Inlay Table Tops/ Pietra Dura though started in Italy, was brought to India by the Mughals.

The inlay craft or Pietra Dura though started in Italy, was brought to India by the Mughals. Agra still holds the fort for best quality Inlay table tops. The craft asks for patience, endurance, precision and pre planning to create a good piece. Most famous are the marble inlay table tops.

The patterns can be floral, geometric, Victorian or Persian. The marble is first traced with the pattern, different colored stones and gemstones are cut as per the patterns. Grooves are created on the marble base so that the cut stone is a perfect fit in them. They are stuck, dried, polished and finished.

The stone inlay table tops come in innumerable shapes inlayed with colored stones in floral and geometric patterns. The tops can be installed on stone, wood or cast iron base. An inlayed chess table top for garden tables is quite commonly used. The inlayed tabletops are so exotic that they can be used for center tables, side tables, coffee tables or even dining tables. The are durable and can be used for indoors and outdoors both.