Natural Stone vs Porcelain – Which one is a better flooring choice for your home?

While flooring your home or office, you get a lot of alternatives. You can choose from natural stone, tiles, hardwood, and many more. For most modern homeowners, it all comes down to two options: natural stones and porcelain tiles. Both have distinctive pros and cons when compared to each other. The big question remains – which one to choose? The homeowners wish that there was a one-word answer to this question. Unfortunately, like many other websites, you must have browsed through, we too don’t have a one-word answer for you. What we have is a detailed multi-factor comparison between natural stones and porcelain tiles. We hope this will help you understand your requirement better, and in the process will answer your big question.

So here are a few factors of both the flooring options compared against each other. Feel free to refer to this guide whether you are looking for the best marble for the kitchen or for the living room.

• The cost factor
  If you have been in the market and visited even a single stone/tiles store, then you certainly know that natural stone is much expensive than porcelain tiles. Now, if you absolutely love marble stone and you really want it for your dream home, then the cost difference shouldn’t stop you. The elegance and timeless looks of the natural marble are worth it. However, if you want the magnificence of marble but don’t want to burn a hole in your pocket, then look no further than porcelain tiles. Porcelain tiles are designed to exude the same luxury as the natural marble at a much lesser cost.
• The aesthetics factor
  At the end of the day, after you have done everything, all that matters is how good the house looks. Natural stone is known for its royal effect. There is a reason that every single historic monument is made up of natural stone. While natural stones undoubtedly look good, you are never sure what color you are going to get, as it is a natural process. Whereas, porcelain tiles can mimic the aesthetics of natural stone perfectly, and are available in multiple shades and hues. You can pick whichever you find the best. So, if you think that the color variation in natural stone is a part of its beauty, then choose it by all means. You won’t be disappointed. However, if you have a particular design in mind and are married to the idea, then we suggest that you go for porcelain tiles.
• The practicality factor
  Natural stone is porous and absorbs water. It means that natural stones will need sealing. It is recommended that sealing is doing before grouting for maximum effectiveness. In most cases, you might need to do sealing more than once. The frequency of resealing will depend on the location where marble is laid. Marble laid in the outdoors will require more care and attention as compared to the stone installed in the bathroom or the kitchen.

Porcelain tiles, on the other hand, are non-porous. Water has no effect on it. They are equally effective and durable indoors as well as outdoors. They require no sealing and special maintenance.

Expert’s guidance is recommended while deciding which flooring choice

• The quality factor
  There are no brands for natural stones. It means that there is a guarantee of quality. All you have is just intangible trust in the seller. But with porcelain tiles, you get everything natural stone gives you plus the quality assurance of a renowned brand. Ceramic tiles manufacturers like NEOM, are known for providing the best quality tiles that are as classy as natural marble with the guarantee of quality. It means every NEOM tile will be made of the best quality raw material, will exhibit the same strength, and will be identical in color and shade.
  You can visit their website or visit a dealer near you to have a look at their complete tiles collection.