquity into the present day, this unique stone provides its users with a high-end material that compliments most decors and room features.