Natural marble or imitation: how to tell the difference

Natural marble is a rock extracted from a quarry, whereas imitations are manufactured materials whose pattern reproduces marble veining. The two look alike in a photo, but they do not behave the same over time, to the touch, or in price.

Imitations (marble-effect tiles, PVC panels, stucco plasters) are becoming more common because they are light and easy to install. Before choosing, it is worth knowing what each material really offers. Here is how to tell them apart, and when an imitation remains a good choice.

The four materials often mistaken for marble

• Natural marble: a limestone rock transformed by heat and pressure, cut into slabs or pieces. Each piece has its own veining, so no two slabs are identical.
• Artificial or reconstituted marble: a manufactured material, often made from stone powder or chips bound by a resin or binder. It can look a lot like marble, with more regular patterns.
• Marble-effect tiles: a ceramic or porcelain tile with a printed design. The pattern is an image; it does not run through the material.
• PVC panels and marble-effect stucco: light wall coverings, made of plastic or plaster, that imitate the surface of marble without being made of it.

How to tell them apart

Veining and repetition

In natural marble, the veining changes from one slab to the next. If the same pattern comes back identically on several tiles, it is almost always a printed design.

The edge

Look at the side of the slab. In natural stone, the colour and veining continue through the thickness. On a printed tile, the edge is a different colour or grain from the surface.

Weight and feel

Natural marble is dense and heavy, and it stays cool to the touch. A PVC panel or a plaster finish is much lighter and sounds hollow when you tap it.

The sample

The colour on a screen often differs from the real stone. Always ask to see or touch a sample before ordering, whatever the material.

When an imitation is a good choice, and when stone is the answer

An imitation suits a light decor, a tight budget or a wall that sees little wear. Natural marble is the answer when you want a unique result, a durable material for floors, worktops, stairs or furniture, or a cladding that gains character over time. Marble also comes in several finishes (polished, honed, split-face, rustic) that a print does not faithfully reproduce.