Marazzi Tile – In Brief
Marazzi tiles arrive in ten different style collections, including wood look, metallic, fabric look and mosaic. You’ll normally pay between $3 and $8 for each square foot of Marazzi tile, with the same on top for installation (on average). Marazzi designs lines for kitchen backsplashes and wall coverings.
Tile floors are nothing new.
Tile is found all over the home and has been for over 200 years. You can find tile on floors, walls, as a backsplash or even decorative mosaics.
Over the years the title as best tile manufacturer has changed hands time and again.
Currently, Marazzi is one of the top brands and manufacturers for all things tile. Their claim to the throne is a budget-friendly product that has multiple styles, looks and textures.
Consumers love the brand and the quality of the product and it may be right for you.
Most Popular Marazzi Styles
Marazzi tile offers 10 different styles and options for your home. These are the top sellers.
- Marazzi Wood Look Tile. Wood look tile is the most popular modern style and Marazzi has some of the most realistic and stylish wood look tiles.
- Marazzi Marble and Stone Look Tile. Marble and stone options are wide ranged and valuable in a lot of areas of the home.
- Marazzi Metallic Tile. Metallic looks are chic and relatively new to home looks.
- Marazzi Mosaic Tile. Mosaics work well on walls, as backsplashes and in decorative accent walls.
- Marazzi Fabric Look Tile. Fabric look tile is virtually unheard of and in this space is novel, unique and inexpensive.
Why Choose Tile
Tile has a lot of benefits, especially as a flooring. It also says a lot about the style and décor in your home.
Tile, by its nature, is colder, harder and sturdy. It is scratch and dent resistant, easy to clean and requires little effort to install. While the installation process can be time consuming, it is rather simple, if not repetitive.
However, new looks, manufacturing processes, styles and colors are adding warmth and comfort to an otherwise dated look. Today, tile is known for its usefulness, low maintenance and durability.
Because tile is fairly inexpensive, you can use tile in any room of the home. With Marazzi, you can even use tile on your walls, outside or as accents for decoration.
The possibilities are near endless and what was once old is new again.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Right Marazzi Tile for Your Needs
Coverage Area
One of the biggest cost factors is coverage area. Whether you are adding tile as a backsplash or converting your entire kitchen floor, the size of your project means a lot.
Not only will it help you decide which tiles to buy, but you will also know how many you need.
Since modern tiles come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, finding the right balance between project size and total cost starts with knowing the square footage of the space you plan to cover.
Location of Install
Like coverage, location is also important. Almost any tile can be used on any floor of the home. Tiles are versatile and can be installed at, above or below grade.
They are ideal for wet area installs like bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements.
Styles and Colors
One of the more fun considerations is the style and color of tiles you want for your project. With Marazzi you can decide on solid colors, patterns, designs, tile sizes and much more.
There are 10 total tile styles to go through and each one has various colors and patterns.
From wood look tile to fabric mimicking tiles and everything in between, you are sure to find just what you are looking for. You may even surprise yourself and find a style you never dreamed of.
Tile Size
Another large purchasing decision is tile size. There are a lot of options to choose from, here and the choice isn’t always easy.
Marazzi has one of the largest size selections in the industry, making it even more difficult to make a final decision.
Among the popular sizes are 12 x 24 inch and 4 x 6 inch. You can find over 2 dozen various sizes in all and the choice you go with will have a direct reflection in the overall cost. Smaller tiles are cheaper in general, though you have to buy a lot more to cover the space.
Special Features
Aside from the style, color and size, you may not think of tiles as having any special features. You would be wrong.
Marazzi actually has two features that you can choose from including where your tiles are made and how slippery they are.
Additional Requirements
Of course when planning your budget, project and materials list, you can’t forget about the extras. Things like adhesives, mastic, sealants and protectorates will all need their own consideration.
Cost & Warranty
Finally, you will want to think about the cost of the entire project. From materials to installation, there are a lot of little costs and fees to consider.
On average you can expect to pay between $3 and $8 per square foot for the materials alone. You also need to add in between $3 and $7 per square foot for professional installation.
The warranty will also be a factor. You want to ensure you get the right coverage for your specific application. This may require special needs on your part, such as registration, professional installation or even buying an extended plan.
Marazzi Tile Brand Guide
Marazzi tile is a company that relies on customer satisfaction. This is great news for the consumer and bad for the competition who rely on quantity sales.
For example, you can select one of the 8 tiles that are embedded with StepWise. This is a manufacturing addition that is built into the tiles, not an additive applied to the finished product.
With StepWise the anti-slip technology means you can safely and confidently walk on the surface, even if it is wet.
Warranty Concerns
One of the biggest downsides is the warranty coverage. Marazzi does a great job with coverage. From damage, defects and even installation protection, you are covered from top to bottom.
The bad part is that the warranty only lasts for 12 months. For 1 year you are protected against discoloration, pattern fading, cracks, damage and even tiles falling out.
However, once that year is over, you are stuck. You can’t even purchase an extension.
This doesn’t mean that the product is bad or will break down on day 366. Tile as a whole, though, does wear down, crack and need constant maintenance and repair, especially with sealing and grout.
Styles and Selections
Marazzi has 10 styles to choose from, including a specific style dedicated only to wall coverings. The other 9 options are for floors, walls, backsplash and accents. The beauty is that each option has several colors or looks in various sizes.
Whether you want wood look tile, stone (natural and machined) or even fabric look tiles, Marazzi has your answer. You won’t find a more diverse or complete tile selection anywhere else.
