Does Marble Tile Thickness Matter?

Many people underestimate what thickness refers to when it comes to marble tiles. This dictates how the tiles accommodate weight, ease of installation, and whether or not it results in a solid feeling floor underfoot.

On the walls, however, marble tiles can be quite thin as there is no foot traffic for them to endure. The thinner the tile, the less weight it will add to your walls; therefore, making them easier for applications on vertically-wall-mounted and high-traffic areas. Great for use on bathroom walls, splashbacks or feature panels…as long as the wall is flat and correctly prepared.

On the floor, you typically want a thicker tile because it has to handle impact (children running or dropping toys), point loads in numerous locations at high frequency. For Marble Tiles, visit irwintiles.ie/marble-stone-tiles

A marble end may be cut to several thicknesses, but a thicker one is less likely to crack in the course of installation, and feels extra strong once set down if it’s conveyed onto a thicker cowl. Where you will match levels between rooms or tie into existing floor finishes, then thickness becomes an issue, of course, too.

However, it is worth keeping in mind that thickness does not always equal performance. Equally as important is the subfloor. Natural stone is not as forgiving as ceramic and needs a good, stable base, so usually you’d be installing onto an appropriate screed or tile backer board before setting your marble.

If you are unsure, check in with your supplier or installer to see what they would recommend for your room (tile size and type of subfloor). This way, you can prevent losing money from breakages, delays, and fixing later on if done right the first time.