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Marble gives that smooth, classy look
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Most varieties of marble are found in parts of Rajasthan, writes Abhijit Dev Kumar
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— Photo: K. Ramesh Babu
In demand: Marble is popular even when newer materials are coming in.
Most historic pieces of art couldn’t have made a mark if they were not chiselled, sculpted or built in marble. Architects, sculptors and artists of yore swore by the stone that is now an integral part of contemporary construction.
The stone has definitely made its presence felt in our daily lives. Be it flooring, counters, elevation or even fountains, most of the present day structures house the metamorphic rock in some way or the other.
For the Indian type, white defines the colour of marble. Most varieties are found in parts of Rajasthan and are named according to their provenance. The stone in sold as slabs and tiles. For slabs, the size ranges from 3ft by 2ft to 10ft by 6ft and tiles range from 1x1ft to two-and-a-half x 2 ft.
Most preferred
For starters, Makrana is the ‘in thing’ and is the first choice when it comes to marble flooring. The stone’s demand comes from its flawless whiteness and its glossy look after it is polished. Depending on the quality of Makrana, its price ranges from Rs.80 to Rs.200 per sft. “Makrana is preferred because of its unblemished white colour. Also, it adds character and style to the structure”, says Manish Mor, a dealer in marble.
Next in line is ‘Morward’, originating from parts of Rajasthan, the stone stands out because it comes in different varieties. Another variety of this is ‘Morward White’ and Rare ‘Morward Plain White’. Unlike Makrana, the Morward comes with a few shades of green. The stone is preferred for elevation works, in pooja rooms, making marble temples and cladding. The stone costs Rs.35 to Rs.45 depending on class of the stone. Another variety available in the market is ‘Nizzarna’, also known as China Pink and China Brown.
For those in love with darker colours, Classic Emerald a.k.a Haveli Black would be the appropriate choice. The stone is available at Rs. 70 and goes up to Rs. 100 per sft. Green Marble is available for Rs. 45 to Rs. 55 per sft. Other colours like Jaisalmer Yellow and Udaipur Pink come in the same range. The cheapest variety of marble available is Saawar, a stone with brown lines and costs between Rs. 30 to Rs. 40 per sft.
“Cutting and fitting costs of marble goes from Rs. 8 to Rs. 10 per sft and Rs. 2 to Rs. 8 per sft for polishing”, informs a marble dealer.
On the whole white marble requires maintenance and one should not use harsh acid based solutions for cleaning. A variety of solutions are available in the market that caters particularly to maintenance of marble flooring.
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