skip to main content

Porcelain marble lookalike tile-anyone regret not going with the real

8 years ago

We are looking at a porcelain marble lookalike tile for our kitchen backsplash. I am very picky and can normally spot a faux marble tile within a second but this stuff looks amazingly real to me. I love the idea that if my husband accidentally cleans the stove with something that gets on the backsplash that it won't ruin the tile. Has anyone done this and regretted not going with the real thing? We will have real marble tile walls behind the vanities in two baths but not so close obviously that you'll notice they are real and the kitchen is not.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

zorroslw1
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I don't see that it matters if it is real or not as long as you like the look of it and it will hold up well. I am not the type to have to have the real thing if I can get something less expensive that looks as good just to say I have the real thing. I love a bargain as long as it really is a bargain and not a bad imitation. I also think that if it would really bother you that it wasn't really Porcelain marble then don't get the imitation. I would buy the look alike, but that's me. If there was a large price difference, I KNOW I would get the imitation.

Sorry that didn't really answer your question because I don't have porcelain tile.
silken1
8 years ago
I too wouldn't care what it is so long as I like it. But having said that, we chose a tumbled marble tile for out kitchen backsplash. I used a sealer after it was installed and 2 years later, it still looks like new and any splashes of food or water just wipe off. I cook a lot and have a slide in range so splatters do get on it. Ours is not a real open grained porous tile compared to many. Just get what looks best so long as it is not totally impractical.
Related Discussions
anyone regret getting marble countertops?
Q
Comments (27)
My good friend has Carrara marble in her kitchen which was installed about 15 years ago. She also use a portion of the slab as the top for the kitchen table which was used a lot as the family used it every day for eating and for gathering around. Her husband who is pretty much a pig cooks a lot and so there would have been plenty of stuff that was not cleaned up immediately. Nothing in the kitchen was babied in any way - I know because she and I were cooking buddies and so I would go over and we would put together joint dinner parties with a lot of messy prep work :-). There were also lots of gatherings with kids as well who were not particularly careful or restricted in normal kid behavior. There is minor etching in some areas but the light has to be right in order to see it but nothing that anyone with normal sensibilities would notice unless they looked. Kitchen counters tend to have things on them so you don't normally turn your head to the side and squint to check out etching :-). But no stains after 15 years.
...See More
Anyone regret marble tile in shower?
Q
Comments (19)
The Sequelo is more rustic. I finalized and ordered my tile today. I switched the floor planks to Seta in Silver because it's a much lighter look. It is in 6x24, but the store had a floor display laid out in herringbone and it looked great. http://www.besttile.com/Tile-Collection.aspx?pid=384&cid=19 I also switched back to shower walls of honed marble, but the shower floor in a ceramic tile in a grey to coordinate. I was more concerned over having a marble floor than marble shower walls, since there are only two walls (other walls are glass). It will be sealed before and after grouting. I'm using the Seta 12x24" plank for the 4' shower bench seat. Since I couldn't order a few tiles (had to order a box), I'm also using the Seta Silver in the laundry room. Everything's ordered. Sheetrock went up today and the hardwood floor material was just delivered to let it acclimate before install.
...See More
Marble Look Tile on Floor: Anyone Regret This?
Q
Comments (14)
Do a little research on the tile. You can find out how many "patterns" they have within that tile style. The more, the better. Then discuss that with your installer. Example, if there are 11 different patterns, you might not want two tiles with the exact same pattern right next to one another, smack dab where your eyes fall when you enter the room. It shouldn't happen, but sometimes it does. And the more distinctive the pattern, the more apparent it can be. Conversations and expectations discussed before work begins can eliminate less comfortable conversations afterwards.
...See More
Any 6 x12" Porcelain Tiles w/ Carrara Marble LOOK out there?
Q
Comments (4)
I search through an international site that lists many/most of the Italian and Spanish tile suppliers. 6x12 isn't a popular size. Here are some marble-look porcelain tiles that come in sizes that would work for herringbone, one also had a chevron cut. Scroll down each page for the size offered. This brand is sold in the US, but you would need to find who carries it locally. http://www.vallelungacer.it/collezioni/statuario/?lang=en http://www.vallelungacer.it/collezioni/dolomiti/?lang=en http://www.vallelungacer.it/collezioni/carrara/?lang=en
...See More
sjhockeyfan325
8 years ago
I also had a tumbled marble tile for our kitchen backsplash in our previous home. We were in that house for 7 years post-remodel, and it was never a problem, and we are not neat cooks! I'd get the real thing or I'd get something else -- I'm not a fan of imitation anything.

Related Stories

DECORATING GUIDES Look-Alikes That Save Money Without Skimping on Style

By Affecting Spaces Design Studio

Whether in woodwork, flooring, wall treatments or tile, you can get a luxe effect while spending less

LAUNDRY ROOMS The Cure for Houzz Envy: Laundry Room Touches Anyone Can Do

By Becky Harris

Make fluffing and folding more enjoyable by borrowing these ideas from beautifully designed laundry rooms

TILE Porcelain vs. Ceramic Tile: A Five-Scenario Showdown

Explore where and why one of these popular tile choices makes more sense than the other

MATERIALS An Architect Shares His Go-To Materials

By Eric Reinholdt, Architect

Aluminum doors, porcelain tiles, polished concrete. Here are the features and finishes this professional returns to time and again

HOUSEKEEPING How to Clean Marble Countertops and Tile

By Bonnie McCarthy

Acidic solutions can damage your marble surfaces. Here’s how to keep marble looking clean and amazing

REMODELING GUIDES Why Marble Might Be Wrong for Your Bathroom

By By Any Design Ltd.

You love its beauty and instant high-quality appeal, but bathroom marble has its drawbacks. Here's what to know before you buy

KITCHEN DESIGN Pearls of Wisdom From a Real-Life Kitchen Remodel

By Samantha Schoech

What your best friend would tell you if you were embarking on a renovation and she'd been there, done that

KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS Kitchen Counters: Granite, Still a Go-to Surface Choice

By Ivon Street Studio

Every slab of this natural stone is one of a kind — but there are things to watch for while you're admiring its unique beauty

MATERIALS 10 Modern Marble Looks

By Shawn Gauthier

Marble has broken free of the standard kitchen countertop slab and is showing up on bathtub backsplashes, modern dining tables and more

TILE Top Tile Trends From the Coverings 2013 Show — the Wood Look

By Becky Harris

Get the beauty of wood while waving off potential splinters, rotting and long searches, thanks to eye-fooling ceramic and porcelain tiles

Sponsored

More Discussions

Omega cabinet shaker door outside edge profiles

2

help with kitchen design!!

1

Removing Kitchen Backsplash

5

coffee maker on quartz??

2

Porcelain tile over old plaster wall

0