The problem is, though, that you can enter the site or showroom with one thing in mind and leave with a completely different option.
At a Glance
Let’s take a quick look at the costs and options for all 10 Marazzi tile styles. Note that the costs here are an average cost through all tile sizes. Actual prices may vary in your area based on type, size and availability.
The listed cost also only includes tiles (per square foot) and does not include installation fees or additional materials.
Style | Colors | Sizes | Cost | Installation |
Wood | 12 | 4 | $2 – $4 | $5 – $12 |
Marble | 8 | 6 | $3 – $6 | $6 – $14 |
Stone | 47 | 12 | $3 – $5 | $6 – $13 |
Encaustic | 16 | 4 | $4 – $8 | $7 – $16 |
Natural Stone | 23 | 6 | $3 – $7 | $6 – $15 |
Concrete | 34 | 6 | $2 – $5 | $5 – $13 |
Fabric | 18 | 4 | $4 – $7 | $7 – $15 |
Metallic | 9 | 4 | $3 – $7 | $6 – $15 |
Mosaic | 45 | 20 | $2 – $8 | $5 – $16 |
Wall | 58 | 8 | $4 – $7 | $7 – $15 |
Marazzi Tile Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
DIY install capable | Low, 1-year warranty |
Scratch resistant | Not available in all areas |
3d printed designs and patterns | Dye lots can vary in shade and detail greatly |
StepWise anti-slip options | |
Many tiles made in USA | |
Solutions for floor, wall and backsplash | |
Multiple sizes and colors | |
Wood, stone, and fabric-look styles |
Installing Marazzi Tile
Tile setting is a slow process that takes some skill, a lot of time and heavy duty tools. While it is a DIY capable project, a professional installer is highly recommended.
A professional will get the job done more efficiently, faster and with a better final aesthetic than most homeowners could do.
If you plan to use a professional, check out the Pro Finder Tool. This small app will give you reliable, reputable contractors local to your specific area.
DIY Installation
Always make sure your install area is clean, dry and free of debris, wax, grease, etc. You want to read all instructions on your grout, adhesive and mixes. You don’t want to mix it all, either. Only make enough mastic, adhesive or grout that you can easily use in a 30 minute window.
You also need to ensure the installation area is level, and free of damage, cracks and is solid.
Mark all the center spots on the walls after removing baseboards, using a chalk line to find the center of the room and ensure your lines are perfectly straight.
Now that you have four grids, you can start placing tile or create smaller grids. You want to loose lay the tiles (without adhesive) to ensure everything fits and find where you need to cut.
Start placing in the corner of each grid with proper spacing (according to tile style and instructions) once the grid is full, lift a loose tile, apply adhesive and place it back. You will need to cut the tiles, angles and corners as needed.
Once a grid is full, move on to the next grid and repeat the process.
Once all tiles are spaced and adhered to the subfloor, you will need to grout the flooring. Once the grout has set slightly (about 15 to 30 minutes) you will need to clean excess grout by wiping with a clean cloth.
Once the clean up of the grout is complete the tiles will need to be set. In most cases this is about 24 to 48 hours. After that, there will be a thin haze on the tiles and once the floor is completely set, you will need to clean it to remove the haze, excess grout and adhesive and make your tiles shine.
Care and Cleaning of Marazzi Tile Floors
Cleaning tile is fairly simple. You can use household or commercial cleaners and wet mop at any time. The only caveat is that the cleansers you do use need to be grout compliant. Mops and brushes need to be cotton, cloth or sponge material and non-abrasive.
You can sweep, mop, steam or even vacuum tile floors. You want to ensure you have a vacuum designed for hard floors that has a powered brush roller you can turn off, or a soft roller that is grout and tile capable.
You can find these resources online at the Marazzi website, which gives you downloads and on site information.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we will answer a few of the most common questions about Marazzi and tile in general. If you have further questions you can use our comment section below the article.
Q. Is Marazzi worth it?
- Marazzi has a lot of options and styles to choose from. With their proprietary StepWise anti-slip components and US based manufacturing plants, they appeal to a wide variety of homeowners and commercial properties alike. The mid-range cost makes them more alluring and with simple clean up the value only increases.
Q. Can I clean tile floors with ammonia?
- It is not recommended to use ammonia based cleaners as they can discolor grout. Acidic cleaners can eat away the grout and remove the glazed surface of tiles. When possible you should use household or commercial cleaners that are non-acidic, non-abrasive and easily rinsed.
Q. Do I have to seal Marazzi tile?
- It is highly recommended that you seal your tiles, regardless of brand. However, almost all tile grout needs to be sealed. They type and hardiness of your sealant will vary, so ensure you purchase and apply the right sealant for your tile and grout selections.
Q. Is tile better glazed or unglazed?
- Full bodied tiles have higher anti-slip properties, are more scratch resistant, and have more impact resistance than glazed tiles. The manufacturing process creates a more dense and solid porcelain tile. Glazed tiles have their place and purpose and work best on counters, walls and as accents.
Conclusion
When you need to tile a floor, wall or countertop, you aren’t without options. There are about as many brands as there are colors and tile sizes, Marazzi is just one option. However, Marazzi has a long history of providing quality products with mass market appeal.
When you buy Marazzi, you are getting quality, durability, reliability and style. You also get it all for an affordable price point that makes other premium brands look bland. Not only that but their innovative and fun styles give you selection opportunities not found anywhere else.
From wood look tile to fabric look tile, and everything in between, Marazzi tile is an option worthy of a closer look and investment.