Features | ESTRELLA MARBLE SLAB | Natural Marble | Quartz | Ceramic Tile |
Main Ingredients | Inorganic clay, feldspar powder, quartz and other inorganic materials in a differentiated formula | Deteriorated or deposited carbonate | Quartz & resin | Kaolin, white clay and other silicate materials |
Formation | Be pressed by the 33,000-ton horizontal press, and fired at a temperature of 1,200 ºC in a roller kiln | Naturally deposited | Forms under high- pressure press in vacuum | Be pressed by the traditional stamping press; Be fired in the roller kiln |
Appearance | Offers a variety of choices in different colors and designs; can be mass produced; each batch of products can be controllably consistent; looks fairly three- dimensional and layered | The quality and colors are largely determined by the mine, and therefore, the colors vary a lot. As a result, it is unlikely to produce products that meet the same requirement. There are obvious color differences if natural marbles are paved in a large area. | Very few colors and design choices; If installed in a large area, they are not very pleasing to the eye. | Offers a variety of choices in different colors and designs; can be mass produced; each batch of products can be controllably consistent; |
Intrinsic performance | It has good texture and compactness. It is highly resistant to stain, impact, fire and high temperature. | Natural marbles have many tiny holes and cracks on it, and therefore filling them with adhesive is necessary before the products are shipped or installed. Consequently, natural marble products crack easily and are prone to stain and bacteria. | Good-quality quartz is hard, resistant to abrasion as well as stain, and fire- retardant. Poor-quality quartz is smelly and easy to be dyed. It melts easily once heated. | Product compactness and water absorption rate of different product categories vary greatly. |
Weather resistance | It neither expands nor contracts with the change of temperature. It is not easy to deform. | Easy to expand and deteriorate, causing white marks, alkali return and water marks | Poor weather resistance; It expands when heated and contracts when cooled. | It neither expands nor contracts with the change of temperature. It is not easy to deform. |
Radioactivity | Belongs to Class A. Its application is unrestricted. | Formed naturally, it has a certain amount of radioactivity. The use of some products is unlimited. | Belongs to Class B. Its application is unrestricted. | Belongs to Class A. Its application is unrestricted. |
Application | Commercial space, facing panels, door panels, etc. | Walls, floors, background walls, screens and sculptures of various types | Kitchen countertops, washstands, dining table, windowsills, etc. It cannot be used outdoors. | Walls & ground |
Processing | Forty-five degree angle cutting, edge matching and grinding can be done with the on-site equipment. | The original natural marbles are of various shapes. As it is very brittle, chipping and corner breakage often occur during processing. | It's so hard that it needs to be cut with the specialized cutter in the processing plant. The edges and corners of the processed products are rough. | Hand-held cutter |
Installation | Wet paste the tile with adhesive; Dry hanging: moderate cost | Structural adhesive & marble glue; Dry hanging: high cost | Structural adhesive & marble glue; Poor seaming | Tile adhesive or cement and lime mixture |
Maintenance | Common cleaner | Frequent grinding are required, which is complicated. | Special detergent; Stain in the seam cannot be cleaned. | Common cleaner |