CRAZY MARBLE FLOORING | An Architect Explains

Crazy Marble floor is a little different from mosaic/terrazzo flooring in its casting. In this type of flooring, waste and cut marble and stone pieces (not chips) are laid on a white cement-concrete base. When marble flooring is installed in the main building the waste and cut pieces can be utilized in laying this flooring around the exterior of the house.

Crazy Marble flooring has both advantages and disadvantages. As an Architect, I have described Crazy Marble flooring along with it’s features under the following headings so that you can decide whether it is suited for your requirement and your space:

What are the characteristics of Crazy Marble flooring?
What are the advantages of Crazy Marble flooring?
What are the disadvantages of Crazy Marble flooring?
Where is Crazy Marble flooring best suited?

 

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF CRAZY MARBLE FLOORING?

• Composition: Crazy Marble floor is man-made, but using natural materials like marble or other stone pieces and a white cement – marble powder mix.
• Physical Characteristics: Crazy Marble flooring is hard, heavy, durable, long lasting a good conductor of heat.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF CRAZY MARBLE FLOORING?

• Durable: should last a lifetime if maintained properly.
• Dense and water-resistant: if sealed well. Therefore, it keeps the floor from harboring bacteria.
• Easy to maintain: It requires less and inexpensive maintenance. You simply have to sweep up the floor often.
• Cool under foot: but not too cold.
• Appearance: Crazy Marble  provides a decorative look to a room.
• Easy installation: Crazy marble flooring can be installed by anyone using the waste and cut marble and stone pieces.
• Environment-friendly: Crazy Marble flooring doesn’t harm the environment as it is constructed out of all natural materials including sand, marble, and other types of stone. You can even recycle this type of floor.

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF CRAZY MARBLE FLOORING?

• Relatively expensive: If the waste, cut marble pieces from the building are used for Crazy Marble flooring, it works out as a relatively cheap option. On the other hand, if marble is bought for using in crazy marble flooring, it is an expensive alternative.
• Slippery: when wet.
• Hard underfoot: Crazy Marble doesn’t have any cushioning, so it will be hard to stand on for an extended period of time.
• Heat loss: It is a good conductor of heat so it leads to heat loss in room heating.
• Stains: Crazy Marble floor is prone to stain marks caused by acidic substances like vinegar and tamarind.
• Polishing: Crazy marble flooring requires heavy polishing at the time of laying. Periodic polishing is required to maintain the shine.

WHERE IS CRAZY MARBLE FLOORING BEST SUITED?

Crazy Marble Flooring being an extremely durable, resistant to weathering and cheap option (waste marble) is used outside the house, in external areas such as driveways, private road, verandahs and courtyards etc. But the irregular appearance does not make it a popular choice indoors. Ceramic or Vitrified tiles or terrazzo that are comparable in price are preferred inside the house.

For information on other flooring options, go to:

• Flooring | Natural Material Options
• Flooring | Man-made Material Options
• Flooring | Resilient Material Options

READ MORE:

In order to get a rough idea of the suitability of a particular flooring for your requirement and to make a fair comparison of the different types of flooring, refer to an Architect’s rating of the various kinds of flooring on my blog: House construction in India

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