Alba Grey Marble Tiles - Indoor Tiles from Bellstone, Sydney 

Alba Grey Marble Characteristics

Alba Grey marble from Turkey is a light, willowy grey and white marble with occasional blue-grey and almond-coffee hues. The display pieces in the image above were selected to show the variation that exists. The surface is honed and velvety smooth. The marble has lines wind swept cloud patterns - some soft and subtle, others vivid.

Marble - Things to Know

Marble is made of re-crystalized calcite and takes a polish which is why it is different from limestone. It also has a different crystalline structure. Like limestone, marble is sensitive to acid; household drinks and foodstuffs (e.g. wine, citrus juice, vinegar, soft drinks) may damage the surface if left to sit.

Marble is susceptible to staining and the light colour of Alba Grey may make stains more visible than on darker coloured stone. For this reason, sealing is advised in areas where spills are likely e.g. Aqua Mix Sealer's Choice Gold.

Marble is hypoallergenic; it was often used in hospitals years ago because of it was easy to clean and maintain hygiene. It is cool under foot in summer.

Marble - Historical Links

The elegance and decorative appeal of marble makes it popular for use in foyers, hallways and bathrooms. In days of old, marble was used in block form in some of the world's finest buildings e.g. Pantheon in Rome, Parthenon in Athens, Taj Mahal in Agra, Lincoln Memorial in Washington and the Trump Tower in New York. Quite a list! Oh yes, let's not forget Michaelangelo either - his beautiful sculptures were all made from hand selected Carrara marble.

Sizes Suit Bathroom Floor Wastes

The 610x305mm tile is the preferred choice for use on bathroom walls; larger format tiles tend to make small spaces seem bigger. This size though may make you unpopular with your tiler if you intend to use them on a bathroom floor. This is because the floor surface needs to taper toward floor and shower wastes (i.e. drains) in a funnel shape to allow for drainage. Tilers prefer smaller size tiles to do this properly so the 305x305mm tiles will be preferred. (You can achieve this by simply cutting the bigger format tiles in half!)

In more modern bathrooms, elongated drains in front of the shower recess can double for floor & shower waste; tapering tiles in one direction to shed water is relatively easy so the larger format (610x305mm) tiles may be used.

Alba Grey Tiles - Honed Surface

Alba Grey 305x305x12.5mm	Alba Grey 305x305x12.5mm
Alba Grey 610x305x15mm	Alba Grey 610x305x15mm

Specifications

• 305x305x12.5mm - honed surface
• 610x305x15mm - honed surface

Stone Quality Rating - Bellambi Bluestone (polished)

(5 stars = best quality)

Density
Porosity
Flexural strength (dry)
Flexural strength (wet)
Slip resistance

Indicative Test Results (15/11/11)

• Density (ASTM C97-02) - 2716 kg/m3
• Water absorption (ASTM 616) by weight - 0.12%
• Flexural strength (ASTM C880) (dried) - 18.1 MPa
• Flexural strength (ASTM C880) (wet) - 12.2 MPa
• Slip resistance (AS/NZS 4586-2004) - 31Y (risk of slipping when wet = high)

Architects - R Ratings cannot easily be extrapolated from the more relevant wet pendulum tests. HB197 in the Australian Standards Handbook may provide some guide.

Free Project Consultation

Visit our showroom - we have a technical support team who would be happy to take you through our product range and help with your project requirements. Please call us on 1800 663 235 to discuss your needs.