There can sometimes be some confusion about the difference between polyresin, poly marble, alabaster, and porcelain. The end products for these can sometimes look similar, but they are not the same materials.
Polyresin, polymarble, alabaster, and porcelain are very different materials. Each of the materials is manufactured and used in very different ways. Polyresin and Pollymarble are relatively new materials, whereas alabaster and porcelain have been produced for thousands of years.
Table of Contents
- What Are Polyresin, Poly Marble, Alabaster, And Porcelain?
- Differences Between Polyresin, Polymarble, Alabaster, And Porcelain
- Related Content
What Are Polyresin, Poly Marble, Alabaster, And Porcelain?
Polyresin, poly marble, alabaster, and porcelain are four materials used in the home decor industry. Even though they may have some similarities, they have a lot of differences.
What Is Polyresin?
Polyresin is a resin material that can be very flexible when heated. Because it is flexible when heated, it can make for an ideal material to be used whenever you need to have a mold.
It is also a solid material because it is highly durable when it dries. Because of these properties, polyresin is used extensively in various products and in many ways.
Because polyresin is such a durable and straightforward material to work with, it is used quite a bit in the home decor and gift industry.
What Is Polymarble?
Like polyresin, poly marble is also a resin-based product. Poly marble is a resin material loaded with calcium, carbonate, and crystals.
Because it has these minerals, poly marble can look and feel like a natural marble even though it is not real. Some manufacturers say that it has all the qualities of natural marble.
Today, you may find poly marble in places such as your bathroom vanity or even in some kitchen areas.
What Is Alabaster?
Alabaster is a natural mineral or rock used for centuries for home decor, decoration, and ornamentation. It is a relatively soft mineral that can only be used indoors and not outdoors.
There are two types of alabaster. One is the calcite alabaster, also known as Onyx-marble, Egyptian alabaster, and Oriental alabaster. This alabaster has been used for centuries to carve statues and other types of ornamentation.
The other type of alabaster is the gypsum alabaster. This alabaster has also been used to carve statues or for ornaments, but it is softer than its calcite counterpart.
What Is Porcelain?
Porcelain is a high-fired ceramic clay that, when fired, becomes extremely strong. Porcelain is fired between 1,200 and 1,400°C or 2,200 and 2,600°F.
Once the porcelain has been fired, it is a solid, translucent material. Some porcelains can be breakable, and other porcelains are extremely tough.
Porcelain is considered an ancient Chinese craft that has existed for thousands of years. The making of porcelain slowly spread to other East Asian countries.
Differences Between Polyresin, Polymarble, Alabaster, And Porcelain
Polyresin, polymarble, alabaster, and porcelain are very different materials. Even though sometimes they may have a similar book, they have different uses and different ways of production.
Asian porcelain factories usually do not make alabaster, poly marble, or even polyresin because it is a very different process from porcelain manufacturing.
To produce porcelain, you need to have large kilns or an oven to heat the porcelain to the desired temperature. It would be best to have molds to pour the clay into the desired shapes.
On the other hand, alabaster is a mineral carved into different artifacts. Alabaster-like porcelain is a very ancient type of technique. But alabaster comes mainly from Middle Eastern Europe and not from Asia.
Alabaster is a very soft stone that cannot hold water, whereas porcelain can hold water and is very strong—both porcelain and alabaster are translucent.
Both polyresin and poly marble materials are much newer types of materials than alabaster or porcelain. Both porcelain and alabaster are ancient materials used for thousands of years.
Polyester was not even invented until the 1930s, so polyresin and poly marble came quite a bit later after the invention of polyester. This means they both have chemical properties and are not natural materials like porcelain or alabaster.
As poly marble has some minerals, it can sometimes look like natural marble even though it is a synthetic or imitation. Sometimes, polyresin can look like synthetic, imitation alabaster, or even porcelain.
But neither poly marble nor polyresin is considered a natural material as they have poly materials. Most types of poly materials are made out of petroleum.
Even though polyresin, poly marble, alabaster, and porcelain can sometimes be used for similar products in the Home Decor and Home Furniture Industry, they are all very different types of materials that are produced in very different ways.
We would love to talk to you if you’re interested in what type of alabaster products Mondoro Company can produce. We have some magnificent bathroom sets that are made in natural alabaster stone.
Find out more about how Mondoro can help you create, develop, and manufacture excellent home decor and home furniture products – don’t hesitate to contact me, Anita. Check out my email by clicking here or become a part of our community and join our newsletter by clicking here.
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Related Content
How do you tell the difference between alabaster and marble?
Alabaster and marble can sometimes look similar, but they have distinct differences. Alabaster is a softer stone, and marble can be highly polished. Alabaster cannot be used in any outdoor applications, but marble is used a lot outdoors for buildings and sculptures.
You can discover more by reading How To Tell The Difference Between Alabaster And Marble? by clicking here.
How Durable Is Alabaster?
Alabaster is usually considered a soft stone, and it is not as durable as other stones such as marble. Some types of alabaster can be pretty soft, and you can even scratch the alabaster with your fingernails. Alabaster is also not suited to be used outdoors and can only be used indoors.
By clicking here, you can discover more by reading How Durable Is Alabaster?
What is Alabaster? Alabaster for Home Decor Product Development
Alabaster is known as a medium-hard gypsum or calcite mineral, usually white and translucent with a fine, uniform grain. When Alabaster is put up to the light, you can see the stone’s small, fine, natural grain. As Alabaster is a porous mineral, it can be dyed in various colors.
You can discover more by reading What is Alabaster? Alabaster for Home Decor Product Development by clicking here.
