You’re facing the same conundrum that so many marble-loving home owners have wrestled with: you love marble, but is it really worth the care and maintenance to keep it looking beautiful year after year?
Compared to other surface materials like granite, marble is a relatively soft stone. It can etch if spills aren’t cleaned up right away, and it naturally develops a patina, or change in color due to oxidation, over time. This is one of the reasons manufacturers are developing more durable engineered surfaces that resemble marble – some people simply don’t want to stress out every time a dinner guest puts their wine glass down without a coaster. But if you’re in love with the classic look of marble, there’s simply no alternative quite as beautiful as the real thing.
We’re here to put your mind at ease, and give you 5 solid reasons why you should make the commitment to a real marble countertop.
1. It can be sealed to add stain protection.
Your countertop fabricator can ward off stains by applying a sealer on top of the stone. Today’s sealers are highly effective at preventing staining, without altering the look of the stone itself.
Stone Interiors offers a stain warranty on all marble that gives your countertop an added layer of protection against common household spills – and gives you peace of mind. While no sealer can prevent etching, which is a dulling of the stone when it comes into contact with acidic materials, a high quality sealer can go a long way in shielding your new marble from stains for years, or even decades. Ask your fabricator if they offer a multi-year stain warranty to help put your mind at ease.
2. Honed marble is just as gorgeous as polished, and you won’t have to worry about etching nearly as much.
Honed marble is pre-etched, meaning any dullness that may occur from a rogue lemon slice will be much less noticeable than it would be on a polished surface. Honed marble has a soft, satin finish rather than a glossy shine – a look that many home owners actually prefer.
Polished Marble Countertop
Honed Marble Countertop
3. Every slab is unique.
Some home owners choose to install engineered products such as quartz, which can be made to resemble marble. While an engineered material is lower maintenance than marble, it will never have the same soft translucency of natural stone – a quality that many natural stone enthusiasts love.
Plus, when you install a true marble countertop or vanity, you have the opportunity to select a 100% unique slab. No other kitchen will have the exact same veining and characteristics that you have in yours.
Quartz Kitchen Island Made to Resemble Marble
Marble Kitchen Island
4. Marble is naturally heat resistant.
If you’re a baker, you’ll be happy to learn that marble is one of the most heat resistant stones out there, and is much more heat resistant than a common competitor – engineered quartz. This quality makes marble a popular choice for fireplace surrounds as well as counters, islands, and vanities.
5. Natural stone increases the value of your home.
Stone countertops will increase the value of your home and appeal to potential buyers, if and when you’re ready to sell. Updated countertops made of natural stone are aesthetically beautiful, and show that you’ve invested and cared for your home.
Still on the fence? Talk to your countertop fabricator before you make a final decision. Most will be more than happy to give you a sample of the marble color you’re eyeing so you can take it home for a field test. Pour some lemonade on it, leave a coffee ring, drop a tomato slice – put your sample to the test to see how it reacts. Better yet, try a sample of both polished and honed marble to see the difference in performance.
We believe every home owner should take their time to make sure they’re choosing a material that’s perfect for both their lifestyle and aesthetic. As always, a Stone Interiors representative would be happy to answer any questions you might have about marble or any other stone material so you can feel confident in your final decision.
