I have worked with Shaw's luxury vinyl plank (LVP) wood-looking floors for quite some time, so I'll give you an…
January 4, 2018
Artea Stone by Marazzi has been around for a very long time and with good reason.
It's a glazed porcelain tile simulating weathered natural stone in consistently high demand.
Available in four different colors and coordinating trim, it's also trendy due to its excellent pricing.
I have worked with this particular tile a lot since 2005, so I hope to share a few things about it that will help you decide if this tile is for you.
But first, I've done some homework for you and put together this comparison chart so you can get an idea of the best place to get it online.
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I've found these stores to be the most reputable and easiest to work with when it comes to Artea Stone. They are legitimate operations with employees, warehouses, and staff on hand to assist you.
Yes, you may pay a few cents extra for that, but who cares when your other option is some unknown person with no warehouse offering you "too good to be true" prices.
*This product is ideal for homeowners looking for a resilient tile that looks great and affordable.
Available Colors: Antico, Avorio, Cappuccino, Noce.
Available Sizes: 20x20, 13x13, 6.5x13, 6.5x6.5 & 3x13 bullnose
I have personally put this tile in many different client homes ranging from the bathroom, shower, kitchen floor and backsplashes, laundry, and fireplace.
Glazed porcelain tile like this one has a waterproof glaze on the face combined with an equally impervious body meaning the tile doesn't absorb anything.
So it is incredibly resilient, frost-resistant, waterproof, very difficult to stain and damage once installed.
I am not referring to cracking or breaking during the transportation or installation process; I'm talking about after installation, it readily absorbs a lot of damage.
I frequently take a screwdriver to the tile and run it violently across it as sparks fly to demonstrate to a client its resilience whenever they ask me, "will it scratch?"
Do not worry for a second or wonder if it will hold up to furniture, pets, kids, and lots of guests - it will.
It is equally suitable for heavy commercial traffic as it is for residential.
This picture shows a client's home with this tile installed throughout the kitchen and breakfast nook areas. Notice how simply installing it on a diagonal draws your eyes to the two widest points on the tile giving a wider appearance which is perfect for smaller areas.
One distinguishing advantage of this tile, aside from its famous weathered stone appearance, is the versatility you get with multiple sizes. It comes in: 6.5 x 6.5, 6.5 x 13, 13 x 13, and 20 x 20.
It also comes in a 3 x 13 coordinating bullnose, which is very important when finishing out showers and wall areas in the bathroom needing a finished edge.
I have used this range in bathrooms, for example, where I put the 20 x 20 size on the floor on a diagonal (fewer grout lines, less maintenance, and opens up space), the 13 x 13's or 6.5 x 13's on the walls and the smaller 6.5 x 6.5 on the tub surround and face.
You can mix and match as you like depending on your personal preferences.
Marazzi has its pattern guide you can reference for ideas and help figure out what type of pattern you like.
The finish on this tile is a low satin sheen, so although it is not shiny, it has a slight glaze that gives it a little glimmer.
I've personally had a long history with this tile and recommend it for its versatility, natural stone look, and affordability.
My clients have also given very positive feedback and have independent online reviewers.
It holds up exceptionally well and comes in four neutral colors that work with just about any decor.
Because of its glazed properties, you can install it on floors, showers, walls, patios, backsplashes, and anywhere else you see fit.
You can also mix and match it with other materials like marble, pencil rails, and other trim to get a more custom look, and since its coloring is so natural, it works very well with them.
Here's a picture of a shower I did. I used the Avorio color, mixed with marble inserts and travertine pencil rails.
I also changed the tile pattern between the bottom and top halves for a little extra visual touch.
Maintenance on this tile is effortless since nothing can hurt it.
Some folks ask about the pits and grooves in the tile and if they will collect dirt or not.
If you're wondering if the floor will ever get dust settle on it, then absolutely it will, as will any floor but will it stain or absorb the dust in any way, discoloring the tile?
No.
As always, find an experienced installer if you don't know what you're doing.
Some folks online complained the sizing wasn't exact between all of their tiles.
This is pretty standard in the tile industry since no two lots are identical, so these marginal differences are typical.
There will also be slightly different shading between runs, so purchase more than enough for your project so any future repairs will all be from the same shade.
The other thing is if you are going to mix and match with natural stone like marble or travertine or combine with pencil rails for a pattern like the shower above, then double-check to make sure the tile is the same or similar thickness.
Otherwise, you will need to inform your installer to use additional thinset to make it level.
If you ignore this, you will get minor differences in the evenness of the tile where the tile and natural stone transition.
As you know, prices constantly change.
To make it easier for you, I went through the major online retailers' price comparisons. Please factor in any local taxes as this varies between states. There are four more factors I have to draw to your attention:
If you are installing over concrete, ensure the house's foundation is relatively stable because any settling or movement may cause the tiles to crack. This is quite common in Texas, but I just thought to draw your attention to it if it happens. If it does, this has nothing to do with the quality of the tile since a significant enough crack under a tile will, in turn, crack any tile.
Be sure any wall or shower installations are done over concrete sheets (hardibacker, hardiboard, wonder board, etc.), as this provides the correct structure and support for a porcelain tile. Check with your contractor to ensure they install it over a concrete slab or a concrete sheet and never just sheetrock or plywood.
A few other costs to be aware of aside from your contractor's labor costs: grout, hardiboard, thinset, etc. (which can all be purchased at these online stores). Buy sanded grout for this tile, and grout lines can range from 1/4" to 3/16th's.
The retailers reviewed showcase this product by its original name, and so I could not find any case of them private labeling it. Keep in mind stores like Home Depot, whose policy is "if you find it at a competitor for less, we will beat it by 10%," only applies to offline offers, but even so, their pricing on this product was excellent.
One advantage of buying from Home Depot, though, is you can pick it up from your local store at no additional charge or have your contractor pick it up before the job starts.
Artea Stone is an excellent glazed porcelain tile used in a wide array of residential applications. Apart from the occasional shade lot differences between orders, there isn't much to not like about this tile and coordinating trim pieces.
It comes in many sizes to give you the flexibility to customize your floor, shower, backsplash, and any other area in your home.
It's tough enough to resist water, stains, foot traffic, sunlight, and even chemicals but brings soft color to the space without being overwhelming.
I find it hard to go wrong with this line providing you like the overall look because its color range is very versatile in that it will look great with just about any decor.
The Noce and Cappuccino colors are warmer and do well in any area you wish to make cozier. Avorio and Antico are creamish and white, respectively, and should be used where you want to brighten/open a room up visually.
Shop the four leading stores below and see what works best for you.
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope this review of Marazzi Artea Stone has been of help to you.
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