Marble is any limestone or dolomite that can take a high polish and still be usable. Marble is generally formed from limestone undergoing metamorphism. When exposed to extremes of pressure or heat limestone turns into calcite or dolomite crystals, which are the primary materials in marble. Marble has a famous history. The ancient Greeks built their architecture, cities, and sculptures often from Pentelic and Parian Marbles, quarried in Greece. The romans later used marble in their buildings as well, quarrying in the Greek spots and finding roman marble quarries of their own. Marble is, in a lot of ways, what the classical and Hellenistic age was built from. This is one of the reasons people are drawn to marble for the countertops, flooring, and bathroom vanities. Please contact Capitol Granite if you wish to discuss in detail the pros and cons of marble surfaces for your kitchen, bathroom, or flooring. Marble is still heavily used today in construction, and can be quarried all over the world.
Most Common Uses for Marble:
The uses for marble are almost endless. Marble is used in flooring, kitchen counter tops, bathroom countertops, bathroom vanities, bars, pillars, stair cases, colonnades, paneling, and facing stone in architectural structures. It can’t however be used outdoors, since water would corrode its crystalline structure. It is also very smooth and therefore tends to be slippery, which makes it unfavorable to use in high traffic areas. Marble is one of the most beautiful stones, with a highly polished smooth face and a wide variety of colors. These various colors are due to impurities, such as iron or carbon, getting caught in the marbles structure during formation. They often appear in stripes which makes the marble, especially when cut, very beautiful. This is why marble is very popular for high end countertops in the kitchen and bathroom. It can turn an average kitchen into an extraordinary one that will leave visitors speechless. However, Marble is not ideal for use on kitchen countertops because it scratches easily, and not as strong as granite, and is primarily used in bathroom vanities. People do still use marble in high end kitchens that are more for show than common usage. It’s these properties that make marble suited to some of the more delicate arts. It can be crafted into beautiful home furnishings, and it has been the material used in many of the worlds most beautiful sculptures. It is one of the most beautiful, elegant, historically prevalent stones that can be used. This is why so many people choose marble countertops, marble flooring, and marble for their bathroom vanities.
Marble is primarily used in other settings than kitchen countertops. This is because marble countertops are not a durable as other surfaces such as granite and quartz. Marble countertops will easily damage due to the different properties that marble possesses. Marble is primarily used in bathroom vanities, fireplace surrounds, hearts, and tile stone. This is because, marble is a beautiful surface that people love in their homes; however, marble is not the ideal surface for heavily used surfaces. Marble fireplace surrounds are gorgeous and marble is capable of sustaining the heat without getting damaged. Marble tile in yellow marble, white marble, or other marble colors give a smooth expanse of warm earthly color to a room, lifting it out of the doldrums. Marble vanity tops and marble bathrooms work incredibly well and dazzle the eye. Marble is applicable in many suggestible places, giving environments a clean, pure, and graceful look. Please contact Capitol Granite to learn more and see where marble might be the best fit in your home.
Maintaining Marble Countertops & Marble Surfaces:
- Be very careful whenever you place anything on top of your marble countertops as it can get scratches pretty easily.
- Consider using acetone or clear ammonia to remove stains off marble tiles.
- You can use a clean cloth to apply the cleaner and later on buff dry your marble countertops and marble flooring.
- Every time you place a cold beverage on your marble countertops, use coasters, because marble countertops will easily stain and develop rings.
- Always wipe marble floors/countertops/vanities with a damp cloth; you can also buff dry once a week.
If you wish to lay inexpensive marble for your kitchen floors or bathroom countertops, go with white marble. It really lights up the entire place and looks really attractive. However, you need to be careful with any kind of marble stone because marble is delicate and can scratch fairly quickly.
Recommended reading: How to Clean Marble Counters
Pros and Cons of Marble Countertops and Marble Surfaces:
Pros of Marble Countertops and Marble Surfaces:
Marble Countertops are Beautiful: Marble is well known for its beauty. Most people associate marble with luxury due to its uses in expensive or royal historical buildings. Marble is also a prized material for kitchen countertops. The fact remains that the beauty of marble is still greatly appreciated. Being a natural stone with a distinctive look, marble will most likely remain popular for a long time to come. The delicately ‘marbled’ surface has an elegant simplicity to it.
Marble Surfaces are Heat Proof: Marble resists damage from heat which is a good thing in a kitchen.
Cons of Marble Countertops & Marble Surfaces:
Marble Surfaces are Porous: Being porous means the potential for staining. If liquids are spilled onto the marble surface, the longer the spill is left the more the potential for staining. Spills must be wiped up promptly. Sealers are necessary to maintain the look and may need to be reapplied according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Professional sealing is recommended for marble surfaces.
Marble Surfaces are Softer than Other Stones: Marble can be damaged by scratches because it is a relatively soft stone. On a surface such as a counter top, scratching is a real possibility. More care must be taken to prevent scratches on marble than on other harder stone surfaces.
Marble Countertops and Marble Surfaces are Expensive: One of the reasons that marble is relatively rare in entire kitchen counter scenarios is the price. Marble is very costly compared to other materials. More often you will find certain areas of the kitchen with marble, such as a kitchen island. If the maintenance necessary seems prohibitive, consider an alternate stone counter material such as granite.
