The downside of many natural tiles is the upkeep, sealing them every so often and keeping the limescale off. Porcelain and in some cases ceramic tiles can offer beautiful marble patterns at a fraction of the cost. The main issue is the difference in pattern from tile to tile, if you go for a high quality manufacturer such as Villeroy & Boch, you will get the most convincing "fake" marble effects. For more info from our designers visit our site www.damans.co.uk

I've already contacted customer services by email (I'm in the UK and so they're closed at the moment). But they're Fired Earth which is a well known brand here and so I'm hoping they'll replace the batch. I have 61 useable tiles out of 340. Just waiting for a marble expert to come along and tell me that I'm being a muppet and that all marble is like this!

Speak to http://gmistonework.co.uk/ they will be able to help

Hi Nati, I would try and avoid marble tiles if you can as yes they look beautiful but they are not very practical (especially behind a cooker). They are porous so they stain easily and scratch easily too. You can seal them with a sealing chemical so they are easier to maintain but you will have to do this at least once a year. I would look for a ceramic tile with a marble effect as this will be a lot more practical. Hannah