Marble is an indisputable natural stone that holds the power to create a look of elegance and dignity in a room. It is one of the softer materials as compared to granite and other hard surfaces so it will be best to use for your kitchen. That is the sole reason why from olden days it has been a top choice for architects and sculptors to use as a working medium. Even today, modern designers are making use of this natural beauty for ritzy bathrooms and kitchen benchtops. Though these benchtops give a breath-taking look to the room, beauty unfortunately comes at a price. Marble kitchen benchtops are pretty expensive and also takes quite an effort to maintain. In order to make the decision making simple, the various pros and cons are listed. Countertops dealers when asked about wisdom on installation of marble in the kitchen area usually show concern about how extensively the area is planned to be used.
Reasons For Selection
- The main reason why marble kitchen benchtops continue to be in quite high demand among users as well as designers is the ornate look it delivers to the décor. The stone comes in a wide variety of color palettes that include hues of solid white and black and also a range of veins in hues of yellow, grey, rose, green, white and black. Being a natural igneous rock, no two stones are similar; hence every installation may be considered a unique piece.
- The heat resistant property of this stone is the highest among natural stone options. Hence use of hot and cooking pots on marble kitchen benchtops does not harm the stone.
- Due to the cool temperature of the stone, these benchtops are good for the pastry kitchen. The stone is a bad conductor of heat.
- Though a fairly expensive option, especially the rarer varieties, some commonly used less expensive marble are also available such as the Carrera stone.
- These are one of the most widely available natural stones in the market.
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Concerns Before Selection
- Mainly two reasons can be cited for not recommending the use of marble kitchen benchtops. The reasons are fairly serious and that is why most countertop dealers do not warranty their products installed in kitchen areas. The primary concern for these countertops is the highly porous nature of the stone. Marble is much more porous as compared to granite and hence absorbs liquid quickly and is more susceptible to stains. Liquids like oil, citrus juices, acidic liquid such as wine etc., and many other household liquid spills can penetrate into the stone if left for some time and the stains are fairly difficult to remove. To counter this issue, commercial sealers are available, both for DIY and professional varieties. It is highly recommended that marble kitchen benchtops be sealed properly before installation and resealing needs to be done at regular intervals, preferably after every few years. Unsealed marble benchtops are more prone to scratching, which mostly happens when the stone is exposed to acidic substances, making the surface rough.
- The second reason of concern about marble kitchen benchtops is that the material is not known for its sturdiness, especially for use in areas where the top will be used extensively. Use of sharp objects, knives etc. are not recommended on marble benchtops. Heavy blow impact on the top may result in chipping of the benchtop or even breaking off of a corner.
Homeowners looking for a touch of elegance in their kitchen and also are comfortable with a kitchen top that is with a few scratches developed over the years, marble is the right choice for them. It will not get damaged regularly and it is also heat resistant. It will give a brightening and aesthetic look to your kitchen.
“This is a guest post by David Fenton. David Fenton is a professional blogger and informative content writer.”
