How to judge the quality of artificial stone

Shanghai Jiani Material Technology Co., Ltd. is a professional company specializing in the production of stone tiles.

Artificial stone is classified into four categories by production methods, among which only two types are widely applied: polyester artificial marble (referred to as artificial marble) and cement-based artificial marble (commonly known as terrazzo).

Light weight, high strength, corrosion resistance, stain resistance, convenient construction, diverse patterns and affordable price make artificial stone an ideal decorative material with extensive application.

Nevertheless, artificial stone varies greatly in quality. Inferior products usually have the following characteristics:

1. Poor decorative patterns

The patterns of artificial stone, especially artificial marble, are designed and produced by imitating natural marble. High-quality imitation marble boasts highly realistic decorative effects. By contrast, inferior products feature unattractive surface patterns with poor ornamental performance. For terrazzo, improper matching of cement color and colored aggregate also undermines its surface decoration effect.

2. Substandard appearance quality

National standards set clear appearance requirements and quality grading criteria for artificial marble and terrazzo. Qualified products shall comply with relevant specifications, while inferior ones have appearance defects exceeding standard limits, which severely damage the overall decorative effect. Hence, appearance quality serves as a key indicator to judge stone quality.

3. Non-compliant dimensions

Prefabricated artificial marble and terrazzo slabs have strict requirements on surface flatness and joint alignment during installation. National standards specify allowable dimensional deviation and flatness tolerance to ensure smooth and neat decorative surfaces. Loose dimension control during manufacturing results in unqualified slabs failing to meet size specifications.

4. Unqualified physical and chemical properties

Decorative effect is the primary selection standard for artificial stone. Comprehensive quality evaluation also covers physical and chemical properties including compressive strength, flexural strength, hardness, stain resistance, corrosion resistance and durability, which guarantee long-term decorative performance.

Polyester artificial marble adopts organic polymer as the main binder, which tends to age and deteriorate under long-term exposure to sunlight, heat and air. Terrazzo with cement binder develops abundant surface pores due to inadequate curing during production. Such porous surfaces easily absorb contaminants such as oil stains, lipstick, vinegar, soy sauce, ink and mercurochrome, causing permanent surface stains and spoiling aesthetics.

In conclusion, the quality assessment of artificial stone requires comprehensive consideration, just like the evaluation of natural stone.

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