How to pick the perfect marble slab

February 18, 2019

Is it your first time picking out natural marble slabs for your new project? Not to worry, the best part about choosing a marble piece is that there isn't an exact answer. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This saying holds very true when it comes to choosing marble slabs. People like different colors, different patterns, veining, texture, etc. Italian marble and craftsmanship are the most well known, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's the best. Just like German cars are known for great automobiles. But they aren't necessarily the best depending on your needs and what you're looking for.

So how do we tackle this overwhelming mission! What is the best marble slab for your countertops, walls, flooring, bathroom, home decor piece?

Design Life

You want to first picture what color stone fits your master design. This way when you walk into your neighborhood slab yard, you won't feel stressed out with a plethora of options. You can easily zone into the colors that match your design and see which marble slab characters match your personality.

Finding the right marble slab can bring a sense of nature into your living space as no other material can. It demonstrates your artistic flavor with class and lux.

Have A Plan

As mentioned above, you should already have an idea of the color and style of marble you want for your next project.

Picking out marble slabs is like walking into an art gallery, where you have the beauty of all sorts of colors, styles, patterns, etc. It is best to keep an open mind and have a general idea of the color marble you desire.

Do you want a lot of veining in your marble piece or very little? There's no right or wrong answer, but more of a personal preference.

Plan Ahead

Marble stone is unique because every piece is always different. So be sure to check a few different marble slab facilities in advance to see if they have the type of stone you want. Check and see if they are willing to send some photos for you to preview.

Also finding the right dimensions and quantity you require could also save you money in your project. Then let the slab gallery know you will be coming for a visit to see the physical marble slab piece. Photos could come out quite different than the actual piece. Lighting could be slightly off, some inherent flaws in the stone may not be present in the photos. This will allow you to ensure the right piece for your project.

Natural Fissures

You also want to inspect the quality of the polish as well as cracks in the slab. Having a cracked slab is quite frustrating. Think about every time you come across your marble countertop and you see that crack that you missed when shopping for a slab. It is such an eyesore!

However, fissures and cracks are entirely different. Natural marble often carries fissures which appear to crack, but are actually just part of the natural characteristic of the stone. You shouldn't be able to feel the fissure. A common test in the industry is to run your nail across it. If it catches your nail, then it's more likely a crack. Fissures are part of the stone's character and don't change the integrity of the stone.

The History

One of the most fascinating aspects of natural marble aside from its luxurious beauty is the history behind it. Most stone quarries have a long history that was passed from generation to generation. It's a great cocktail story when you have friends over to explain why you chose that piece along with the story behind it.